Bimetallism may be legally authorized, but not actually working, for, if the market-value long continues to vary appreciably from the legal ratio, only one of the metals may in fact be left in circulation.

This situation is called _limping_ bimetallism (or the halting double standard), tho this is a contradiction of terms.

National bimetallism is confined to a single country, as was the case in the United States before the Civil War, or in France before 1867.

International bimetallism is that resulting from an agreement among several nations to use two metals on the same terms.
The theory of bimetallism is that the government can act on the value of the two metals through the principle of substitution.

The metal tending to become dearer will not be coined, the other will be coined in greater quantities.