A Brief History of Gold

Gold was first discovered as shining, yellow nuggets, in its natural state, in streams all over the world. It was most likely the first metal known to early hominids, and became a part of every human culture thereafter. Its brilliance, natural beauty, great malleability and resistance to tarnish made it easy to work with and highly prized.

Because gold exists throughout the geologic world, its discovery and subsequent value became universal. Although the historical advancement of technology was driven by the development of iron and copper-working (in the form of tools and weapons), gold was the first metal to impact civilization economically and culturally.

Gold is found naturally in an almost pure and completely workable state. Most other metals are found in ore-bodies that require smelting to extract them.

Gold has always been desirable. Although the earliest history of human interaction with gold is long lost to us, its uses were no doubt ornamental, symbolic and ceremonial. Its brilliance and permanence were linked directly to the deities, associated with the gods, with immortality, and with wealth, and was common to many known world cultures.

Early man sought gold, fought for gold, destroyed civilizations in the name of gods and kings for gold, and dedicated their plunder to the glorification of the powerful. Mankind intuitively places a high value on gold, equating it with power, beauty, and the wealthy elite. This same thinking and behavior has been displayed all over the world in both ancient and modern civilizations. The desire for gold was so strong that the ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians, Indians, Hittites, Chinese, and others, used prisoners of war, slaves and criminals, and even their own military to mine for it.

The "Gold of Troy" excavated in Turkey and dating to the era 2450 -2600 B.C., demonstrated the range of gold-work and the quality artists achieved in items such as delicate jewelry, household items, even a gold gravy boat weighing a full troy pound. This was the age when gold was possessed only by the powerful, made into objects of personal adornment, or used to decorate sacred locations.

Gold has always been highly valued by man even before it was legal tender or money, which appeared in the form of gold coins about 700 B.C.

The 'value' of gold was and is accepted all over the world, and its today’s gold reserves that guarantee the value of many countries’ currency.

Gold Star Jewelry and Coin Company is open Monday through Saturday 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM. We're located at 7048 N. Clark Avenue, Chicago IL 60626; Phone: 773.942.6556.

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