Category The Gold Standard Era: Europe’s Shift Away from Silver

How Britain, France, and other nations transitioned to gold-backed monetary systems

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…

Germany’s adoption of the gold standard in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War

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…