United States Bullion Depository The United States Bullion Depository, commonly called Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located near Fort Knox, Kentucky, which is used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and, occasionally, other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government. The United States Bullion Depository holds about 4,603 tons of gold bullion (147.4 million troy ounces). It is second in the United States only to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's underground vault in Manhattan, which holds about 5,000 metric tonnes of gold in trust for many foreign nations, central banks and official international organizations. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on land transferred from the military. The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 at a cost of $560,000, or about $7.5 million in 2007 dollars. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937.

The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and more newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored, as well. The transfer needed 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. During World War II, the repository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. It also held the reserves of several European countries and several key documents from Western history; for example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen, part of the Hungarian crown jewels, given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. The repository also held one of four known copies of Magna Carta, which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World Fair, and which, when war broke out, was kept in America for the duration. Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault, which is lined with granite walls and which is protected by a blast-proof door that weighs 22 tons. No single person is entrusted with the entire combination to the vault. Various members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them.

Beyond the main vault door, smaller internal cells provide further protection. The facility is ringed with several fences and is under armed guard by officers of the United States Mint Police. The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a United States Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection. The Depository is protected by numerous layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including Apache helicopter gunships of 8/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield, the 16th Cavalry Regiment, training battalions of the United States Army Armor School, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division, totaling over 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, and artillery. [ READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE ] wikisnap.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by wikipedia. wikipedia and the wikipedia globe are registered trademarks of wikipedia.org .

Fort Knox – where America keeps its most treasured possessions (and gold!) | Altered Dimensions Paranormal Fort Knox – where America keeps its most treasured possessions (and gold!) // December 26th, 2012 // Unusual Places (you can visit) Fort Knox The United States Bullion Depository, commonly called Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located near Fort Knox, Kentucky, which is used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally, other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government. The United States Bullion Depository holds about 4,603 tons (4,176 metric tons) of gold bullion (147.399 million troy ounces). It is second in the United States only to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s underground vault in Manhattan, which holds about 5,000 metric tons of gold in trust for many foreign nations, central banks and official international organizations. History Before the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, gold coins had circulated freely in the United States as legal money, and gold bullion was owned by banks and other private entities.

In early 1933, as part of the New Deal, the U.S. Congress enacted a package of laws which removed gold from circulation as money, and which made private ownership of gold in the U.S. (except for coins in collections or jewelry such as wedding rings) illegal. All gold in circulation was seized by the government in exchange for dollars at the fixed rate of $20.67 per ounce. Owners of gold bullion in the U.S. were also required to trade it for other forms of money. All of this left the government of the United States with a large amount of gold metal, and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on land transferred from the military. The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 at a cost of $560,000, or about $7.5 million in 2007 dollars. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937.

The majority of the United States’ gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and more newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored, as well. The transfer of the bullion required 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. During World War II, the repository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. It also held the reserves of several European countries and several key documents from Western history; for example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen, part of the Hungarian crown jewels given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. The repository also held one of four known copies (exemplifications) of Magna Carta, which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World Fair, and when war broke out, was kept in America for the duration. Construction and security Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault, which is lined with granite walls and is protected by a blast-proof door that weighs 22 tons. No single person is entrusted with the combination to the vault. Various members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them.

Beyond the main vault door, smaller internal cells provide further protection. The facility is ringed with several fences and is under armed guard by officers of the United States Mint Police. The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a United States Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection. The Depository is protected by numerous layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including Apache helicopter gunships of 4/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield, the 16th Cavalry Regiment, training battalions of the United States Army Armor School, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division (totaling over 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, and artillery). Gold and coin holdings Gold holdings peaked during World War II at 649.6 million troy ounces (20,205 metric tons).

Current holdings are around 147.3 million ounces (4,570 t) in around 368,000 standard 400 troy ounce (12.4 kg or 27.4 lb avoirdupois) gold bars. At April 2008 rates of $913 an ounce it is worth roughly $134 billion, while the World War II total of 649.6 million troy ounces would be worth approximately $593 billion. The depository also holds monetary gold coins. It also holds several specimens of Sacagawea Dollar coins made out of 22kt (91.6% pure) gold from blanks that are used to strike the $25 half-ounce American Gold Eagle bullion pieces made for an unknown project. The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping.

Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, however, called “coin bars,” are the same composition as the original coins. Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1932 U.S. coins, which were intended for circulation, was a much tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) derived historically from 22-carat crown gold (a similar alloy consisting of .917 gold, .030 silver, .053 copper is still used in modern U.S. American Gold Eagle bullion coins). All of the gold in the depository, if pure, could form a cube 19.7 feet (6 m) on a side — a volume of 216 m³. In comparison, all the gold ever mined in the world would form a cube 64.3 feet (19.6 m) on a side, with a volume of approximately 7500 m³.

