Amazing Gold Facts

One of the world’s favorite metals has always been gold. As we all know, it has been known for its remarkable beauty as seen in jewelry, art and fabrics, but also for its symbolism for being of wealth or greatness. However, gold has so many other uses aside from just looks or currency. It is also used in our everyday electronics to medical uses and decorative ingredient in our food and drink. Gold is so ductile and flexible that we can be amazed at its endless fun facts.

Gold’s History

• There has been evidence that gold has been owned by man as far as 5000 B.C. In fact, in Thessaly, there was a historical gold pendant discovered said to be dated between 6100-5300 B.C. And because gold is usually recycled in some form or another, there is a possibility that your favorite electronic device could have ancient Egyptian gold in it. [1]

• The term gold actually comes from the old English word “ghel” or “ghol” which means “bright,” “yellow” or “green.” [2]

• In 1948 to 1849, about 300,000 people from around the world flocked to California and brought about the California Gold Rush. These “forty-niners”, the term used for the gold seekers, ceased to continue their jobs in hopes of finding gold nuggets in the mines or waters of California. Because of this historic event, the San Francisco football team decided on the name “49ers.” [3]

• All 7 continents have discovered gold, which means you can find it anywhere in the world. However, most of the gold today comes from South Africa. [2]

Gold’s Characteristics

• Gold is really heavy. In fact, just one cubic foot of gold is about half a ton. That’s about 2000 pounds!

• Gold also has the ability to be hammered down very thinly. You can even hammer down gold to get sunlight to shine right through. You can even create a thin wire that is 60 miles long with just an ounce of gold. [4]

• Just by mixing other base metals with pure gold, you can get a variety of gold tints. Depending on what other metal you alloy with gold, whether it is copper or silver, you can get white gold, yellowish gold, rose gold, even purplish gold! [5]

• Pure 24 carat gold melts at 1063 centigrade. [6]

• Gold is inert which means it will never rust. [7] Your jewelry and accessories will never lose its brilliance.

Uses of Gold

• Because gold conducts electricity, it is used in almost every electronic device you can think of. Your computer, cellphone, remote and television all have small bits of gold in order for it to function properly. [8]

• NASA also uses gold for space travel. You will find this in an astronaut’s helmet or glass window in order to cast back harmful infrared rays, but allowing sunlight to come through. [4]

• Gold is non-toxic which makes it useful to the medical and dentistry field. It can be used as a filling for your tooth or help diagnose illnesses. [4]

These are just some interesting facts about gold. But if you are very interested in how this amazing precious medal is being used in everyday life, several books and websites can show you just how great and useful gold really is.

Disclaimer - While every care was taken in the preparation of this website (www.troy-ounce.com) and its contents, no guarantee is made as to the suitability of this website for any purpose whatsoever, nor of the accuracy, timeliness or usefulness of its information. This website is provided for general information and entertainment purposes only and the information provided on this web site should not be seen as, nor as a substitute for, legal, business or investment advice. The website's owner specifically disclaims any and all liability arising in conjunction with the use of the materials / information herein.