| Since prehistoric man first stumbled upon a | | | | For more than 6000 years gold has been |
| nugget, raw gold with its radiant sun yellow | | | | considered symbolic of wealth, power and |
| coloration and metallic luster has captivated | | | | status. In 1350 B.C. the Egyptian boy king, |
| and fascinated mankind. The unique gleam of | | | | Tutankhem, was interred in a coffin |
| gold attracts the eye, enabling the seeker to | | | | elaborately cast from 242 pounds of solid |
| detect the smallest of grains in an aggregate | | | | gold. Throughout history men and women have |
| of many other materials. The tiniest flakes | | | | adorned their bodies with brilliant, gleaming |
| are easily detected. | | | | gold. The ancient custom of exchanging gold |
| | | | during marriage ceremonies continues today. |
| Anthropological excavations of Stone Age | | | | The nobility of Medieval Europe liberally |
| burial sites indicate that gold was the first | | | | sprinkled gold in the form of dust, flake or |
| element collected and prized by man. This | | | | leaves on their food to demonstrate the |
| unique metal, gathered in the form of | | | | host?s great wealth. Today gold is still |
| nuggets, seems to have been highly prized but | | | | often used in food and has the E Number 175. |
| was not used in practical applications. | | | | However, since metallic gold is inert to all |
| Rating 2.5 ? 3 on Mohs scale of hardness, | | | | body chemistry, it adds no taste nor has any |
| gold was much too pliable to be hammered into | | | | other nutritional effect and leaves the body |
| workable tools or weapons. Gold carried | | | | unaltered. |
| little value for prehistoric man except to be | | | | |
| admired and treasured for its rare, intrinsic | | | | Primitive man believed gold contained a |
| beauty. | | | | hidden, internal fire, a gift from the Gods |
| | | | with mysterious healing and magical powers. |
| However, as man developed he soon discovered | | | | Numerous cultures of sun-worshippers revered |
| numerous applications for the mysterious | | | | gold as the tangible essence of their God; |
| golden metal. The earliest record of gold | | | | solid sunshine. In modern day Japan believers |
| exploration dates to Egypt around 2000 B.C. | | | | seek gold?s medicinal magic by immersion in a |
| Ancient records tell of an enormous alluvial | | | | bathtub designed in the form of a phoenix |
| gold deposit in Nubia, between the Nile River | | | | crafted from 400 pounds of pure gold. Health |
| and the Red Sea in southeastern Egypt. This | | | | and gold have long been entwined in the |
| incredible discovery encompassed over one | | | | wondrous belief that something so rare and |
| hundred square miles. Using the most | | | | beautiful could not be anything but healing |
| primitive of tools and working to an average | | | | and healthy. |
| depth of less than six feet, these first | | | | |
| ?miners? pried an estimated one thousand tons | | | | Today modern esotericists and forms of |
| of gold from this rich discovery. Egyptian | | | | alternative medicine embrace the healing |
| artisans, recognizing the extraordinary | | | | properties of gold. Some gold salts have |
| malleability of gold fashioned incredible | | | | anti-inflammatory properties and are used as |
| jewelry, ornaments and idols of breathtaking | | | | pharmaceuticals in the treatment of arthritis |
| beauty. Throughout the history of man?s | | | | and other similar conditions. However, only |
| involvement with gold, the precious metal has | | | | salts and radioisotopes of gold are of |
| been prized not only for its beauty but for | | | | pharmacological value, as elemental or |
| gold?s ability to withstand the rigors of | | | | metallic gold is inert to all chemicals it |
| time. No substance that appears commonly in | | | | encounters within the body. |
| nature will destroy gold. Unaffected by air, | | | | |
| moisture, heat or cold, this noble metal will | | | | Gold is a ?storehouse of value?, the natural |
| not tarnish, corrode, rust or tarnish. | | | | way for man to preserve capital and protect |
| Shimmering gold dust, golden nuggets of | | | | against financial uncertainty or monetary |
| placer gold and brilliant vein occurrences | | | | collapse. In modern times gold has served as |
| have survived 4.5 Billion years of | | | | a hedge against the threat of inflation and |
| cataclysmic geologic and climate changes; | | | | as a secure and safe way to secret away |
| volcanic eruption, earthquakes, upheavals and | | | | assets. The ?hoarding? of gold occurs most |
| deposition. Treasures of gold jewelry, | | | | frequently during times of war, adverse world |
| bullion and coins, buried for thousands of | | | | conditions and international fears of |
| years beneath land and sea have been found | | | | economic instability. Gold has often defeated |
| intact; as brilliant as the day they were | | | | the attempts of governments to inflate the |
