Gold is one of the first precious metals known to mankind. With its natural beauty and rarity, it has become a symbol of wealth in nearly every culture. So, it’s not surprising that it was used for currency as early as 600 B.C. And unlike paper currency that varies in worth from country to country, gold retains its value across all countries.
I have written before that owning physical gold is a great alternative to brokerage accounts. Globalization allows you to open brokerage accounts throughout the world, but these days there is greater scrutiny on these accounts if you have any large activity associated with the account.