The United States holds more gold bullion than any other country, with about 2.37 times that of the next leading country, Germany. Conspiracy theory A popular and recurring conspiracy theory, as alleged by Edward Durrell, Norman Dodd, Peter Beter and others, claims that the vault is mostly empty and that most of the gold in Fort Knox was removed to Jerusalem in the late 1960s by President Lyndon Johnson. In response, on September 23, 1974, Senator Walter Huddleston of Kentucky, twelve congressmen, and about 100 members of the news media toured the vault and opened various cells and doors, each filled with gold. Radio reporter Bill Evans, when asked if it seemed like the gold might have been moved in just for the visit, replied that “all I can say is that I saw gold there” and that it seemed like it was always there. Additionally, audits of the gold by the General Accounting Office (in cooperation with the United States Mint and the United States Customs Service in 1974 and the Treasury Department) from 1975-1981 found no discrepancies between the reported and actual amounts of gold at the Depository.

However, the audit has been described as a peculiar process because it was only a partial audit done over an extended period of time. The report states only 21 percent of the gold bars were audited as of 1981 (the audit report’s issue date) and that the audit has “covered more than 212.7 million fine troy ounces of gold” which “represents over 80 percent of the total amount of United States-owned gold of 264.1 million fine troy ounces.” The Fed claims that a small amount of gold is removed for regularly scheduled audits to ensure the purity matches official records. No additional inspection or audit has been made for almost 30 years. Fort Knox pictorial gallery.

United_States_Bullion_Depository United_States_Bullion_Depository United States Bullion Depository Coordinates: 37.882983° N 85.965099° W The United States Bullion Depository, commonly called Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located near Fort Knox, Kentucky which is used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves , as well as from time to time, other precious items belonging to, or entrusted to, the United States of America. The United States Bullion Depository holds about 5,037.5 tons (4,570 metric tonnes) of gold bullion (147.3 million ounces [1] ). It is second in the United States only to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's underground vault in Manhattan, which holds about 5,000 metric tons of gold in trust for many foreign nations, central banks and official international organizations. 7 References History Before the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, gold coins had circulated freely in the United States as legal money, and gold bullion was owned by banks and other private entities.

In early 1933, as part of the New Deal, the U.S. Congress enacted a package of laws which removed gold from circulation as money, and which made private ownership of gold in the U.S. (except for coins in collections or jewelry such as wedding rings) illegal. All gold in circulation was seized by the government in exchange for dollars at the fixed rate of $20.67 per ounce. Owners of gold bullion in the U.S. were also required to trade it for other forms of money. All of this left the government of the United States with a large amount of gold metal, and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky on land transferred from the military. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 at a cost of $560,000, or about $7.5 million in 2007 dollars. The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937.

The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and more newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored, as well. The transfer needed 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the Postal Inspection Service. During World War II, the depository held the reserves of several European countries and several key documents from Western history. For example, it held one of four known copies (exemplifications) of Magna Carta, which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World Fair and when war broke out, was kept in America for the duration, and other key documents from Western history. It also held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution during the war. The repository also held the Crown of St Stephen, part of the Hungarian crown jewels given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. Construction and security Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault, which is lined with granite walls and is protected by a blast-proof door that weighs 24.6 tons (22.3 metric tonnes). No single person is entrusted with the combination to the vault.

Various members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only by them. Beyond the main vault door, smaller internal "cells" provide further protection. The facility is ringed with several fences and is under armed guard by officers of the United States Mint Police. The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a United States Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection. The Depository is protected by numerous layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including the 194th Armored Brigade, the 16th Cavalry Regiment, and the United States Army Armor School, totaling over 30,000 troops, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, and artillery. Gold and coin holdings Gold holdings peaked during World War II at 649.6 million troy ounces (20,205 metric tons). Current holdings are around 147.3 million ounces [1] (4,570 t) in around 368,000 standard 400 troy ounce (12.4 kg or 27.4 lb avoirdupois) gold bars.

At late 2007 rates of $837 an ounce it is worth a little more than $123 billion. [2] The depository also holds monetary gold coins. It also holds several specimens of Sacagawea Dollar coins made out of 22 kt (91.6% pure) gold from blanks that are used to strike the $25 half-ounce American Gold Eagle bullion pieces made for an unknown project. The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 WTC in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 stolen 1933 Double Eagle examples recovered from the heirs of Israel Switt were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping. Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, however, called "coin bars," are the same composition as the original coins.

Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1932 U.S. coins, which were intended for circulation, was a much tougher and wear-resistant 22 carat alloy derived historically from crown gold (this alloy is actually still used by law in modern U.S. American Gold Eagle bullion coins). The 22-carat coin bars are therefore only 22/24 = .9167 fine, or 91.67% gold. All of the gold in the depository, if pure, could form a cube 19.7 feet (6 m) on a side. For a comparison, all the gold ever mined in the world would form a cube 64.3 feet (19.6 meters) on a side.[1] The United States holds more gold bullion than any other country, with about 2.37 times that of the next leading country, Germany.

Conspiracy theory A popular and recurring conspiracy theory, as alleged by Edward Durrell, Norman Dodd, Tom Valentine, Peter Beter and others, claims that the vault is mostly empty and that most of the gold in Fort Knox was removed to London in the late 1960s by President Lyndon Johnson. [3] In response, on September 23, 1974, Senator Walter Huddleston of Kentucky, twelve congressmen, and about 100 members of the news media toured the vault and opened various cells and doors, each filled with gold. Radio reporter Bill Evans, when asked if it seemed like the gold might have been moved in just for the visit, replied that "all I can say is that I saw gold there" and that it seemed like it was always there. [4] Additionally, audits of the gold by the General Accounting Office (in cooperation with the United States Mint and the United States Customs Service in 1974 and the Treasury Department) from 1975-1981 found no discrepancies between the reported and actual amounts of gold at the Depository.

