I read a book a while ago. I think it was called 'Bullion'.
Basicly it was a fictional book about the Gold spike in the 80's.

At the start of the book the chaps Gold refinery was burnt down.
Soon after he got a message from someone who, knowing that he used to be a Gold trader, an offer of a job.
As he learnt more, it turned out to be that someone in Africa had over several goverment changes, put away 1 ton of Gold and wanted to sell it in a low key 'off the radar' sort of way.
He approached several people thru the middle third of the book, but somehow word had got out that a substantual amount of Gold was about to be sold off.
Just what he didn't want to happen.

Gold prices fell, he had trouble getting in contact with some people, things took longer to happen, Gold dropped even more, more hassles, Gold drops again.
Then, he finds out the deal was fake, there was no Gold after all...

Now suddenly, while Gold was dropping, demand rose as it was cheaper to buy Gold.
Now that demand rose, the Gold prices went back up to what they were beforehand.
Then, since the demand was still there, and that some people had brought Gold cheap to put aside.
There was a sudden shortage of Gold, making Gold rise even more.. And more....



That's when, the people who set the first actual deal, sold the Gold they had brought when it was cheap.
And made a huge profit from nothing but paperwork and Gold futures, and a very well organised rumor....