BAM...I think it would be possible to develop a gold standard with fractional reserve requirements....lowering the total amount of gold required to make the global economy function and providing necessary liquidity for economic growth while keeping the currency "honest".  Quite frankly, in my opinion, the prospect that government will confiscate our gold in order to implement a central computerized debit\credit system is more likely...or the dollar will be allowed to implode and be replaced by the "Amero".  Gold is the enemy of the State in that it erodes its control over the individual.  Wouldn't that be a bite in the ass?  Gold investors correctly predict the course of the economy and direction of gold....successfully overcome the continued, orchestrated take down of gold by the central bankers by stubbornly holding on to our investment beliefs....only to have the rules of the game change and our investments stolen as was done back in the 1930s.  Follow the yellow brick road?