Except for twenty-five years (1797-1821) the British pound was on a gold-coin standard for two straight centuries (1717-1914).

FORBES: Gold, Reagan and the Reds: From Degraded Dollar to Downgraded Debt

The U.S. remained on a gold-coin standard, except for brief periods (1862-1879) for more than a century (1792-1914).

FORBES: Gold, Reagan and the Reds: From Degraded Dollar to Downgraded Debt

Under the classical gold-coin standard (1717-1914) private banks and central banks alike issued currency convertible into a fixed weight of gold, with balance sheets consisting primarily of gold coins and short-term loans denominated in local (but gold-convertible) money.

FORBES: Gold, Reagan and the Reds: From Degraded Dollar to Downgraded Debt