gold certificate

American  

noun

1. a former U.S. paper currency issued by the federal government for circulation from 1865 to 1933, equal to and redeemable for gold to a stated value.

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gold certificate British  

noun

1. a currency note issued exclusively to the Federal Reserve Banks by the US Treasury. It forms a claim on gold reserves deposited by the Federal Reserve Banks at the Treasury and is used to transfer interbank balances within the Federal Reserve System

2. Also called: gold note.  (formerly) a banknote issued by the US Treasury to the public and redeemable in gold

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Etymology

Origin of gold certificate

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Example Sentences

A detective tapped him for weapons, found a "hot" $20 gold certificate.

From Time Magazine Archive

From the point of view of cover, the gold certificate is completely inelastic.

From Readings in Money and Banking Selected and Adapted by Phillips, Chester Arthur

A silver certificate for $1,000 weighs no more than a gold certificate for the same amount.

From Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, On the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890 by Jones, John P. (John Percival)

He paused and withdrew from his pocket a small tin box, and opening it, disclosed a handful of ashes and the half of a United States gold certificate for ten thousand dollars.

From The Challenge of the North by Hendryx, James B. (James Beardsley)

“Will you swear that man gave you this bill?” cut in the thief, sharply, snatching out a pencil and marking the gold certificate across the corner.

From Officer 666 by Currie, Barton Wood