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Photo of Gold by Jingming Pan from

15 Fascinating Facts About Gold

Gold is a wonder in human history. One of Earth’s most valuable substances and is sought after for different reasons. For some, its beauty is captivating while others are curious to explore the rare commodity.

Moreover, its versatility has provoked scientists, artists, and technology experts to push boundaries in their spaces to discover more about gold. Whether you love gold for its beauty, usage, symbol of wealth and power, or whatever your reason is, these truths will leave you dazzled.

Here are 15 Fascinating Realities About Gold

1. The element symbol for gold is derived from the Latin

Gold is a chemical element identified by the symbol Au and given the atomic number 79 on the chemistry periodic table. In Latin, Gold is called “aurum” hence the symbol Au.

2. Gold has three color shades

Gold pineapple by Kobby Mendez from

Though yellow is often described as the color of Gold, there also exists white gold and rose gold. The difference in the color shades is brought about by the percentage of the other metal alloyed with gold. An alloy is a mixture formed when two or more elements (metals) are mixed.

Yellow gold is a result of the natural color of gold alloyed with sterling silver, copper, and zinc. White gold consists of an alloy of yellow gold with nickel or palladium and zinc. Rose Gold or sometimes called pink or red gold is a mixture of pure gold and copper. The more copper, the higher the reddish color.

3. Pure gold is very soft

Pure Gold is extremely soft and has to be alloyed with other metals to make it hard as discussed earlier. These metals add strength and durability, especially in the making of jewelry and medals.

For instance, the Olympic Gold Medal is about 6 grams of pure gold and at least 92.5 percent silver. This was revealed by a spokesperson of the Beijing 2022 International Olympic Committee.

Furthermore, the spokesperson agreed that the 2022 Olympic gold medals met those criteria as per The New York Times article dated February 10, 2022. The article’s title was How much is a gold medal actually worth?

4. The world’s largest gold bar weighs 250kgs

Photo of Gold bars by Jingming Pan from

This 250 kg gold bar was certified as the world’s largest in 2005. It is exhibited in Japan at the Toi Gold Mine theme park in Izu. The gold was smelted in 2005 and is estimated to be worth between the range of US$ 10 million to US$ 16 million.

5. Karats are the unit measure for the purity of gold

A karat is the unit of measurement used to check the purity of gold. So one karat is equal to about 200 milligrams or 0.200 grams. 24-karat gold is pure gold denoted as 24K. It means that by weight, a karat is 1/24 part of pure gold.

Subsequently, when the purity of gold in an object is given in karats, you can calculate the percentage of the gold in that object. You multiply the number of karats given by 100 and divide by 24, giving a figure in percentage form.

6. Gold never corrodes easily

On the Periodic table, gold ranks among the least reactive elements. It does not react with air, water, alkalis, and acids. Thus it never rusts, tarnishes, or corrodes easily. The only exception is aqua regia which is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. This acidic mixture can dissolve gold.

7. Gold is the most ductile metal on earth

Photo by Gryffyn from

The ductility (it can be drawn into thin wires) of gold makes it appropriate for use in electrical devices. The other most ductile metal is platinum but gold is a little more ductile. On top of that, it is a good conductor of electricity. This strength makes it appropriate for use in electrical machinery.

8. The gold standard collapsed in the 19^th century

Many countries used the gold standard between the 1870s and its use collapsed in 1914. The collapse was pushed by inflation though the gold standard remained in use until the 1970s. Paper money was seen as a simple instrument of transacting and hence took over the gold standard.

9. China is the current world’s leading gold producer

Gold coins and bars by Zlaťáky.cz from

As of 2022 statistics, China topped as the leading gold producer in the world. The country contributed over 11% of the world’s total gold production. Australia and Russia followed with a bit over 9% each.

Besides production, they also top as the largest gold jewelry consumer in the world. According to World Gold Council reports, China bought 673 tonnes of gold jewelry in 2021. India followed with 611 tonnes.

10. The United States leads the world in gold reserves

Gold coins by Zlaťáky.cz from

The United States has the highest gold reserves in the world. It’s estimated to be over 8000 tons according to 2022 financial reports. Germany is in second place with more than 3000 tons while Italy took third place with over 2000 tons.

11. Gold is used in dentistry for fillings

Gold is highly malleable which enables it to be moulded to fill in a tooth without leaving gaps between the enamel and the filling. To add on, gold alloys are strong and durable. Thus, if properly taken care of, they can last up to three times longer than any other filling material.

12. Over 75% of the world’s gold goes to jewelry making

Gold Jewelry by Syed F Hashemi from

According to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), at least 78% of the gold supply every year is meant for making jewelry. Another 12% forms demand from electrical, medical, and dental spaces. Further, about 10% is used in financial dealings.

13. Gold coins were first used as money in Lydia

Lydia is modern-day Turkey. King Croesus of Lydia introduced gold coins as the official currency of the Lydians around 600 BC or so. The coins (Lydian stater) were made from electrum which is an alloy of gold and silver and the mixture occurs naturally. Additionally, the faces of the coins were stamped with pictures that served as the denomination.

14. Gold is nontoxic hence edible

Though it is a metal, its toxic risks to human health are low. Thus it is often used in food and drink products. For example, gold flakes are popular with liqueurs and ice cream. Cakes and chocolates are sometimes decorated with edible gold decorations like gold leaf, coins, and more.

15. Gold portrays royalty and power

A crown by Mitya Ivanov from

Throughout generations, gold has been seen as a display of wealth, power, and majesty. A perfect example is the making of crowns, golden regalia, and gold idols or other symbols of worship.

Gold has established itself throughout history as a treasure. Though a rare resource, its cherished and valued for its various uses in different industries. Thus it will always be an inspiration for the exploration of new frontiers in fields such as technology and science in all generations.