The ECB and the 21 central banks that are signatories of the fourth Central Bank Gold Agreement have decided not to extend the agreement. The first agreement was signed in 1999 with the aim of coordinating the gold sales planned by the central banks.

The Bundesbank has unveiled a new book which takes a closer look at Germany’s gold reserves. Highly informative and richly illustrated, Das Gold der Deutschen (Germany's Gold) is published by Hirmer-Verlag and is available from bookshops or the Bank’s Money Museum. An English translation will be published shortly.

The Bundesbank has completed the transfer of its gold reserves from New York and Paris to Frankfurt am Main three years ahead of schedule. This means that the objective of its gold storage plan, which was set out in 2013, has been achieved well in advance. More than half of Germany’s gold reserves are now located in Germany.

The Bundesbank has completed its gold transfer process earlier than originally planned. After the gold in New York was able to be transferred ahead of schedule in 2016, roughly 91 tonnes of gold still remained in Paris. This was relocated to Frankfurt this year and as a result, there are no longer any German gold reserves in Paris.

Last year, the Deutsche Bundesbank successfully completed the transfer of its gold stocks from New York. "The realisation of the gold storage plan is therefore well ahead of the original schedule," said Carl-Ludwig Thiele, Member of the Bundesbank’s Executive Board, at a press conference in Frankfurt am Main.

The Bundesbank successfully continued its transfers of gold last year. In 2016, more than 216 tonnes of gold were transferred to Frankfurt am Main from storage locations abroad: 111 tonnes from New York and 105 tonnes from Paris.

How can I spot counterfeit money? How did Germany’s gold reserves come into being? Interesting expert lectures, contests with wonderful prizes on offer and activities for children: the Bundesbank’s stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair had much to offer to visitors.