20 Shocking Facts You Never Knew About Gold
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Gold has always been seen as a symbol of wealth throughout history. Even as we’ve become more advanced in technology and science, gold has still managed to maintain its status as a symbol of grace. It’s a fact that this yellow metal can make or break a billionaire's net worth. However, other than this fact, there are shocking facts of gold that you probably never knew about --until today. So, without further ado, here are 20 shocking facts about gold.
Here are 20 facts about gold
1. The word "gold" comes from the word “gulþa” which in Germanic actually means yellow. Thus, gold is named after the metal’s most dominant characteristic.
2. Gold was found on ALL seven continents, and nearly 200,000 tons of gold have been mined by humans.
3. The first pure gold coins ever were created by King Croesus of Lydia in 540 B.C.
4. The world’s oceans have an estimated total of 10 billion tons of gold, however, it’s so diluted that it’s sadly impossible to mine.
5. Olympic gold medals are currently made from at least 92% silver and a minimum of 6 grams of gold. However, these Olympic gold medals were pure gold until 1912.
6. Routinely, gold as a metal is melted down and purified to be reused. So, it’s fun to know that someone cool might’ve owned your gold ring before you!
7. Knowing gold is a metal, one would think it maintains a hard texture. However, pure gold is actually so soft that it can be moulded with the hands.
8. Did you know gold can be injected? Well, to decrease inflammation, some sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis receive injections of liquid gold.
9. Of all the metals, gold is the most popular precious metal for purchasing.
10. The world’s first gold vending machine was unveiled in Abu Dhabi in 2010. The gold-plated vending machine updates prices every minute to reflect market value.
11. The largest gold coin is the Vienna Philharmonic, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. This large coin has a diameter of 3.7cm and overall weighs 31.1 grams. In other words, it’s massive.
12. Some people get skin irritations from metals (like nickel or silver). However, pure gold is so safe that it does not cause any reactions to the skin.
13. Pure Gold is edible so it can be consumed in small quantities and is often added to foods and luxury beverages.
14. We’ve talked before about electronics containing a percentage of gold, but it comes as a shock to know that the average human body contains 0.2 mg of gold.
15. As of today, China is the top producer of gold and is also the world’s biggest gold-demanding consumer. However, South Africa has been the biggest producer of gold in the last 100 years.
16. The visors of astronaut helmets contain gold to protect the astronauts’ eyes from the sun.
17. Gold is used as a substance in photography to produce toners that have stable rich colours.
18. Gold can be used as a good conductor of electricity and heat.
19. In 2005, designer Ken Courtney and artist Tobias Wong, produced 24k swallowable gold pills. The 20 mm pills are currently being sold for a mere $425 each. So, you don’t want to miss this offer!
20. Have you heard of the world’s “most expensive cupcake?” Bloomsbury, in Abu Dhabi, UAE made a cupcake out of edible gold called the Golden Phoenix. This cupcake is worth $28,00.
Though gold is known for its monetary purpose and jewellery, it’s shocking to know that it goes beyond that. Which fact shocked you the most? Contact us and tell us if you’ve learned something new in this article. Also, don’t forget to ask about the prices of gold today. You can get gold through Minted for as little as £1 per day!
