Treasury Nonoperating Cash Items

Accounting and Reporting of Monetary Assets (Nonoperating Cash Items) Held by U.S. Treasury Offices

Introduction

This chapter provides instructions to U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) offices for the accounting and reporting of certain noncash assets. Examples of these assets are coins and coinage metals held by the Bureau of the U.S. Mint (Mint) offices and gold bullion, certificates, or coins held by Federal Reserve Banks (FRBs) for display or in reserve.

Section 5010—Authority

The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized by:

Section 5015—Background and Purpose

Treasury has designated several of its organizational facilities as depositaries to handle public money transactions that cannot be processed by other depositaries and to hold certain monetary assets (for instance, gold, silver, paper currencies, and coins) that must be kept under the direct control of Treasury.

Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service) issues regulations, prescribes forms, provides operating procedures, and makes official policy determinations to ensure proper maintenance of balances in Treasury’s General Account (TGA). Fiscal Service updates its central accounting records through the receipt, classification, and processing of each depositary’s accountability report and statement, and Federal agencies’ reporting to Fiscal Service. These records are the basis of Treasury’s reporting on the overall fiscal status of the U.S. Government to the President, the Congress, and the public.

Section 5025—Reporting Entities

The entities identified below provide reports on nonoperating cash transactions to Fiscal Service for central accounting and reporting purposes.

5025.10—The Mint, Treasury

The Mint maintains the gold and silver custodial reserves of the United States. It has facilities in the following locations:

  • Denver, CO;
  • Philadelphia, PA;
  • San Francisco, CA;
  • West Point, NY;
  • Fort Knox, KY—U.S. Bullion Depositary; and
  • Washington, DC—Mint Headquarters.

The Mint Headquarters provides an accountability report detailing monetary assets on hand through a monthly FS 5693: Statement of Assets and Liabilities (A&L).

5025.20—Office of Currency Standards, BEP, Treasury

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) prints paper currency and replenishes currency taken out of circulation. BEP receives mutilated paper currency from private citizens, businesses, and FRBs and reports to Fiscal Service on the receipt, destruction, and replenishment of that currency. When BEP approves replacement of unfit currency submitted by members of the public, it issues a restitution check to the remitter. Replacement for unfit currency forwarded to BEP by FRBs is accounted for by Fiscal Service through an accounting entry to the TGA.

BEP also maintains an accountability for uncirculated U.S. notes (paper currency) as mandated by law. BEP restores the balance in this account monthly, based on estimates of the amount of U.S. notes destroyed.

5025.30—Bureau of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service), Treasury

Selected currencies were deemed public debt issues at the time that certain mediums of exchange were initiated. Treasury securities include silver certificates, National Bank notes, gold certificates, fractional currency, and FRB notes. Therefore, when these currencies are destroyed, they effect a decrease in the amount of public debt principal outstanding.

When BEP or the FRBs destroy Treasury securities, Fiscal Service will charge the Public Debt Principal Outstanding account, 20X0500.

5025.40—Credit Accounting Branch (CAB), Financial Accounting and Services Division, Fiscal Service, Treasury

When the balance of custodial reserves gold changes, the Federal Reserve Board issues or redeems a corresponding amount of gold certificates. CAB immediately provides a letter to FRB NY to identify these certificate changes. CAB also provides the Federal Reserve Board of Governors with a copy of the “Monthly Statement of Gold and Gold Certificate Fund, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,” which summarizes the monthly certificate activity.

5025.50—Cash Control Branch (CCB), Fiscal Service, Treasury

CCB serves as the focal point of management and accounting control over Treasury operating cash and monetary asset reporting. It ensures timely receipt and processing of all depositary reports and reviews and analyzes the Central Summary General Ledger (CSGL) account balances to assure data accuracy and the integrity of the U.S. Government’s fiscal reports.

CCB also prepares and releases the status reports on Treasury-owned gold and the coin and currency outstanding and in circulation.

5025.60—FRBs

FRBs and branches hold gold bullion, coins, and/or certificates for display or numismatic purposes. Changes in the FRBs’ monetary asset holdings also are reported to Fiscal Service through the Automated Transcript System (ATS).

