How Much Gold, Silver and Platinum Are Stored at Fort Knox?
For decades, people have wanted to know exactly what is being stored at Fort Knox, also known as the Fort Knox Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
And the U.S. Government has been trying to tell us. (Or at least, the U.S. Government claims that it has.) If you go to www.usmint.gov, you will find the latest statements about what the government is storing at the facility . . .
- The Fort Knox Bullion Depository stores precious metal bullion reserves that are owned by the U.S. Government.
- Amount of present gold holdings: 147.3 million ounces.
- The only gold ever removed has been very small quantities used to test the purity of gold during regularly scheduled audits. Except for these samples, no gold has been transferred to or from the Depository “for many years,” in the words of the U.S. Mint.
- The gold is held as an asset of the United States at book value of $42.22 per ounce.
- Highest gold holdings in the previous century were: 649.6 million ounces, recorded on December 31, 1941.
- The bullion is stored in gold bars that measure 7” x 35/8” 5/8 x ¾”. They each weigh approximately 400 oz. or 27.5 lb.
And now for some fun stuff, also from the U.S. Mint . . .
- The first gold bullion stored at Fort Knox arrived there in 1937.
- During World War II, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights were temporarily stored in vaults at Fort Knox, then returned to Washington, D.C. in 1944.
- A special police force called the U.S. Mint Police protects the facility. As you would expect, they have highly specialized training.
- No one person knows all the codes and procedures required to get to the vaults where the gold bullion is stored.
And What about all the Silver, Platinum that Are Stored at Fort Knox?
Simple and quick answer! According to the U.S. Mint, no silver or platinum whatsoever is stored at Fort Knox . . . only gold!
Of course, lots of silver and platinum bullion bars (as well as gold) are available to private investors - people who want to create Fort Knoxes of their own.
If you have platinum or other precious metal scrap that you would like to recycle, speak with one of our precious metals investment consultants at 800-426-2344.
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