Gold was first discovered in Mesopotamia about two centuries ago. It was a valuable metal then and continues to be a more sought-after commodity across the globe. Gold and silver are highly valued and more importantly, they perform well in depressive economies. You can sell bullion to weather unexpected economic crises. Gold and silver bullion is fascinating for a number of different reasons and in different ways. Here are some fun facts about gold that you may not have heard of:
The largest gold nugget was found in Australia
Prospectors and miners always look at the number of gold nuggets found in a particular area in order to make decisions on whether they should explore the area to find out how much gold there might be. Gold nuggets are usually small, but some big unusual finds have been made over the last century. These finds are thought to have spurred the gold rush in places like Australia and California. The biggest gold nugget the “Welcome Stranger” was found in Moliagul Australia in 1869. It weighed 2,500oz. but it was sold to the London Royal Mint where it was melted, refined, and used to create gold coins and bars.
The most expensive gold coin is worth almost $20 million
Coins are popular because of their intrinsic value as well as for their beauty. They are also the most popular form of bullion because they are easy to trade. Some coins are more expensive than others because they are collector’s items. The most expensive gold coin ever sold has to be a rare 1933 “Double Eagle” which sold for $18.9 Million at a Sotheby’s Auction in June 2021.
The Largest Physical Gold Reserve Isn’t at Fort Knox
If you’ve watched a lot of TV, you would think that the largest Mint in the world, or at least in the U.S is fort Knox. It might house over 147 million ounces of solid gold, it isn’t where you will find the U.Ss largest store of gold. That honour belongs to the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. It holds a whopping 6,800 tonnes of gold in solid form. This is over 25% of the gold in the whole world.
The world’s biggest pure gold bar was not made by a mint but by a car company.
When it comes to the purest version of gold, the Canadian mint is famous for minting the purest or finest gold bullion in the world however the biggest and purest gold bar was not made by any mint. Most people would be surprised to learn those Mitsubishi manufacturers’ gold bullion bars or that it holds the record of the biggest gold bar ever produced. The company produced a 250kg bar of gold with a fineness of 999.9 in 2005 featuring the company’s emblem.
A Lot of the Gold that has already been mined is still around
It is estimated that almost 200,000 tons that has been mined is around in one form or another. Bullion is the purest version of gold. It is a top-notch generational investment. Gold and silver appreciate over time. You can pass it on to future generations who may decide to sell bullion when they need to.