5025.70—Federal Reserve Board

The Federal Reserve Board determines and provides allocation amounts by denomination on all Federal Reserve notes, silver certificates, and U.S. notes destroyed by FRBs. On the basis of this allocation, CCB provides notification to the FRBs and BEP for the processing of related accounting entries that affect any currencies removed from or reissued for circulation.

Treasury incurs a liability with the Federal Reserve Board when gold is fully monetized (converted to face value). Treasury’s gold holdings are valued, when acquired, at $42.2222 per fine troy ounce. The Federal Reserve Board, in effect, authorizes the transfer of cash from its account to the TGA when gold certificates are issued. A corresponding decrease to the TGA is made when gold certificates are redeemed.

The Federal Reserve Board also provides CCB with a monthly listing of gold certificates due from Treasury. This list, which identifies the date and the amount of gold purchases and sales, must agree with the value of gold certificate transactions processed by CAB and reported as purchases or sales by the Mint.

The Federal Reserve Board also submits other financial reports to Fiscal Service for report preparation and data review and validation.

Section 5030—Reporting Requirements

5030.10—Transfer and Destruction of Unfit Currency

The following transactions provide reporting procedures for the transfer, receipt, destruction, and replacement of unfit paper currency. BEP’s Office of Currency Standards and FRBs destroy currency.

5030.10a—Transaction A: Mutilated Paper Currency Received from FRBs

When an FRB forwards mutilated paper currency to BEP for destruction, the FRB also prepares a debit voucher (SF 5515) reflecting BEP’s ALC 20-13-9002. CASHLINK II reports the debit voucher on its daily transcript and sends the credit memorandum copies of the SF 5515, along with the mutilated currency, to BEP.

After receipt of the debit voucher and the mutilated currency, BEP reports a summary transaction amount on its monthly Statement of Transactions (224), as follows:

  • Section I: 20A1040 TC 61 (total amount of confirmed unfit currency);
  • Section I: 20A1227 TC (61) (total amount of unconfirmed unfit currency); and
  • Section III, line 3 (amount of the SF 5515).

If the amount reported on the SF 5515 does not agree with the mutilated currency received from the FRB, BEP contacts the respective FRB and requests an adjusting entry to increase or decrease the original SF 5515 amount.

5030.10b—Transaction B: Mutilated Paper Currency Received from the Public for Reimbursement

After BEP examines the paper notes received from the public and determines that the customer is entitled to replacement of the currency, it prepares and processes an SF 1166, Voucher and Schedule for Payment, for its ALC 20-13-9002. This authorizes a check payment for the customer.

BEP reports the total amount of the SF 1166 payments confirmed, as paid by Fiscal Service, on its Statement of Transactions (224), as follows:

  • Section I: 20A1040 TC 61; and
  • Section II: Increase lines 1 and 3.

5030.10c—Transaction C: Mutilated Paper Currency Destroyed by BEP

On the days BEP destroys currency, it reports the amount destroyed, by denomination, on its daily SPS wire to FRB Richmond.

Upon receipt of BEP’s SPS wire, FRB Richmond processes an SF 215 on the daily transcript for BEP’s ALC 20-13-9002 for the amount of destroyed currency. It forwards the confirmed and memorandum copies of the SF 215 to BEP.

BEP reports the amount of the SF 215 (currency destroyed) as follows on its Statement of Transactions (224):

  • Section I: 20A1040 TC equals (amount of the SF 215);
  • Section II: Increase lines 2 and 3; and
  • Section III: Increase lines 2 and 3.

BEP also initiates an Intra-governmental Payment and Collection (IPAC) billing to Fiscal Service via the Central Accounting and Reporting System (CARS) Statement of Difference for all Treasury securities destroyed by BEP. It reports on its Statement of Transactions (224) as follows:

  • Section I: 20A1040 TC equals (the IPAC amount); and
  • Section II: Increase lines 1 and 3.

