A gold nugget, a piece of gold found in nature

Two golden 20 kr coins: the coin to the left is Swedish and the right one is Danish

Ancient golden crown, the Kritonios Crown, 370–360 BC. From a grave in Armento, Basilicata

Gold is a soft, dense, yellow metal. It is a chemical element. Its chemical symbol is Au. Its atomic number is 79. As a precious metal, it has been used for many thousands of years by people all over the world, for jewelry, and as money. Gold is important because it is rare, but also easier to use than other rare metals. It is also used to repair and replace teeth and in electronic equipment such as computers. The color of this metal is also called gold.