alt Hacker NewsGold is a VERY unique metal and its value comes directly from that. Particularly the complete lack of oxidation, I'm sure it was seen as absolutely magic that it would not tarnish while every other metal known at the time would oxidize very easily.
Value is ultimately always in the eye of the beholder.
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tylerflick • yesterday at 3:18 PM
> every other metal known at the time
You’re forgetting lead, but the point is all the same.
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lo_zamoyski • yesterday at 4:42 PM
> Value is ultimately always in the eye of the beholder.
If you mean value per se, not at all. There are difference kinds of value (intrinsic, instrumental).
A piece of bread has objective nutritional value, for example. It doesn’t matter whether you personally dislike bread.
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Indeed. I believe the parent commenter should pause and assess why people buy things, and what makes something desirable or a luxury good. We can start with mechanical watches: They are of poorer quality by every utilitarian measure than a crystal-oscillator driven one, but command much higher prices and status.