Fiscal Service reports the debit side of the IPAC billing on its Statement of Transactions (224) for ALC 20-55-0860 to the Public Debt Principal account, 20X0500, for the amount of Treasury securities destroyed.

5030.10d—Transaction D: U.S. Notes and Silver Certificates Redeemed and Destroyed by FRBs

CCB authorizes FRB Richmond to charge the TGA for the amount of U.S. notes and silver certificates redeemed and destroyed by the FRBs.

Upon receipt of CCB’s administrative memo, FRB Richmond processes an SF 5515 debit voucher for Fiscal Service’s ALC 20-55-0860 for the amount of U.S. notes and silver certificates destroyed. FRB Richmond includes these two amounts on its daily transcript. It forwards the confirmed and memorandum copies of the respective SF 5515s to Fiscal Service.

5030.20—Mint Monetary Asset Transactions

The following transactions are guidelines for the Mint’s reporting to Fiscal Service for activity related to the purchase of coinage metals, establishing accountability for minted coins, and reporting the transfer or sale of these assets.

In addition to the accounts described in Section 5035, the Mint also uses the following accounts for reporting monetary asset transactions to Fiscal Service:

  • 200612—Seigniorage, minor coinage; and
  • 200613—Seigniorage, cupro-nickel clad coinage.

For coins shipped to cashiers and seigniorage is realized, on its Statement of Transactions (224), the Mint:

  • Charges account 20X4159 at an amount equivalent to the seigniorage calculation.
  • Credits seigniorage account 200612 and/or 200613 for the difference between manufacturing cost and face value and reports this amount on the Statement of Transactions (224) in column 2.

Contact Us

Detailed Contacts

To obtain forms, contact Fiscal Service Property and Supply Section at:

Property and Supply Section 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service 
Department of the Treasury

3361-L 75th Avenue 
Landover, MD 20785


202-504-3720

 

Direct general inquiries concerning this chapter to:

Department of the Treasury 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service 
Fiscal Accounting Operations 
Cash Accounting Branch

200 3rd Street 
Parkersburg, WV 26106

304-480-5106

 

Issuance And Redemption of Gold Certificates

Introduction

This chapter prescribes procedures to be used for issuing and redeeming gold certificates.

Section 2010—Scope and Applicability

Gold certificates are book-entry transactions that represent the monetization of government-owned gold at its par value of $42.2222 per fine troy ounce. The instructions in this chapter apply to the Federal Reserve Banks (FRBs), the United States Mint, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRB-NY) issues and redeems gold certificates on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The value of the gold certificates is credited to Treasury’s General Account (TGA) and is used for the general operating expenses of the federal government.

Section 2015—Authority

The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized by 12 U.S.C. 391 to use FRBs to act as depositaries and fiscal agents of the U.S. Government and by 31 U.S.C. 5117 to issue and redeem gold certificates. Section 16 of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 467), requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe, by regulation, the form of receipt and to approve the order form used for deposits and withdrawals of gold certificates held by Treasury.

Section 2020—Background

Treasury reports on gold holdings in various publications. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service) prepares the Status Report of U.S. Treasury-Owned Gold (the Gold Report) that provides a report of the type and location of government-owned gold. This report is available on the Fiscal Service website: Status Report of U. S. Government Gold Reserve. Summary gold data, by account, is also provided in the Monthly Treasury Statement of Receipts and Outlays of the U.S. Government; the Combined Statement of Receipts, Outlays, and Balances of the U.S. Government; and the Financial Report of the U.S. Government.

Gold certificates represent a Treasury liability to the FRB since the FRB has loaned cash to the federal government with gold as the collateral. Liabilities incurred by issuing gold certificates are limited to the gold being held in the TGA at the standard (par) value established by law. Since 1934, gold certificates have been issued in nondefinitive or book-entry form on Treasury’s books. When gold certificates are issued, FRB-NY increases the U.S. dollar deposits in the TGA.

Section 2025—Definitions

Asset and Liability Statement (A&L)—A monthly report submitted by the U.S. Mint that identifies the fine troy ounces and par value of gold and silver on hand that is in deep storage or held as working inventory to mint congressionally authorized coins.

