This section is from the book "Banking, Credits And Finance", by Thomas Herbert Russell. Also available from Amazon: Banking, credit and finance (Standard business).
Abolition of the double standard in Holland by the introduction of the silver standard on the basis of a 1-florin piece .945 grams fine, the coinage of which had already been decreed in 1839. Silver, 59 ll-16d.
Discovery of the gold mines of California.
Coinage in Belgium of pieces of 10 and 25 francs in gold, a shade too light. These pieces were demonetized and withdrawn from circulation in 1884. Silver, 59 l/2d.
Replacing the ratio of 1 to 16 in Spain, which had been in force since 1786, by that of 1 to 15.77.
Introduction of the French monetary system in Switzerland without any actual coinage of gold pieces. Silver, 60 l-16d.
Discovery of the gold mines in Australia.
Lowering of the weight of silver pieces of less value than $1 to the extent of 7 per cent in the United States and limitation of their legal-tender power to $5. Silver, 61 1/2d.
Maximum of the production of gold reached in California when it amounted to $65,000,000.
Introduction of the gold standard in Portugal on the basis of the crown of 16.257 grams fine. Before this period the country had the silver standard, with a rather large circulation of gold coins stamped, on the basis of 1 to 15% in 1835 and 1 to 16% in 1847. Silver, 61 1/2d.
Modification of the ratio of 1 to 15.77 in Spain by raising it to 1 to 15.48, and by lowering the piaster from 23.49 grams to 23.36 grams fine.
Introduction of the silver standard, as it existed in the mother country, in Java, in place of the ideal Javanese money, and coinage of colonial silver pieces.
Conclusion of a monetary treaty between Austria and the German States, in accordance with which 1 pound of fine silver (one-half a kilogram) was stamped into 30 thalers, or 52 1/2 florins of south Germany, or 45 Austrian florins, resulting in 1 thaler equaling 1 3/4 German florins, or 1 1/2 Austrian florin. Silver, 61 3/4d.
Law decreeing the coinage of gold pieces of 10 and 20 francs exactly equal to French coins of the same denomination in Belgium. Silver, 61 3/4d.
Adoption of the French monetary system by Italy. Silver, 61 7-16d.
Formation of the Latin Union between France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy on the basis of a ratio of 1 to 15%. Silver, 61 l-16d.
Adoption of the French monetary system by Roumania, with the exclusion of the 5-franc silver piece, which was, however, stamped in 1881 and 1883. Silver, 60%d.
Admission of Greece into the Latin Union. The definite and universal introduction of the French monetary system into the country was effected only in 1883.
Adoption of the French monetary system, with the peseta or franc as the unit, by Spain. The coinage of gold alphonses d'or of 25 pesetas was made only in 1876.
 
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