Amazon.com description: Product Description: In this sequel to Gold: the Once and Future Money, Lewis describes in greater depth how actual gold standard systems are created, and how they have been used through history. The pre-1913 world gold standard system was perhaps the greatest monetary system the world has ever seen. The greatest champion of the gold standard system of the 19th century, Britain, was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and eventually presided over the largest empire the world had ever seen. The United States, before 1971, was the leader of the Bretton Woods gold standard system, and was the most successful country of the 20th century. The technical understanding to create, implement and maintain gold standard systems is explored in full detail.