The Gold Standard Heyday - 1820 - 1930

Covering the period from the establishment of the UK gold standard in the early 19th century until the re-establishment of the gold standard after the First World War. Three themes are dealt with: the legal position of gold in the currency systems of the major western nations; political debates over the role of gold; and international agreements relating to gold. Continental European monetary arrangements are covered in this section, as are several major international agreements from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

1833. Aug 29.
Bank of England Act, 1833.

1834. Jun 27.
Coinage Act, 1834 [US].

1834. Jun 28.
Foreign Coins Act, 1834 [US].

1844. Jul 19.
Bank Charter Act, 1844.

1849. Jul 13.
'An Act to extend an Act of the Fifty-sixth year of King George the Third, for providing a new Silver Coinage, and for regulating the Currency of the Gold and Silver Coin of this Realm'.

1866. Feb 6.
The Trial of the Pyx.

1866. Aug 6.
Standards of Weights, Measures, and Coinage Act, 1866.

1868. Feb 18.
'Report from the Royal Commission on International Coinage; together with the Minutes of Evidence and Appendix'.

1869. Jun 28.
Report addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the Master of the Mint and Colonel Smith, late Master of the Calcutta Mint, on the Mintage necessary to cover the Expenses of Establishing and Maintaining the Gold Currency'.

1870. Feb 10.
Coinage Act, 1870: 'A Bill, To consolidate and amend the law relating to the Coinage and Her Majesty's Mint'.

1873. Feb 12.
Coinage Act, 1873 [United States].

1875. Jan 14.
Specie Resumption Act, 1875 [United States].

1876. Jul 5.
Select Committee on Depreciation of Silver: 'Report from the Select Committee on Depreciation of Silver; together with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, and Appendix'.

1878. Nov 27.
International Monetary Conference, 1878: 'Report of the Commissioners appointed to represent Her Majesty's Government at the Monetary Conference held in Paris in August 1878'.

1884. May 2.
Coinage Act, 1884.

1885. Nov 6.
The Monetary Convention of the 6th of November 1885, agreed upon by the delegates of the Latin Monetary Union.

1886. Jan 7.
'Message from the President of the United States [Grover Cleveland], transmitting, In response to a Senate resolution of December 9, 1885, report of the Secretary of State, with information relative to gold and silver coinage in Europe'.

1888. Jan 30.
Letter from Mr. Alfred de Rothschild to the Chairman of the Gold and Silver Commission.

1888. Oct.
Gold and Silver Commission: 'Final Report of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the recent changes in the relative values of the Precious Metals; with Minutes of Evidence and Appendices'.

1889. Jul 9.
Coinage Act, 1889: 'A Bill, To amend the Coinage Act, 1870, as respects Light Gold Coins'. [UK]

1889. Aug 30.
Coinage Act, 1889: 'A Bill, To amend the Coinage Act, 1870, as respects Light Gold Coins'.

1896. Jul 9.
'Cross of Gold' speech delivered by William Jennings Bryan to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago, Illinois.

1900. Mar 14.
Gold Standard Act, 1900 [US].

1914. Aug 6
Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1914. [UK].

1914. Aug 25.
Currency and Bank Notes (Amendment) Act, 1914. [UK].

1918. Aug 15.
Interim Report of the Cunliffe Committee, 1918.

1919. Jun 28.
Treaty of Versailles.

1920. Nov 4.
Gold and Silver (Export Control) Act, 1920. [UK]

1921. Apr 7.
National Bank Law, 1921. [Switzerland].

1924. Aug 30.
Bank Law, 1924. [Germany].

1925. Apr 28.
Winston Churchill's Budget Speech, 1925.

1925. Apr 28.
Gold Standard Act, 1925.

1925. Jul.
John Maynard Keynes' "The Economic Consequences of Mr. Churchill".

1925. Aug 21.
Decree-Law Creating the Central Bank of Chile.

1928. Jun 25.
Monetary Law, 1928. [France].

1929. Dec 20.
Amendment to the National bank Law, 1929. [Switzerland].

1930. Mar 29.
Paper issued by the Statistical Section of the Bank of England and entitled 'Terms on which the Bank of England buys bar gold'.

Gold Spot price

Gold spot price

The heyday of the Gold Standard, 1820-1930