Are you a Gold Digger?

In the catchy words of Kanye West ‘Now I ain’t saying [you] a gold digger‘ – but that doesn’t mean you can’t read our below list of ‘Top Ten Famous Gold Things’, and why (for better or worse) they attract so much attention. If you love this precious metal or not, our below list is sure to serve you up a Golden Ticket…

NUMBER TEN: KANYE + FOXX

Starting us off at number ten is a bit more Kanye to get you in the mood (#sorrynotsorry). ‘Gold Digger’ peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 6 September 2005 – becoming West’s and Foxx’s second number one single. Co-produced with Jon Brion the song contains samples of Ray Charles’ ‘I Got a Woman’. Go on, have a listen below:

NUMBER NINE: TUTANKHAMUN’S GOLD MASK

This entry propels us back in time, away from contemporary culture, towards Egyptian History (we appreciate it’s a slightly unusual journey to make). Take a moment to close your eyes, distance yourself from the hustle and bustle of the everyday and instead imagine unearthing the burial chamber of 18th-dynasty Ancient Egyptian Pharoah Tutankhamun, who reigned from 1332–1323 BC.

The mask itself is 54cm tall, 39.3cm wide and 49cm deep. It is fashioned from two layers of high karat gold and weighing 10.23kg. X-ray crystallography has revealed that the mask contains two alloys of gold: a lighter 18.4 karat shade for the face and neck, and 22.5 karat gold for the rest of the mask. Basically, even in death Tutankhamun knew how to sparkle.

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NUMBER EIGHT: TRUMP TOWER GOLD LIFT

Trump Tower is a 58-story mixed-use skyscraper located on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. With the recent election results still hanging in the air Trump Tower is more controversial than ever at the moment – and the gold plated lift inside even more so. A recent photo emerged of Donald Trump and Nigel Farage grinning in said decadent lift – that circulated across world wide media.

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NUMBER SEVEN: WILLY WONKA GOLDEN TICKET

The original ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ film from 1971 is an American musical fantasy directed by Mel Stuart – starring the fantastic Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the 1964 novel ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ by Roald Dahl. The film tells the story of main character Charlie Bucket acquiring a much sought-after Golden Ticket and subsequently being able to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory (and the adventures that ensue) with four other children from around the world.

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NUMBER SIX: THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGGS

This fable warns us of the perils of greed. There are many different versions but the general gist is that an owner of a goose that is laying golden eggs demands more and more – but when the animal cannot keep up with the demand the owner kills it. This is a sad but moralistic tale that is important to remember – especially when gold is involved!

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NUMBER FIVE: DATTA PHUGE GOLDEN SHIRT

Indian gold investor Datta Phuge owns a shirt made of gold weighing over 3 kgs and is worth £188,739 (or Indian rupees 12.7 million). This clothing was made by pioneering Indian jeweller Rankar Jewelers who took only 15 days to weave, spun and sew the shirt. The golden top was designed with images of Indian kings and was lined with velvet – it is not washable though (can’t have everything!). Security men escort Mr. Phuge around during the rare times he trots the globe with this golden shirt.

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NUMBER FOUR: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL

Olympic gold medals were previously solid gold but the last time these were awarded was at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Modern Olympic gold medals are sterling silver that has been plated with real solid gold. Gold medal regulations:

Gold medals are awarded for first place.
The gold medal is at least 60mm in diameter.
Each Olympic gold medal is at least 3mm thick.
A gold medal consists of silver, which must be at least .925 grade.
Each gold medal is covered with at least 6 grams of pure genuine gold.

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NUMBER THREE: ‘WELCOME STRANGER’ GOLD NUGGET

The ‘Welcome Stranger’ was the largest gold nugget ever discovered, and was found by two men named John Deason and Richard Oates, on 5 February, 1869 in Victoria, Australia. Today it is estimated to have been worth in excess of £3-4 million. The nugget was soon melted down and the gold was sent as ingots to Melbourne for forwarding to the Bank of England.

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NUMBER TWO: GOLDEN OPULENCE SUNDAE

The ‘Golden Opulence Sundae’ is a dessert sundae served by special order in a restaurant called Serendipity 3 in New York, USA. In 2007 it was listed in the Guinness World Records as the most expensive sundae in the world at a price of US $1,000. The restaurant has stated that they sell approximately one per month. It was created to celebrate the eatery’s 50th ‘golden’ anniversary in 2005. Owner Stephen Bruce states that a notice 48 hours in advance is needed when requesting the Sundae, since ingredients must be flown in from different parts of the world. Got a sweet tooth and a fat wallet? This could be the desert for you…

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