[5] However, the audit has been described as a peculiar process because it was only a partial audit done over an extended period of time. [6] The report states only 21 percent of the gold bars were audited as of 1981 (the audit report's issue date) and that the audit has "covered more than 212.7 million fine troy ounces of gold" which "represents over 80 percent of the total amount of United States-owned gold of 264.1 million fine troy ounces." [5] A small amount of gold is removed for regularly scheduled audits to ensure the purity matches official records. [1] The theory continues to persist, however. In 2007, KPMG will carry out an independent audit[citation needed]. In popular culture The bullion depository has become a symbol of an impregnable vault, leading to phrases such as "locked up tighter than Fort Knox", or "safer than Fort Knox". Cinema The 1937 RKO Lee Tracy film Behind the Headlines climaxes in a plan to steal gold bars en route from Washington D.C. to Fort Knox.

The 1951 Bud Abbott & Lou Costello film Comin' Round the Mountain has the two using a treasure map to find a stash of gold. When they finally reach the gold at the end of the film, they find themselves in the middle of Fort Knox and are immediately arrested. The popular 1959 Ian Fleming-written James Bond novel Goldfinger, and the 1964 movie of the same name, are about a criminal plot called "Operation Grand Slam" to break in to the U.S. Bullion Depository. In the book, Auric Goldfinger's plan is to steal the gold. In the movie, it is to render the gold contained in the Depository radioactive and useless with a nuclear device, crippling the economy and driving up the price of the gold Goldfinger already has. The movie was set before the U.S. dollar ceased to be backed by gold in 1971.

[7] See also Federal Reserve Bank of New York List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky United States Bullion Depository Bank vault - Money Safe Box United States Bullion Depository Bank vault - Money Safe Box United States Bullion Depository Bank vault Bank Vaults Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The bullion depository has become a symbol of an impregnable vault, leading to phrases such as "locked up tighter than Fort Knox" or "safer than Fort Knox". Many business names in the surrounding areas are references to the bullion depository. Also, the gold stored there has become a symbol of a vast amount, leading to the phrase "not for all the gold in Fort Knox" as a reference for not doing something under any circumstance. The United States Bullion Depository, often known as Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located adjacent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government.

The United States Bullion Depository holds 4,578 metric tons (5,046.3 short tons) of gold bullion (147.2 million oz. troy). This is roughly 3 percent of all the gold ever refined throughout human history. Even so, the depository is second in the United States to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's underground vault in Manhattan, which holds 7,000 metric tons (7,716 tons) of gold bullion (225.1 million oz. troy), most of it in trust for foreign nations, central banks and official international organizations. Construction and security Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault lined with granite walls and protected by a blast-proof door weighing 22 tons. Members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them. Beyond the main vault door, smaller compartments provide further protection. According to a Mosler Safe Company brochure: "The most famous, if not the largest, vault door order came from the Federal government in 1935 for the newly constructed gold depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Both the vault door and emergency door were 21-inches thick and made of the latest torch- and drill-resistant material. The main vault door weighed 20 tons and the vault casing was 25-inches thick." The facility is ringed with fences and is guarded by the United States Mint Police. The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a US Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection. The Depository is protected by layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, microphones, mine fields, barbed razor wire, electric fences, heavily armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including unmarked Apache helicopter gunships of 8/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield, the 16th Cavalry Regiment, the 19th Engineer Battalion, formerly training battalions of the United States Army Armor School, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division, totaling 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, and artillery. There is an escape tunnel from the lower level of the vault to be used by someone accidentally locked in.

For security reasons, no visitors are allowed inside the depository grounds. This policy has been enforced ever since the vault opened, and the only exception was an inspection by members of the United States Congress and the news media on September 23, 1974 led by then Director of the United States Mint, Mary Brooks Gold holdings peaked during World War II at 20,205 metric tons (649.6 million oz. troy). Today, holdings are 4,578 metric tons (147.2 million oz. troy) in 368,000 standard, 400 oz. troy (12.4 kg or 27.4 lb avoirdupois) gold bars. At the June 17, 2012 rate of $1,618.82 an ounce it is worth $238.290 billion, while the World War II total of 649.6 million oz. troy would be worth $1.051 trillion. The depository also holds monetary gold coins.

The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping. Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, called "coin bars", are the same composition as the original coins, which is 90% gold. Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1933 US coins, which were intended for circulation, was a tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) used for all US gold coins since 1837.

(See crown gold for further gold coin alloy history.) All of the gold in the depository, if pure, could form a cube 20.3 feet (6.19 m) on a side—a volume of 237 m³. In comparison, all the gold ever refined in history (an estimated 174,100 metric tons) is about 40 times greater, so the facility holds about 2.5% of all gold ever refined. The US holds more gold bullion than any other country, with about 1.35 times that of the next leading country, Germany (which in 2012 owned 3,395.50 metric tons) History: In 1933, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102, which outlawed the private ownership of gold coins, gold bullion, and gold certificates by American citizens, forcing them to sell these to the Federal Reserve. As a result, the value of the gold held by the Federal Reserve increased from $4 billion to $12 billion between 1933 and 1937.

