People come to us at Sherman Diamonds to buy or sell jewelry. They often come in to sell off a piece of jewelry they own to get some quick cash that they can use for emergency expenses. However, many people also come to us looking for answers to questions about the history of gold and what it has been used for in the past. Those individuals are seeking answers to questions about why we value jewelry as highly as we do, and we are certainly here to help them get those answers.
How Long Has Gold Been Used?
The history of gold is a lengthy one, as it has been used by human beings for over 5,000 years. It was first discovered around that time. It was only found in very small quantities, but it was immediately attractive to humans because of its shiny properties. People like to see that; they were drawn in to look at gold and want to trade it with one another.
It was around 3,000 years ago that people began to use gold to make jewelry. Again, the metal is easy to work with and beautifully shiny. Therefore, it simply makes sense that humans started to use it as a piece of jewelry to show off and to appreciate themselves.
In those times, it was common for high-profile individuals of the time to be buried with their gold. There was a belief among people of that age that burying someone with their gold meant that they would be able to carry it on with them into the afterlife. Thus, many high-profile individuals requested that they be buried with their gold, and this was often done as a sign of respect.
How Is Gold Used Today?
There is no doubt that gold remains extremely valued among the population today. Many people request it as a gift or to symbolize a major accomplishment in their life. They want something that they can point to and say that it shows the accomplishment that they have made. There is nothing wrong with this mentality. In fact, gold jewelry remains quite popular with a huge number of people worldwide.
In addition to being used for jewelry, gold was used to back up United States currency for many years. That is no longer the case, but the value of gold is tied to money. It is still possible to invest in gold as a precious metal on the various commodity exchanges around the world. The commodity markets set the price of gold nearly every day of the week.
It is worthwhile to pay attention to how gold trades and to how people feel about it over time. The popularity of gold may fluctuate from time to time, but it generally remains very popular with most people. Therefore, it is still worthwhile to look at how gold may be useful to people today and how it trades among those who care about the precious metal.