Gold has long been used in coinage and has long been favored by collectors. The February 1965 issue of Coins magazine took a closer look at the attractions of this metal and methods used in its mining, in an article titled “Gold!” by Robert Obojski. “Gold has fascinated man ever since the prehistoric cave dweller accidentally came upon one of the shiny nuggets,” Obojski imagined. “And with the beginnings of civilization, coins made of gold often constituted the foundations of the economy of a city-state, or region, or entire country.
“But why is gold so valuable and what are the peculiar qualities of the yellow metal that set it apart from other substances? “Gold has a high luster and is highly malleable. It may be beaten into sheets less than 1/250,000 of an inch thick. One ounce can be drawn into sixty miles of wire. Only silver and copper are superior to gold in conducting