This left the federal government with a large gold reserve and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on land transferred from the military. The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 for US $560,000 ($9,520,000 in today's dollars). The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, in recognition of its significance in the economic history of the United States and its status as a well-known landmark. The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937. The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored. The transfer used 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Treasury Department agents. During World War II, the depository held the original U.S.

Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. It held the reserves of European countries and key documents from Western history. For example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen, part of the Hungarian crown jewels, given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. The repository held one of four copies (exemplifications) of the Magna Carta, which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World's Fair, and when war broke out, was kept in the US for the duration. During World War II and into the Cold War, until the invention of different types of synthetic painkillers, a supply of processed morphine and opium was kept in the Depository as a hedge against the US being isolated from the sources of raw opium.Famous at the cinema:The 1937 RKO Lee Tracy film Behind the Headlines climaxes in a plan to steal gold bars en route from Washington, D.C. to Fort Knox. The 1951 Bud Abbott & Lou Costello film Comin' Round the Mountain has the two using a treasure map to find a stash of gold.

When they finally reach the gold at the end of the film, they find themselves in the middle of Fort Knox and are immediately arrested. The 1951 Warner Bros. short 14 Carrot Rabbit featuring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam follows a similar routine, with Sam being led away by guards at the end. Bugs is also under suspicion, but slips away on a large boat. The popular 1959 Ian Fleming-written James Bond novel Goldfinger, and the 1964 movie of the same name, are about a criminal plot called "Operation Grand Slam" to break into the U.S. Bullion Depository. In the book, Auric Goldfinger's plan is to steal the gold. In the movie, the audience is initially led to believe Goldfinger is going to steal the gold, but the real plot is to render the gold contained in the Depository radioactive and useless with a nuclear device, crippling the economy and driving up the price of the gold Goldfinger already possesses. The change was due to the fact that critics denounced the plan as unfeasible due to the length of time that would be needed to empty the vault (a fact the film Bond references).

The facility is referenced in the 1995 film Die Hard with a Vengeance as "for tourists" compared to the target of the film—the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which they claim holds "ten times what's in Kentucky". In the 2000 film Battlefield Earth, a group of humans, enslaved by an alien race called the Psychlos, trick them into thinking they're "mining" for gold by breaking into the Bullion Depository and delivering them the gold that's stored there. United States Bullion Depository - Wikipedia, Photos and Videos United States Bullion Depository NEXT GO TO RESULTS [51 .. 100] WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE The United States Bullion Depository Show map of Kentucky Show map of the US Location Gold Vault Rd. and Bullion Blvd., Fort Knox , Kentucky Area Added to NRHP February 18, 1988 The United States Bullion Depository, often known as Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located within the United States Army post of Fort Knox , Kentucky , used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government .

It is estimated to have roughly 2.3% of all the gold ever refined throughout human history. [2] Contents Seal of the U.S. Mint US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Gold Vault Rd. and Bullion Boulevard Fort Knox In 1933, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102 , which outlawed the private ownership of gold coins, gold bullion , and gold certificates by American citizens, forcing them to sell these to the Federal Reserve . As a result, the value of the gold held by the Federal Reserve increased from $4 billion to $12 billion between 1933 and 1937. [3] This left the federal government with a large gold reserve and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky , on land transferred from the military . The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 for US $560,000. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, in recognition of its significance in the economic history of the United States and its status as a well-known landmark. [4] It is constructed of granite mined at the North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex . [5] The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937. The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored. The transfer used 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service , and the U.S. Treasury Department agents.[ citation needed ] In 1974, a Washington attorney named Peter David Beter circulated a theory that the gold in the Depository had been secretly removed by elites, and that the vaults were empty. A group of reporters was allowed inside in order to refute the theory, which had gained traction thanks to coverage in tabloid newspapers and on the radio. Other than this 1974 event, no member of the public has been allowed inside.

[6] During World War II , the depository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution . It held the reserves of European countries and key documents from Western history. For example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen , part of the Hungarian crown jewels , given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. The repository held one of four copies ( exemplifications ) of the Magna Carta , which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World's Fair , and when war broke out, was kept in the US for the duration. During World War II and into the Cold War , until the invention of different types of synthetic painkillers, a supply of processed morphine and opium was kept in the Depository as a hedge against the US being isolated from the sources of raw opium. [7] Construction and security[ edit ] Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault lined with granite walls and protected by a blast-proof door weighing 25 tons. Members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them. [8] Beyond the main vault door, smaller compartments provide further protection.

[9] According to a Mosler Safe Company brochure: The most famous, if not the largest, vault door order came from the Federal government in 1935 for the newly constructed gold depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Both the vault door and emergency door were 21-inches thick and made of the latest torch- and drill-resistant material. The main vault door weighed 20 tons and the vault casing was 25-inches thick. [10] The facility is ringed with fences and is guarded by the United States Mint Police . The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a US Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection.

