The Time America Mailed $9 Billion in Gold to Fort Knox
Imagine being responsible for delivering thousands of crates filled with gold across the country. In 1941, that enormous responsibility belonged to the federal postal system.
This was no ordinary package delivery. It was one of the largest and most carefully protected movements of gold in American history.
Why Was the Gold Sent to Fort Knox?
Construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, was completed in December 1936. On January 13, 1937, its first shipment of gold arrived from the Philadelphia Mint and New York City Assay Office—delivered through the U.S. Mail.
At the time, the postal system was the only agency capable of accepting liability for the valuable cargo if anything happened during transportation. That made registered mail an important part of the government’s plan for safely moving the nation’s gold reserves.
The first transfers took place twice a week between January and June 1937. According to the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, the shipments were protected by armed inspectors, steel doors, machine guns, military personnel, and even decoy trains.
A $9 Billion Registered-Mail Delivery
With war already spreading overseas, the government arranged another enormous transfer in January 1941. Gold had accumulated at the New York City Assay Office, and officials wanted it moved to the heavily protected Fort Knox depository.
The operation involved:
- 37,404 registered-mail crates
- 337 railroad cars
- 45 separate trains
- Approximately $9 billion in gold
The Postal Inspection Service supervised the operation with help from the Post Office Department, Railway Mail Service, local law enforcement, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Treasury.
Railway Mail Service clerks carefully checked locks, prepared receipts, and maintained registered-mail records throughout the journey. Mail trucks transported the gold from the Assay Office to the railroad terminal, where the crates were loaded onto guarded trains bound for Kentucky.
In other words, the gold was technically sent through the mail—just with considerably more protection than the average package.
How Heavy Was the Shipment?
During the earlier Fort Knox transfers, 16 gold bars were packed inside each reinforced crate. A fully loaded crate weighed approximately 500 pounds.
The Post Office Department charged the Treasury based on the weight of the shipment, using fourth-class postage rates with additional insurance fees. The postage bill for the original transfers reportedly reached approximately $1 million.
A standard Fort Knox gold bar weighs about 400 troy ounces, or approximately 27.5 pounds, according to the U.S. Mint.
What Is Inside Fort Knox Today?
Fort Knox currently holds approximately 147.3 million fine troy ounces of gold—about half of the U.S. Treasury’s stored gold reserves. At its historic peak on December 31, 1941, the depository held approximately 649.6 million ounces.
The facility remains closed to public visitors, and very few people know every part of the process required to open its vault. Its security and secrecy helped inspire the familiar phrase “as secure as Fort Knox.”
Every Piece of Gold Has a Story
The gold stored at Fort Knox represents an important part of American history, but gold does not have to sit inside a guarded vault to carry meaning. It may be found in a family heirloom, a treasured piece of jewelry, an old coin, or something tucked away and forgotten inside a jewelry box.
If you have gold, silver, coins, or select luxury watches you no longer want, bring them to Diamond Jim’s PINEFOREST JEWELRY Experience for an in-person evaluation.
Editorial credit: This topic was inspired by “In 1941, the U.S. Postal Service Moved $9 Billion in Gold to Fort Knox,” written by Michael Nordine. This version was independently researched and written using information from the U.S. Mint and Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.