Since the time that silver was discovered by the Spanish in the New World in the 16th century, until the latter half of the 19th century, the value of gold in relation to silver maintained a relatively stable ratio of 15½:1. The reason for the subsequent sharp decline in the relative value of silver to gold has been attributed to Germany's decision to cease minting the silver thaler coins in 1871. On 23 November 1871, following the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, Bismarck exacted one billion dollars in gold indemnity, and then proceeded to move Germany towards a new gold standard which came about on 9 July 1873 with the introduction of the gold mark.