The Depository is protected by layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, microphones, mine fields, barbed razor wire, electric fences, heavily armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including unmarked Apache helicopter gunships of 8/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield , the 19th Engineer Battalion , formerly training battalions of the United States Army Armor School , and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division , totaling 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers , attack helicopters, and artillery. There is an escape tunnel from the lower level of the vault to be used by someone who has been accidentally locked in. [6] For security reasons, no visitors are allowed inside the depository grounds. This policy has been enforced ever since the vault opened, and the only exception was an inspection by members of the United States Congress and the news media on September 23, 1974 led by then Director of the United States Mint , Mary Brooks .

[6] Gold[ edit ] As of April 2016 [update] , Fort Knox holdings are 4,582 metric tons (147.3 million oz. troy). [11] At the rate of $1,226.60 an ounce [12] it is worth about $180 billion. The depository also holds monetary gold coins.[ citation needed ] The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping.[ citation needed ] Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, called "coin bars", are the same composition as the original coins, which is 90% gold.

Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1933 US coins, which were intended for circulation, was a tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) used for all US gold coins since 1837. (See crown gold for further gold coin alloy history.) The US holds more gold than any other country, with about 8,133 metric tons in total (not just at Fort Knox), or about 2.4 times that of the next leading country, Germany (which in 2014 owned 3,387.1 metric tons). [13] Popular culture[ edit ] The Meade County Bank in Muldraugh, KY resembles the bullion depository's exterior design. The bullion depository has become a symbol of an impregnable vault, leading to phrases such as "locked up tighter than Fort Knox" or "safer than Fort Knox". Many business names in the surrounding areas are references to the bullion depository.

Also, the gold stored there has become a symbol of a vast amount, leading to the phrase "not for all the gold in Fort Knox" as a reference for not doing something under any circumstances. The 1937 RKO Lee Tracy film Behind the Headlines climaxes in a plan to steal gold bars en route from Washington, D.C. to Fort Knox. The 1951 Abbott and Costello film Comin' Round the Mountain has the duo using a treasure map to find a stash of gold. When they finally reach the gold at the end of the film, they find themselves in the middle of Fort Knox and are immediately arrested. The 1951 Warner Bros. short 14 Carrot Rabbit featuring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam follows a similar routine, with Sam being led away by guards at the end. Bugs is also under suspicion, but slips away on a large boat. The popular 1959 Ian Fleming -written James Bond novel Goldfinger , and the 1964 movie of the same name , are about a criminal plot called "Operation Grand Slam" to break into the U.S. Bullion Depository.

In the book, Auric Goldfinger 's plan is to steal the gold. In the movie, the audience is initially led to believe Goldfinger is going to steal the gold, but the real plot is to render the gold contained in the Depository radioactive and useless with a nuclear device , crippling the economy and driving up the price of the gold Goldfinger already possesses. In the 2000 film Battlefield Earth , a group of humans, enslaved by an alien race called the Psychlos , trick them into thinking they're "mining" for gold by breaking into the Bullion Depository and delivering them the gold that's stored there. In the Soviet comedy western A Man from the Boulevard des Capucines Billy says, "The heart of Miss [Diana] Little is locked tighter than Fort Knox." After a few moments, when Diana shows sympathy to Mr. First, someone remarks to Billy: "Seems Fort Knox has fallen." In Star Trek: Voyager , season 5, episodes 15 and 16 (" Dark Frontier "), Captain Kathryn Janeway hatches a plan to steal a transwarp coil from a Borg ship , calling it Operation Fort Knox.

The episode explains the depository's history, and that in the 22nd century, the Fort Knox facility was converted into a museum when a new world economy took shape. In Season 1 of America's Book of Secrets, an episode titled "Fort Knox" that aired February 4, 2012 discusses a brief history of Fort Knox, some unique facts, along with legends, rumors, and conspiracies. [14] Samsung Knox , an enterprise mobile security solution developed by Samsung Group is named after Fort Knox. [15] Fort Knox Bullion Depository Fort Knox Bullion Depository Fort Knox Bullion Depository The United States Bullion Depository, often known as Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located within the United States Army post of Fort Knox, Kentucky, used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government. The exact contents of the United States Bullion Depository are unknown as there has never been an approved full audit since the early 1930s. It is estimated to have roughly 3 percent of all the gold ever refined throughout human history. History US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Gold Vault Rd.

and Bullion Boulevard Fort Knox In 1933, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102, which outlawed the private ownership of gold coins, gold bullion, and gold certificates by American citizens, forcing them to sell these to the Federal Reserve. As a result, the value of the gold held by the Federal Reserve increased from $4 billion to $12 billion between 1933 and 1937. This left the federal government with a large gold reserve and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on land transferred from the military. The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 for US $560,000 ($9,520,000 in today's dollars). The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, in recognition of its significance in the economic history of the United States and its status as a well-known landmark.

It is constructed of granite mined at the North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex. [5] The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937. The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored. The transfer used 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Treasury Department agents. No one has been allowed inside the vault since 1974 when a conspiracy theory was spread that there was no more gold left inside the vault. Therefore, the public was provided proof that there in fact was still all the gold inside the vault and inspected the grounds. During World War II, the depository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. It held the reserves of European countries and key documents from Western history. For example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen, part of the Hungarian crown jewels, given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands.

