The Gold Pool (1961-1968) and the fall of the Bretton Woods system. Lessons for central bank cooperation

Eric Monnet, Michael Bordo and Alain Naef

No 12425, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: The Gold Pool (1961-1968) was one of the most ambitious cases of central bank cooperation in history. Major central banks pooled interventions – sharing profits and losses – to stabilize the dollar price of gold. Why did it collapse? From at least 1964, the fate of the Pool was in fact tied to sterling, the first line of defense for the dollar. Sterling’s unsuccessful devaluation in November 1967 spurred speculation and massive losses for the Pool. Contagion occurred because US policies were inflationary and insufficiently credible as well. The demise of the Pool provides a striking example of contagion between reserve currencies.

Keywords: Gold pool; Bretton woods; Reserve currencies; Central bank cooperation; International monetary system; Sterling crisis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E42 F31 F33 N14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cba, nep-his, nep-hpe, nep-mac, nep-mon and nep-pay
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Gold Pool (1961–1968) and the Fall of the Bretton Woods System: Lessons for Central Bank Cooperation (2019)
Working Paper: The Gold Pool (1961–1968) and the Fall of the Bretton Woods System: Lessons for Central Bank Cooperation (2019)
Working Paper: The Gold Pool (1961–1968) and the Fall of the Bretton Woods System: Lessons for Central Bank Cooperation (2019)
Working Paper: The Gold Pool (1961-1968) and the Fall of the Bretton Woods System. Lessons for Central Bank Cooperation (2017)
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