Gold Key

Gold Key

In fiction, a gold key is a special token granting access to and control of a mythical or ultra-private or secret bank account or vault, such as a Swiss bank account. In reality, the key is often a code word and accounts are not completely anonymous cite web|url=http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/banking/swiss-bank-account4.htm |title= How Swiss Bank Accounts Work| publisher=HowStuffWorks, Inc. |accessdate=2008-09-25 ] . A real "gold key" need not be made of or colored gold, or even a key. If it is a key it may not fit any lock; the keys are important as authentication tokens, not always as literal keys. In the case of GoldKey Security Tokens, the token acts as a physical "key". cite web|url=http://www.goldkey.name |title= GoldKey Security Token| publisher=GoldKey Security Corporation |accessdate=2008-09-25 ]

While Swiss law formerly granted nearly-complete financial privacy, fully anonymous accounts are no longer available. Swiss banks are now required by law to obtain identifying information from any prospective clients. International pressure related to efforts to trace and identify terrorists and drug traffickers has eliminated the anonymous "Swiss bank account" that has appeared in numerous books and films and conspiracy theories. Other countries still offer bank accounts with varying degrees of anonymity. "(See also: offshore bank; anonymous banking.)"

The arrival of a "gold key client" typically results in an extra flurry of attention. A number of plot devices detail the method of authentication of the account-holder, adding to the mystery and drama of the client's arrival. It is a common literary device that banks do not admit publicly that "gold key" accounts actually exist, and characters are therefore invested into a sort of secret society when they are offered such an account.

Literary References

In the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, the heroine Sophie Neveu is given a gold key by her grandfather. The gold key bears the logo of the Priory of Sion, a secret society, which leads Neveu and co-hero Robert Langdon to guess the code associated with the key.

In Lewis Perdue's Daughter of God there is a gold key which is hidden in a painting ("The Home of the Lady of Our Redeemer"). This gold key (accompanied by a gold ingot with the account number) allows access to a safe deposit box in a Zurich bank. The key does not actually open a lock as such.

In the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling, the wizarding bank Gringotts uses gold keys, among other devices, to protect the security of its vaults which contain wizards' gold hoards.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gold Key — war ein Comicverlag in den USA. Der Verlag wurde 1962 als Imprint von Western Publishing gegründet. 1984 wurden alle Veröffentlichungen eingestellt. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Firmengeschichte 2 Veröffentlichungen 2.1 Eigene Werke …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gold Key Comics — was an imprint of Western Publishing created for comic books distributed to newsstands. HistoryGold Key Comics was created in 1962, when Western switched to in house publishing rather than packaging content for branding and distribution by its… …   Wikipedia

  • Gold Key Lake — Lugar designado por el censo de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • Gold Key Inn — (Brady,США) Категория отеля: 2 звездочный отель Адрес: 2023 South Bridge Street, Brady, TX 76825 …   Каталог отелей

  • Gold Key Motel — (Hampton,США) Категория отеля: 1 звездочный отель Адрес: 1570B Highway 65, Hampton, I …   Каталог отелей

  • Gold Key Lake — Original name in latin Gold Key Lake Name in other language State code US Continent/City America/New York longitude 41.30593 latitude 74.9385 altitude 424 Population 1830 Date 2011 05 14 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Vax gold key — On VAX computer keyboards, the GOLD key, also known as , is used to access certain functions.Typically, one presses the GOLD key first and then the function key, but one can also press the GOLD key followed by the number of times the function is… …   Wikipedia

  • Gold (radio) — Gold Network Broadcast area London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester (AM, DAB Digital Radio) UK Ireland (Sky, Freesat UPC Ireland) Frequency …   Wikipedia

  • Gold Coast City — Queensland Gold Coast in South East Queensland Population …   Wikipedia

  • Key West — is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys.Key West is politically within the limits of the city of Key West, Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city also occupies… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”