The repository held one of four copies (exemplifications) of the Magna Carta, which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World's Fair, and when war broke out, was kept in the US for the duration. During World War II and into the Cold War, until the invention of different types of synthetic painkillers, a supply of processed morphine and opium was kept in the Depository as a hedge against the US being isolated from the sources of raw opium. Construction and security Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault lined with granite walls and protected by a blast-proof door weighing 22 tons. Members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them. Beyond the main vault door, smaller compartments provide further protection. According to a Mosler Safe Company brochure: The most famous, if not the largest, vault door order came from the Federal government in 1935 for the newly constructed gold depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Both the vault door and emergency door were 21-inches thick and made of the latest torch- and drill-resistant material. The main vault door weighed 20 tons and the vault casing was 25-inches thick.

The facility is ringed with fences and is guarded by the United States Mint Police. The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a US Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection. The Depository is protected by layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, microphones, mine fields, barbed razor wire, electric fences, heavily armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including unmarked Apache helicopter gunships of 8/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield, the 19th Engineer Battalion, formerly training battalions of the United States Army Armor School, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division, totaling 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, and artillery. There is an escape tunnel from the lower level of the vault to be used by someone who has been accidentally locked in. For security reasons, no visitors are allowed inside the depository grounds.

This policy has been enforced ever since the vault opened, and the only exception was an inspection by members of the United States Congress and the news media on September 23, 1974 led by then Director of the United States Mint, Mary Brooks. Gold Gold holdings peaked during World War II at 20,205 metric tons (649.6 million oz. troy). Today, holdings are 258,641,878.074 oz. troy (8,044 metric tons). At the May 4, 2015 rate of $1,188.50 an ounce it is worth about $337 billion. The depository also holds monetary gold coins. The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping. Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition.

The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, called "coin bars", are the same composition as the original coins, which is 90% gold. Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1933 US coins, which were intended for circulation, was a tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) used for all US gold coins since 1837. All of the gold in the depository, if pure, could form a cube 20.3 feet (6.19 m) on a side—a volume of 237 m³. In comparison, all the gold ever refined in history (an estimated 174,100 metric tons) is about 21.6 times greater, so the facility holds about 4.62% of all gold ever refined. The US holds more gold bullion than any other country, with about 2.40 times that of the next leading country, Germany (which in 2014 owned 3,387.1 metric tons).

taken from: United States Bullion Depository : Wikis (The Full Wiki) Coordinates : 37°52′59″N 85°57′54″W﻿ / ﻿37.882983°N 85.965099°W﻿ / 37.882983; -85.965099 The United States Bullion Depository. The United States Bullion Depository, commonly called Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located adjacent to Fort Knox , Kentucky , which is used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and, occasionally, other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government . The United States Bullion Depository holds about 4,603 tons (4 176 metric tonnes) of gold bullion (147.4 million troy ounces [1] ). It is second in the United States only to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York 's underground vault in Manhattan , which holds about 5,000 metric tonnes of gold in trust for many foreign nations, central banks and official international organizations.

Contents 7 External links History Before the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt , in 1932, gold coins had circulated freely in the United States as legal money, and gold bullion was owned by banks and other private entities. In early 1933, as part of the New Deal , the U.S. Congress enacted a package of laws which removed gold from circulation as money, and which made private ownership of gold in the U.S. (except for coins in collections or jewelry such as wedding rings) illegal. All gold in circulation was seized by the government in exchange for dollars at the fixed rate of $20.67 per ounce. Owners of gold bullion in the U.S. were also required to trade it for other forms of money. All of this left the government of the United States with a large amount of gold metal, and no place to store it. Seal of the U.S. Mint In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox , Kentucky , on land transferred from the military .

The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 at a cost of $ 560,000, or about $7.5 million in 2007 dollars. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937 . The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and more newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored, as well. The transfer needed 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service . During World War II , the repository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution . It also held the reserves of several European countries and several key documents from Western history; for example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen , part of the Hungarian crown jewels , given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands.

The repository also held one of four known copies (exemplifications) of Magna Carta , which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World Fair , and which, when war broke out, was kept in America for the duration. Construction and security Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault , which is lined with granite walls and which is protected by a blast-proof door that weighs 22 tons . No single person is entrusted with the entire combination to the vault. Various members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them. Beyond the main vault door, smaller internal cells provide further protection. [2] The facility is ringed with several fences and is under armed guard by officers of the United States Mint Police . The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox , a United States Army post , allowing the Army to provide additional protection.

The Depository is protected by numerous layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including Apache helicopter gunships of 8/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield , the 16th Cavalry Regiment, training battalions of the United States Army Armor School , and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division, totaling over 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks , armored personnel carriers , attack helicopters , and artillery . Gold and coin holdings Gold holdings peaked during World War II at 649.6 million troy ounces (20,205 metric tons ). Current holdings are around 147.3 million troy ounces [1] (5,050 tons) in around 368,000 standard 400 troy ounce (12.4 kg or 27.4 lb avoirdupois ) gold bars .

