How much gold is stored at Fort Knox? And is it all the property of the American public?

The vaults hold 147.3 million ounces of gold, all of which is owned by the United States. The gold, worth more than $100 billion, is stored at the U.S. Bullion Depository in Fort Knox, Ky. That’s part of the U.S. Mint, which makes the nation’s coins. The Fort Knox depository is a classified facility; no visitors are permitted.

Interestingly, Fort Knox isn’t the country’s largest depository of gold. A full 216 million ounces worth $160 billion is stored at the New York office of the Federal Reserve. Public tours of the Fed’s gold vaults are allowed.

The gold at the New York Fed belongs to foreign governments, central banks and international monetary organizations, with only small portion belonging to the U.S. government.

— Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press economics writer, Washington

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