Creation of the COMEX Gold Futures Market and Early Modern Derivatives (1974–1990)

1. U.S. ends gold-dollar convertibility (Nixon Shock)

   Aug 15, 1971Labels: Nixon administration, Bretton Woods

   • State Hist
   • Britannica

2. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Act becomes law

   Oct 23, 1974Labels: CFTC, Gerald Ford

   • CFTC History
   • FRASER

3. U.S. restores legal private gold ownership

   Dec 31, 1974Labels: U S, Private ownership

   • U S Mint
   • FRASER

4. COMEX launches gold futures trading

   Dec 31, 1974Labels: COMEX, Gold futures

   • CME Dates
   • SEC Filing

5. CFTC begins operations and assumes market oversight

   Apr 21, 1975Labels: CFTC, USDA Commodity

   • CFTC History
   • CRS Report

6. Gold clauses re-allowed in new U.S. contracts

   Oct 28, 1977Labels: Congress, Gold clauses

   • ExecOrder6102

7. Gold and silver prices spike amid late-1970s inflation

   Dec 1, 1979Labels: Precious metals, Inflation 1970s

   • Britannica
   • CFTC History

8. Silver Thursday crash shakes COMEX-linked markets

   Mar 27, 1980Labels: Hunt brothers, Silver Thursday

   • Britannica
   • Wikipedia

9. COMEX introduces exchange-traded options on gold futures

   Oct 4, 1982Labels: COMEX, Options on

   • CME Dates

10. COMEX adds options on silver futures

    Oct 4, 1984Labels: COMEX, Silver options

    • CME Dates

11. COMEX launches High Grade Copper futures

    Jul 29, 1988Labels: COMEX, Copper futures

    • CME Dates

12. COMEX gold futures mature into a benchmark market

    Dec 31, 1990Labels: COMEX benchmark, CFTC oversight

    • CFTC History
    • CME Specs