| abandoned. | | | | currency of their country as well as |
| | | | circumventing the aims of those holding |
| A relatively rare native metallic element, | | | | political power to direct the economy of |
| gold ranks fifty-eighth in abundance amongst | | | | other nations. |
| the ninety two natural elements that make up | | | | |
| the earth?s crust. Although considered a rare | | | | Throughout recorded history, gold, the |
| element, of all metals gold is, with the | | | | crowned king of metals, has been considered |
| exception of iron, the most widely | | | | the ultimate monetary exchange. Gold is the |
| distributed over the planet. Gold has been | | | | only currency that isn?t someone else?s |
| found on 90 per cent of the earth?s surface | | | | responsibility or liability; it is more that |
| and is mined in high mountain ranges, in the | | | | just a paper promise to pay upon demand. |
| deeply weathered soil of the tropics, harsh | | | | Gold?s worth does not rely on the economic |
| deserts and in the permanently frozen tundra | | | | stability of any country, political power or |
| of the Arctic. | | | | financial cartel. Gold has value in and of |
| | | | itself. |
| Gold is commercially mined on every continent | | | | |
| with the exception of Antarctica. The richest | | | | The current world price of gold is |
| gold producing area of the world is the | | | | established daily by the London Gold Market |
| Witwatersrand District of South Africa. This | | | | which trades gold bullion and coins with |
| ultra rich area has yielded eighteen thousand | | | | other financial world centers such as Zurich, |
| tons of gold with no end in sight. | | | | Hong Kong , Frankfurt and Paris. The price |
| Additional notable gold bearing areas around | | | | is based on pure or ?fine? gold, therefore |
| the world are Siberia in the former USSR, the | | | | the value of gold gleaned in its natural |
| Porcupine District in Ontario, Canada and in | | | | state may vary depending on the impurities it |
| the United States the Yukon District of | | | | contains. However, raw gold sold as specimens |
| Alaska and the famous Mother Lode District in | | | | or jewelry will always bring a considerably |
| California. | | | | higher price. Gold nuggets are as |
| | | | distinctively different as snowflakes, |
| In the United States nature was extremely | | | | although similar, no two nuggets are alike. A |
| generous. Thirty-two states have recorded | | | | nugget of unique character and shape may sell |
| significant commercial gold production. The | | | | for as much as five times its value by |
| highest yielding areas are located within the | | | | weight. |
| western states, California, Colorado, Alaska, | | | | |
| Nevada and South Dakota. Other abundant | | | | Do you have broken or discarded gold jewelry |
| locations for prospecting include Georgia, | | | | you not longer wear? Now may be the time to |
| Arkansas, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Washington, | | | | cash in on the current gold rush. With the |
| New Mexico, Wyoming, North and South | | | | price of gold exceeding the $1000 an ounce |
| Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Vermont and | | | | benchmark, an errant earring or broken gold |
| New Hampshire. The recreational gold | | | | chain could add up to a significant sum. |
| prospector can find gold in his pan in | | | | |
| practically every state of the union. | | | | To receive the best price for gold you may |
| | | | wish to sell, know the karat count. Because |
| Gold is an ideal media for craftsmen. It is | | | | of the softness of pure 24k gold, it is |
| a metal that can be deformed by pounding | | | | usually alloyed with base metals for use in |
| without breaking or crumbling. Gold, in its | | | | jewelry, altering its hardness, color, |
| pure form is the most malleable or workable | | | | melting point and ductility. Alloys with |
| of all metals. One single ounce of gold can | | | | lower karatage, typically 22k, 18k, 14k or |
| be drawn and stretched into an ultra fine | | | | 10k, contain higher percentages of silver, |
| wire over 50 miles in length without breaking | | | | copper or other base metals in the alloy. The |
| or pounded to the amazing thinness of one | | | | higher the karat the more you should expect |
| hundred thousandth of an inch without | | | | to be paid. If you only have a piece or two |
| disintegrating. Gold is easily carved, | | | | to sell, try a local jeweler or take a |
| readily buffs to a gleaming polish, can be | | | | vintage piece to an antique jeweler. They?ll |
| heated repeatedly without discoloration and | | | | take the artist?s craftsmanship into |
| joins to itself or other metals by soldering | | | | consideration and you will net a much higher |
| without the need for a bonding flux. | | | | price than for just the gold weight. |
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