The Pittman Act, officially known as “An Act to provide for the coinage of silver and for other purposes”, was signed into law on April 23, 1918 during the administration of President Woodrow Wilson. The Act was named after Senator Key Pittman of Nevada, a strong advocate for the silver mining industry.This legislation played a major role in U.S. monetary history by addressing silver coinage, international silver markets, and America’s wartime economic needs during World War I.