Post-WWII monetary systems marked the final chapter in silver’s long history as a monetary metal. With the establishment of the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1944, global finance shifted to a gold-backed U.S. dollar, sidelining silver entirely from international monetary policy.…
As Europe and North America transitioned to the gold standard in the late 19th century, the global demand for silver plummeted, causing its price to collapse. This had severe economic consequences for nations that remained on the silver standard, particularly…
By the late 19th century, most of Europe and North America had abandoned silver in favor of the gold standard, marking the end of bimetallism in the industrialized world. However, China, India, and Mexico—three of the largest silver-consuming economies—remained on…
By the late 19th century, the global monetary system was undergoing a fundamental transformation. Nations that had long relied on bimetallism or silver-backed currencies increasingly shifted toward the gold standard, following the lead of Britain and Germany. This transition was…
The Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) marked not only the unification of Germany but also a major turning point in global monetary history. In the aftermath of its victory, Germany used French war reparations to build a gold reserve and officially transitioned…
The demonetization of silver by the Coinage Act of 1873 sparked one of the most intense political and economic debates in American history—the battle between gold standard advocates and Free Silver supporters. While industrialists, bankers, and policymakers favored a gold-backed…
The Coinage Act of 1873, often referred to by silver advocates as “The Crime of 1873,” marked a turning point in the monetary history of the United States. By effectively demonetizing silver and transitioning the U.S. toward the gold standard,…
Increased silver mining during the Industrial Revolution dramatically reshaped global markets, driving prices down and altering the role of silver in the world economy. With new technologies such as steam-powered drills, dynamite, and cyanide processing, silver production surged, particularly in…
The Industrial Revolution (1750–1900) dramatically transformed the global economy, reshaping industries, transportation, and trade networks. This period of rapid technological advancement also had profound effects on silver production and trade, as new mining technologies increased silver output, global demand for…
The bimetallic standard, which aimed to balance silver and gold at a fixed exchange ratio—most famously 16 to 1—faced significant challenges due to market forces, arbitrage opportunities, and unpredictable mining discoveries. While governments sought to stabilize their monetary systems by…
The fixed exchange ratio between silver and gold was a cornerstone of the bimetallic monetary systems used by many nations in the 18th and 19th centuries. By legally defining a set value between the two metals—most famously at 16 to…
The Age of Bimetallism saw many nations attempt to balance silver and gold as the foundation of their monetary systems. While the concept of using both metals as legal tender was not new, the 18th and 19th centuries marked a…