At November 2009 rates of $1180 an ounce it is worth roughly $173 billion, while the World War II total of 649.6 million troy ounces would be worth approximately $765 billion. [3] The depository also holds monetary gold coins . It also holds several specimens of Sacagawea Dollar coins made out of 22 kt (91.6% pure) gold from blanks that are used to strike the $25 half-ounce American Gold Eagle bullion pieces made for an unknown project. The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping. Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, however, called "coin bars," are the same composition as the original coins.

Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1932 U.S. coins, which were intended for circulation, was a much tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) derived historically from 22-carat crown gold (a similar alloy consisting of .917 gold and the balance copper, used to mint gold sovereigns ). All of the gold in the depository, if pure, could form a cube 19.7 feet (6 m) on a side—a volume of 216 m³. In comparison, all the gold ever mined in the world would form a cube 64.3 feet (19.6 m) on a side, with a volume of approximately 7500 m³. [4] The United States holds more gold bullion than any other country, with about 2.39 times that of the next leading country, Germany. In popular culture The bullion depository has become a symbol of an impregnable vault, leading to phrases such as "locked up tighter than Fort Knox" or "safer than Fort Knox".

Advertisements Cinema The 1937 RKO Lee Tracy film Behind the Headlines climaxes in a plan to steal gold bars en route from Washington D.C. to Fort Knox. The 1951 Bud Abbott & Lou Costello film Comin' Round the Mountain has the two using a treasure map to find a stash of gold. When they finally reach the gold at the end of the film, they find themselves in the middle of Fort Knox and are immediately arrested. The 1951 Warner Bros. short 14 Carrot Rabbit featuring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam follows a similar routine, with Sam being led away by guards at the end. Bugs is also under suspicion, but slips away on a large boat. The popular 1959 Ian Fleming -written James Bond novel Goldfinger , and the 1964 movie of the same name , are about a criminal plot called "Operation Grand Slam" to break in to the U.S. Bullion Depository. In the book, Auric Goldfinger 's plan is to steal the gold.

In the movie, it is to render the gold contained in the Depository radioactive and useless with a nuclear device , crippling the economy and driving up the price of the gold Goldfinger already has. The movie was set before the U.S. dollar ceased to be backed by gold in 1971. [5] See also United States Bullion Depository : definition of United States Bullion Depository and synonyms of United States Bullion Depository (English) Coordinates : 37°52′59″N 85°57′54″W﻿ / ﻿37.882983°N 85.965099°W﻿ / 37.882983; -85.965099 The United States Bullion Depository The United States Bullion Depository, often known as Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located adjacent to Fort Knox , Kentucky , used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government .

The United States Bullion Depository holds 4,578 metric tons (5,046.3 short tons) of gold bullion (147.2 million oz. troy ). This is roughly 2.5% of all the gold ever refined throughout human history. Even so, the depository is second in the United States to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York 's underground vault in Manhattan , which holds 7,000 metric tons (7,716 tons) of gold bullion (225.1 million oz. troy), some of it in trust for foreign nations, central banks and official international organizations. Contents History Seal of the U.S. Mint In 1933, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102 , which outlawed the private ownership of gold coins, gold bullion , and gold certificates by American citizens, forcing them to sell these to the Federal Reserve . As a result, the value of the gold held by the Federal Reserve increased from $4 billion to $12 billion between 1933 and 1937.

[1] This left the federal government with a large gold reserve and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky , on land transferred from the military . The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 for US $560,000, or $8.5 million in 2009 dollars. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937. The majority of the United States' gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored. The transfer used 500 rail cars and was sent by registered mail, protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service .[ citation needed ] During World War II, the repository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution . It held the reserves of European countries and key documents from Western history; for example, it held the Crown of St.

Stephen , part of the Hungarian crown jewels , given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. The repository held one of four copies (exemplifications) of the Magna Carta , which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World's Fair , and which, when war broke out, was kept in America for the duration. During World War II and into the Cold War , until the invention of synthetic painkillers, a supply of processed morphine and opium was kept in the Depository as a hedge against the United States being cut off from the sources of supply of raw opium. [2] Construction and security Below the fortress-like structure lies the gold vault lined with granite walls and protected by a blast-proof door weighing 22 tons. Members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them. Beyond the main vault door, smaller compartments provide further protection. [3] According to a Mosler Safe Company brochure: "The most famous, if not the largest, vault door order came from the Federal government in 1935 for the newly-constructed gold depository at bullion Place, goldland.

Both the vault door and emergency door were 21-inches thick and made of the latest torch- and drill-resistant material. The main vault door weighed 20 tons and the vault casing was 25-inches thick." [4] The facility is ringed with fences and is guarded by the United States Mint Police . The Depository premises are within the site of Fort Knox, a United States Army post, allowing the Army to provide additional protection. The Depository is protected by layers of physical security, alarms, video cameras, armed guards, and the Army units based at Fort Knox, including Apache helicopter gunships of 8/229 Aviation based at Godman Army Airfield , the 16th Cavalry Regiment , the 19th Engineer Battalion , formerly training battalions of the United States Army Armor School , and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division , totaling 30,000 soldiers, with associated tanks, armored personnel carriers , attack helicopters, and artillery. There is an escape tunnel from the lower level of the vault to be used by someone accidentally locked in. [5] For security reasons, no visitors are allowed inside the depository grounds.

