The expression “as good as gold” has been around for a very long time. The metal itself is used as a metaphor for value and quality. This metal has been in use for literally thousands of years and, for most of that time, it has been equated with the finer things in life. There are good reasons for this. Among the most significant is that the metal is extremely scarce. Most of it, in fact, has already been mined and much of the metal that is in circulation today has been in circulation for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. 

One of the most desirable characteristics of gold is its ability to endure. Even if you were to leave a mass of it out in the elements, it would never rust and it would never tarnish. This has made it one of the most desirable materials for the arts, as the original look of a piece cast of this precious metal will retain its splendor, essentially, forever. This also makes it a useful item for the construction of durable goods, especially those where electrical conductivity or malleability are requirements.

There is also a body of knowledge that spans thousands of years regarding how gold can be alloyed in various ways. The most common alloys you’ll see that contain this metal are those used for coins. Copper and silver are usually used to create the alloys. The addition of other metals increases the hardness of the gold itself, allowing it to be used for hard-wearing applications. While you may not think of a bullion coin as something that gets abused a lot, remember that they were once used for currency and that the hardness of those coins was very important to making them practical for everyday exchanges.

Gold is also universally recognized as having value. This means that, no matter where you are, you can exchange the metal for tradable currency. Even if you travelled back in time, you’d still be able to use this metal to buy goods and services. It’s very high value makes it impractical as currency today. A one ounce coin of the metal would be worth over $1,000 at 2010 prices. However, it has long been sometihgn that people hold onto as a way to keep their wealth safe, and that trend is largely what’s driving the current popularity of it, and other metals.