Bundesbank to Doubters: Here Is Our Gold. Every. Single. Bit of It.

In 2012 the Bundesbank found itself at the center of a storm when the German Federal Court of Auditors called on the central bank to physically take stock of its gold holdings outside the country as they had never been assessed. The Bundesbank opted not to accede to the auditors' request and do a stock take on its gold, noting that there were "no doubts about the integrity, reputation and safety of these foreign depositories.”

This response proved to be ill-judged as it only served to fuel speculation over the safety of German gold and even questions about whether it exists at all.