Throughout history gold has always been important in civilisations around the world. Even today it is the basis of our modern monetary system. Originally the name for gold came from the word geolo, which is an Olde English world, when translated means yellow. Gold is just one of those things that has survived and travelled through time, always dynamic through to the present time and the establishment of the gold standard.

One of the main reasons that gold became so valuable down through the ages is that it was and is a scarce material. The reason that it is so popular is a completely aesthetic one. Gold sparkles in the light and is reflective. It gives off a warm gold and people can’t help but to be drawn to it. From the gold worker’s point of
view, gold is easy to work with, as when it is in its pure form of 24 carat it is quite soft and pliable. For this reason it is also very versatile and can be made into gold leaf or gold wire or used for jewellery making and ornament making. Another advantage of this versatile material is that it is highly resistant to rust and corrosion.

The chemical symbol for gold is AU and it is used for so many purposes today. Gold standard literally means the use of gold as the standard value for the money for a country. It is a standard by which the wealth of a country is measured. Nearly every country around the world has gold reserves, even though gold is no longer used as currency. In more recent the gold standard has been replaced as the world moves on at an ever too fast pace, but gold will always be with us.