Gold has been much more than a simple metal; it has been a guiding thread through history, weaving its way into the heart of civilizations, from their founding myths to the complexities of modern economics. Its inalterable brilliance and rarity have cemented its position as a universal symbol of power, divinity, and wealth.

From the earliest civilizations, gold was not just a material; it was a manifestation of the divine.

• For the ancient Egyptians, it was the "flesh of the gods"—a metal that doesn't corrode, associating it with immortality and the sun god Ra. The tombs of pharaohs like Tutankhamun, filled with gold masks and objects, demonstrate that this metal was essential for the journey into the afterlife.

• In other cultures, such as the Inca, gold was considered the "sweat of the sun," a celestial gift that adorned temples and sacred objects dedicated to Inti, their sun god.

These beliefs not only drove mining efforts but also justified the use of gold in religious ceremonies and rituals, reserving its possession for the governing and priestly elite.

The transition of gold from a ritual object to a medium of economic exchange was a crucial turning point. Although the use of gold pieces for trade had existed for a long time, its standardization as currency occurred around 600 BC in Lydia (modern-day Turkey).

King Croesus minted the first gold coins with a guaranteed weight and purity, which greatly facilitated trade and exchange. Gold's universal acceptance is due to its intrinsic properties: it is divisible, durable, easy to transport, and its value is consistent due to its scarcity. This monetary system, using gold as its basis, spread throughout the Roman Empire and, subsequently, through much of the Western world, laying the foundation for the global economy.

With the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of global trade, reliance on gold was formalized in the Gold Standard. This system, popular in the 19th century, established that the value of a country's currency was directly tied to a specific quantity of gold.

This provided unprecedented stability in international trade, as currencies could be converted into gold at any time. As economies grew, gold was centralized in large vaults, and its management was delegated to modern financial institutions. Thus, central banks emerged, whose primary role was and is to manage the country's gold reserves to ensure economic stability.

Although the Gold Standard was formally abandoned in the 20th century, the metal remains a crucial reserve asset for central banks and a safe haven for investors during times of economic or geopolitical uncertainty.

We no longer consider it the "flesh of the gods," but its enduring value and scarcity maintain it as a fundamental pillar of financial trust. From the artifacts that adorned the tombs of the pharaohs to the bullion that fills the vaults of the Bank of England, gold continues to be a metal that symbolizes power and stability, linking our past with our economic future.