> If you put some money in an interest-bearing account you could at least buy a new home when you got back.

If you do it in a country that doesn't allow you to be declared legally dead when you are out of contact for a couple centuries, and if the institutions involved don't collapse, and if the interest on the account outpaces inflation, sure.

What percentage of the banks that were around 222 years ago have not failed?

From [0] we can see that there are 10 banks founded before 1700 and 24 from 1700 to 1800.

So it might not be that far fetched, assuming that the banks keep your accounts open after more than 100 years without use.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_banks_in_contin...

10 banks out of how many founded in 300 years?

I don't argue that it's probably a tiny fraction.

I was just pointing out that it might be somewhat possible for banks to exist for a span of time big enough for this.

As pointed out by other commenters: a non zero number have survived. A small investment made with many different institutions would substantially increase your chances of a massive return upon... return.

That's not the right question, though, because the expected rate of failure isn't constant throughout the lifetime of a bank. See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_effect

Seems like your best bet would be to park your money with several very old banks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_banks_in_contin...

Also might want to think about purchasing bonds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_banks_in_contin...

2nd link was supposed to be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_bond with information about a bond from 1648 with the issuer still paying annual interest.

Bitcoin! :)

What if they release Bitcoin 2.0 the year you leave?

Probably tiny?

Lloyds bank founded 1765

Barclays founded 1736

I doubt any banks in the new world are as old.

Berenberg Bank founded 1590 (429 years ago)

Monte dei Paschi di Siena 1472 (547 years ago)

So.... All western European then?

You know where I can find one of these interest-bearing accounts that can outpace housing cost inflation?

While not an interest bearing account, investing in an index fund of global stocks should outpace housing. Investing in a REIT should roughly keep pace with housing costs.

Better do it in different countries and in different currencies and hope none of them get confiscated or have hyperinflation.

Not if you have negative interest rates. I heard on the radio that some European banks want to introduce this.

Or maybe a meal at a nice restaurant?