The gold in Fort Knox is missing
| The gold in Fort Knox is missing | |
|---|---|
| UNSUPPORTED | |
| "The US Bullion Depository at Fort Knox is empty or nearly empty, because its gold was secretly sold, lent or stolen." | |
| Domain | Economy & Labor |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1970s |
| Origin | Gold-standard advocates and conspiracy writers in the 1970s; revived repeatedly online |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Economy & Labor | |
The US Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, holds about 147 million troy ounces of gold, roughly half of US government gold reserves. A long-running conspiracy theory says the vault is empty. Official audits and visits have found the gold present, and no evidence supports the claim it is missing.
The claim
Theorists argue that because the public cannot visit the vault, the government must be hiding the gold's disappearance.
What the evidence shows
- 1974 visit. In September 1974, members of Congress and journalists were given a tour of the vault after rumors spread.
- 2017 visit. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell visited in August 2017.
- Audits. The Treasury's Office of Inspector General conducts regular audits of the gold reserve and verifies seals on compartments.
Why it persists
Secrecy invites suspicion, and the theory appeals to people who distrust paper currency.
Sources
- United States Mint, "Fort Knox Bullion Depository."
- US Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General, audits of the Schedule of Custodial Gold Reserves.