10 Surprising Facts About Gold
Gold has fascinated humanity for thousands of years – and holds more surprises than you might expect. We have put together ten curiosities that will make you see the shining metal in a whole new light.
1. All the gold in the world would fit into a few swimming pools
Throughout history, humanity has mined around 210,000 tonnes of gold. That sounds like a huge figure, yet all of it would fit into about four Olympic swimming pools – gold is extremely dense and rare.
2. One gram becomes a square metre
Gold is the most malleable metal in the world. A single gram can be beaten into a wafer-thin gold leaf of about one square metre – so thin that light shines through it.
3. Gold is edible
Pure gold is non-toxic and, as a food colouring (E175), decorates desserts, chocolates and drinks. The body does not absorb it – it passes through unchanged.
4. It does not rust or corrode
Gold is chemically exceptionally stable. That is why jewellery and masks from Egyptian tombs still shine like new after thousands of years. This durability is one reason it holds its value.
5. It comes from space
Gold was not formed on Earth. According to scientists, heavy elements such as gold are created in collisions of neutron stars and in supernova explosions. Every bar carries a piece of cosmic history.
6. Tonnes of gold float in the oceans
An enormous amount of gold is dissolved in seawater. But there is so little per litre that extracting it has not so far made economic sense.
7. Olympic “gold” medals are mostly silver
The modern Olympic gold medal is largely made of silver with only a thin gold coating. Solid gold medals were last awarded more than a hundred years ago.
8. You have some in your phone
Gold conducts electricity superbly and does not corrode, so it is used in electronic connectors. Every smartphone contains a tiny amount – and recycling electronics is now a sought-after source of the metal.
9. The heaviest bar weighs over 200 kilos
While ordinary investment bars fit in your hand, the largest weighed more than 200 kilograms. For comparison: the popular investment format weighs one troy ounce, or 31.1 grams.
10. A gold carat is not a diamond carat
For gold, the carat indicates fineness (24 carat = pure gold); for gemstones it is a unit of weight. Investment gold usually has a fineness of 999.9/1000 Au – practically pure metal.
From curiosities to investment
The most accessible way to own a piece of this remarkable metal is through investment bars and coins. Browse our investment gold and gold coins. Why the price per gram differs is explained in the article Premium on gold.
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About the author
Adolf Baumann, analyst at Baumann Group a.s. (GOLDU), has been working with precious metals for over 30 years. He has seen euphoria, crashes and panic on the markets – and he still enjoys it. He explains in plain language what moves the price of gold and silver and how to handle them without unnecessary mistakes. His weakness? He refuses to wear a suit.