This policy has been enforced ever since the vault opened and the only exception was an inspection by members of the United States Congress and the news media on September 23, 1974 led by then Director of the United States Mint Mary Brooks . [5] Gold Gold holdings peaked during World War II at 20,205 metric tons (649.6 million oz. troy). Today, holdings are 4,578 metric tons (147.2 million oz. troy ) in 368,000 standard, 400 oz. troy (12.4 kg or 27.4 lb avoirdupois) gold bars. At the June 17, 2012 rate of $1,618.82 an ounce [6] it is worth $238.290 billion, while the World War II total of 649.6 million oz. troy would be worth $1.051 trillion. The depository also holds monetary gold coins.

The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, 10 additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping. Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, however, called "coin bars", are the same composition as the original coins, which is only 90% gold. Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding-purposes today, the coin alloy for pre-1933 U.S. coins, which were intended for circulation, was a much tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) used for all U.S. gold coins since 1837. (See crown gold for further gold coin alloy history).

All of the gold in the depository, if pure, could form a cube 20.3 feet (6.19 m) on a side—a volume of 237 m³. In comparison, all the gold ever refined in history (an estimated 165,000 tonnes) is about 40 times greater, so the facility alone holds about 2.5% of all gold ever refined. [7] The United States holds more gold bullion than any other country, with about 2.39 times that of the next leading country, Germany. Popular culture The bullion depository has become a symbol of an impregnable vault, leading to phrases such as "locked up tighter than Fort Knox" or "safer than Fort Knox". Many businesses in the surrounding areas are references to the bullion depository. The Meade County Bank in Muldraugh, KY resembles the bullion depository's exterior design. Cinema The 1937 RKO Lee Tracy film Behind the Headlines climaxes in a plan to steal gold bars en route from Washington, D.C. to Fort Knox.

The 1951 Bud Abbott & Lou Costello film Comin' Round the Mountain has the two using a treasure map to find a stash of gold. When they finally reach the gold at the end of the film, they find themselves in the middle of Fort Knox and are immediately arrested. The 1951 Warner Bros. short 14 Carrot Rabbit featuring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam follows a similar routine, with Sam being led away by guards at the end. Bugs is also under suspicion, but slips away on a large boat. The popular 1959 Ian Fleming -written James Bond novel Goldfinger , and the 1964 movie of the same name , are about a criminal plot called "Operation Grand Slam" to break into the U.S. Bullion Depository. In the book, Auric Goldfinger 's plan is to steal the gold. In the movie, the audience is initially led to believe Goldfinger is going to steal the gold, but the real plot is to render the gold contained in the Depository radioactive and useless with a nuclear device , crippling the economy and driving up the price of the gold Goldfinger already has. The movie was set before the U.S.

dollar ceased to be redeemable in gold in 1971. [8] The facility is referenced in the 1995 film Die Hard with a Vengeance as "for tourists" compared to the target of the film—the Federal Reserve Bank of New York , which they claim holds "ten times what's in Kentucky ". In the 2000 film Battlefield Earth , a group of humans, enslaved by an alien race called the Psychlos , trick them into thinking they're "mining" for gold by breaking into the Bullion Depository and delivering them the gold that's stored there. Television In Season 3, Episode 13 (" The Two Bartlets ") of the American television show The West Wing , a meeting takes place between a senior white house staff member and a UFO conspiracy theorist. The meeting was called in order to secure an audit of the Bullion Depository, as the theorist alleged that it was being used to store wreckage of an alien spacecraft rather than gold. In the Star Trek: Voyager season 5 episode "Dark Frontier", Captain Kathryn Janeway hatches a plan to steal a transwarp coil from a Borg ship, calling it Operation Fort Knox.

The episode explains the depository's history, and that in the 22nd century, the Fort Knox facility was converted into a museum when a new world economy took shape. In Season 1, Episode 1 ("Wanted: The Super Friends") of the American Cartoon show Challenge of the Super Friends , Superman falls under hypnosis by the Legion of Doom's Dream Machine and unknowing breaks in and robs the Depository. He later claims he dreamed of the robbery until his friends reveal that the robbery actually happened. In an early episode of Pinky and the Brain (then part of the animated television series Animaniacs ) titled "Opportunity Knox", Pinky and the Brain attempt to take over the world by breaking into Fort Knox and seizing its gold reserves. They manage to get into the vault by subduing the guards with a strong allergenic pollen. However, their plan is ultimately foiled when they attempt to lift a single gold bar and, being mice, are crushed under its weight.

Video games Borderlands features a villain named General Knoxx, whose job is to keep the protagonist from entering a secret armory named Fort Knoxx, with an extremely large cache of weapons located inside, when he is defeated the player acquires his pistol "Knoxx's Gold." See also

Question: Where is the US Bullion Depository, a fortified building used to store US official gold reserves, and a US Army post that holds the US Army Armor Center and the US Army Armor School?
Answer: Fort Knox