Category The Crime of 1873: Silver’s Fall in America

500 Years of Silver Standard Systems: From Prosperity to Decline, Part III: The Decline of the Silver Standard (Late 19th Century), The Crime of 1873: Silver’s Fall in America

The Free Silver Movement and political battles over currency standards

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…

Ming-Chih
February 4, 2025

500 Years of Silver Standard Systems: From Prosperity to Decline, Part III: The Decline of the Silver Standard (Late 19th Century), The Crime of 1873: Silver’s Fall in America

The Coinage Act of 1873 and the demonetization of silver

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,…

Ming-Chih
February 3, 2025