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This book reviews nine Supreme Court cases and decisions that dealt with monetary laws and gives a summary history of monetary events and policies as they were affected by the Court's decisions. Several cases and decisions had notable consequences on the monetary history of the United States, some of which were blatant misjudgments stimulated by political pressures. The cases included in this book begin with McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819 and end with the Gold Clause Cases in 1934-35. Constitutional Money examines three institutions that were prominent in these decisions: the Supreme Court, the gold standard, and the Federal Reserve System. The final chapter describes the adjustments necessary to return to a gold standard and briefly examines the constitutional alternatives.

'Richard H. Timberlake provides a tour de force on the history and unconstitutionality of the US government's meddling in the US monetary system. Constitutional Money is the definitive reference in its field, a true classic.' Kevin Dowd, University of Durham

'The leading historian of US monetary institutions, Richard H. Timberlake further enriches our knowledge of the evolution (or devolution) of the dollar with his latest work. Constitutional Money shows how Supreme Court decisions paved the way for paper to supersede gold and silver, and for the federal government to supplant decentralized market-based monetary arrangements. Those who do not learn from this history will be unarmed in the coming battle of ideas over how we might constrain government's role in the monetary system.' Lawrence H. White, George Mason University

'Professor Timberlake's Constitutional Money embodies abundant research by himself and other scholars. His review of Supreme Court decisions, both majority opinions and dissents, makes a fascinating story with elements of suspense. Timberlake writes smoothly, with flashes of brilliant phrasing and an attractive mix of short and moderately long sentences.' Leland B. Yeager, Auburn University and the University of Virginia

Richard H. Timberlake

Richard H. Timberlake, Jr. (born June 24, 1922) is an American economist who was Professor of Economics at the University of Georgia for much of his career. He also has become a leading advocate of free banking, the belief that money should be issued by private companies, not by a government monopoly.

Timberlake's research on the development of private moneys occurred at the time of Friedrich Hayek's idea of The Denationalization of Money, extending and expanding upon it in coordination with the free banking movement. He believes that, instead of a government-imposed central bank, there should be a free market in the production of money, with banks choosing how to issue their own, competing currencies.

Timberlake also examined the causes of the Great Depression, and emphasized the switch of the Federal Reserve, starting in 1929, to the real bills doctrine of money management, and an anti-speculation policy that severely reduced bank reserves and the amount of deposit money that the banks could create. The money supply contracted by 30% in four years, something that no market economy could tolerate. Along with Hayek of the Austrian school, Milton Friedman of the Chicago school, and even the Keynesians, Timberlake sees this Fed policy as the primary cause of the Great Depression.

However, Timberlake does not reject the gold standard. While many economists blame the gold standard for the monetary collapse, Timberlake cites data that refutes the validity of their complaints. He shows that the Fed Banks and U.S. Treasury had plenty of gold in the 1929–1933 period. Timberlake concludes that government interference with gold standard adjustments caused most of the trouble in the past, producing cycles of money growth and deflation, panic and depression.

Timberlake has been active in politics. He was involved in the Harry Browne presidential campaign, and written/signed open letters advocating various positions, such as school choice and rejection of policies that would have raised taxes.