Book Entry—An accounting procedure used to increase or decrease an account’s balance without the physical transfer of assets. Entries to this account are supported by validated data rather than by currency.

Demonetization—An accounting process used to reverse the cash value assigned to the U.S. gold holdings.

Monetization—An accounting process used to give cash value to U.S. gold holdings. Gold is valued at the par value of $42.2222 per fine troy ounce, as established by law. FRB-NY credits the Treasury’s operating cash account for the amount of gold designated to be monetized by Treasury.

Section 2030—Accounting and Reporting Procedures for Gold Certificates

The FRBs and the U.S. Mint have custody of the gold inventory of the U.S. Government. The FRB holds gold in storage and on display for the U.S. Government. They report on their transcripts to the Fiscal Service any net changes in holdings. The U.S. Mint holds gold in storage and in inventory and reports net gold transactions on the Assets and Liabilities Statement (A&L Statement).

The U.S. Mint, the Fiscal Service, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System updated reporting procedures when the new demonetization policy became effective in 2001. To effect the demonetization policy, Fiscal Service requested that the FRBs redeem gold certificates for 100,000 fine troy ounces of gold. Subsequently, each month the U.S. Mint advises the Fiscal Service of increases or decreases in gold inventory, and the Fiscal Service advises the FRB to effect a like change in gold certificates. The U.S. Mint reports net gold transactions, and Fiscal Service’s Funds Management Branch (FMB) reports net gold certificate transactions in the Central Accounting Reporting System (CARS). The difference between gold and gold certificates should remain at $4,222,222.22, the book value of 100,000 fine troy ounces of gold.

2030.10—Accounting and Reporting Procedures

By noon on the last business day of the month, the U.S. Mint advises Fiscal Service’s Cash Accounting Branch (CAB) of its gold inventory balance on an A&L Statement.

CAB determines the net increase or decrease in gold from the previous month’s A&L Statement and notifies FMB by email to request the issuance or redemption of gold certificates for the same amount.

FMB notifies the FRB-NY via fax by 4 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the last business day of the month to issue gold certificates if the gold inventory is increased or to redeem gold certificates if the gold inventory has decreased. Also, if there is no activity during the month, FMB sends a notification letter to FRB-NY indicating that the balance has not changed.

When Fiscal Service requests the issuance of gold certificates, FRB-NY prepares an SF 215: Deposit Ticket, to reflect the deposit of funds to the TGA. When Fiscal Service requests the redemption of gold certificates, FRB-NY issues an SF 5515: Debit Voucher, to reflect the withdrawal of funds from the TGA. FMB uses the SF 215s and SF 5515s as supporting documentation for preparation of its Statement of Transaction, Classification Transactions and Accountability (CTA) reporting to account 81680003, Gold Certificate Fund, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System - U.S. Mint.

FMB subsequently sends a letter to the FRB Board to confirm that the Fiscal Service’s gold certificate balance agrees with the FRB’s, and the FRB Board returns a verification of FMB’s balance.

The U.S. Mint reports net gold transactions to account 81670003, U.S. Treasury-Owned Gold - U.S. Mint, and FMB reports net gold certificate changes to account 81680003 on their respective monthly Statement of Transactions.

CAB maintains a comparison of the balances in account 81670003 and account 81680003 to assure that gold certificates are issued or redeemed per legislative and Treasury policy guidelines. The difference between these balances should be $4,222,222.22, reflecting 100,000 fine troy ounces of unmonetized gold.

Contact Details

Direct questions related to the gold certificates account balances to:

Bureau of the Fiscal Service 
Agency Reporting and Analysis Division 
Reporting Analysis Branch 2

PO Box 1328 
Parkersburg, WV 26106-1328


304-480-8739 
Brian.Adams@fiscal.treasury.gov

 

Direct questions related to gold certificates to:

Bureau of the Fiscal Service 
Central Accounting and Reporting Division 
Cash Accounting Branch 
Room 309

PO Box 1328 
Parkersburg, WV 26106-1328


304-480-8658