When bank charges are leveled on cash deposits that earn no interest, which are held in debased fiat currency, it may become tempting for more and more individuals to withdraw their funds. Their alternatives could be to buy stock investments, or to hold physical cash in the form of bank notes (which may or may not be stuffed into mattresses). A fall in bank deposits could hurt banks just when they may be hit with fines and increased regulation. Furthermore, even if arguably remote, falling deposits could trigger a cycle of further withdrawals. Given that central banks may confront such a scenario with even more currency debasement, precious metals could become an alternative form of cost-free cash.