The Vault That Holds 5% of the World’s Gold

Video written by Ben Doyle

[davidsp]

It's actually open to the public. They give tours. I did it once. The door cylinder not only rotates, it lowers, too. They demonstrate it with the tour group INSIDE the vault. There's a stack of bars displayed for the tourists to oggle. The tour guide says that you can try to take one, but all of their gaurds have awards for marksmanship.

[Generalth]

HI Sam!

Big thanks to Amy for being willing to break into the vault so she could get all of the footage for this video. She deserves more granola bars!

[haramunia]

This is not half as interesting. This is fully interesting. (Also we need more videos about Bricks)

[johncaldora]

First time I've been able to say "OMG I've been there!" for an HAI video! You can feel the claustrophobia when they close that vault door! A couple of other fun facts I learned on my tour:
1. The only two countries the FED will publically reveal as depositors is the United States and Iran. This is because the US confiscated Iran's gold after the Shah was overthrown in the 70s.
2. Vault workers wear special magnesium shoe covers because Gold bars of the national reserve kind are very dense, dropping one would probably break your foot.
3. You can touch the gold in the cages with your finger if they're small enough from the vault atrium.
4. How did I get to see the Vault? School groups of grades 7 and Up are allowed to tour the FED's Museums and Gold Vault (if the Vault is available for touring that day). Also a Vault Tour is included for high school students participating in the FED Challenge.

[dianapertseva]

What can be better than a video about bricks? A video about golden bricks!

[ShamWerks]

This is the Lock Picking Lawyer, and today I have for you this 90 tons solid steel cylinder...

[SlaghathortheGreat]

One of the other reasons The Netherlands has gold overseas is because they don't want that gold to be stolen if the country is invaded, like what happend to the gold left in The Netherlands during WW2.

[scmike]

"Thousands of tourists and white-collar criminals walk down these streets every day."

best line ever!

[Marylandbrony]

I run the European central bank and I find this to be a great use of my valuable time.

[JannesJustus]

Thank you! I am actually working as the top man of the German federal bank and had no idea where our gold was, so thanks!

[MrChumbaWumba]

The FBI interviewed the director script writer of Die Hard 3 because the heist plan to rob the Federal reserve of New York was so realistic. Sad this wasnt mentioned

[planescaped]

_Security guard 1 looks around nervously_
Security guard 1: So guys... I was thinking... How about we just take a little bit?
Security Guard 2: Yes!
Auditor: Oh my god, finally you asked, YES!

[danieldekker]

I toured the vault in 2003, and they said the people in the vault didn’t feel the twin towers fall four blocks away.

[TheJoeSwanon]

I had a friend that was hired as security for one of the federal reserves he said it was the most absolutely boring job of just sitting in a room with no windows staring at locks rooms

[shadowmoth]

Or as most people know it… the gold vault from die hard 3… still one of the best heist movies of ALL time

[emmakai]

Anyone else first learned about this place because they saw Die Hard With A Vengeance?

[thomasm]

The UK's Bank of England is the second largest gold vault in the world after New York. It operates in exactly the same way.

[justinbanks]

So that part in Die Hard with a Vengeance where they are stealing the gold in a vault in NYC is based on a real vault.

This is more than half as interesting.

[RaDeus]

I like how you made it all the way to the end without mentioning Die Hard 😂

[safebox]

What I love about the US economy is most of its dollar bills actually sit in the City of London (in the city of London (in Greater London)).