Interesting Twilight Zone episode about gold.

[bill1971]

Rod Serling guessed it back in 1961. Episode called Rip Van Winkle Caper. Bank robbers stole gold and woke up 100 years in the future. Here is the end.


As the man named George gets back into his car to report Farwell's death to the police, he quizzically remarks to his wife, "Can you imagine that? He offered this to me as if it was really worth something." The wife vaguely recalls that it had indeed been valuable at some time in the distant past. The husband replies, "Sure, about a hundred years or so ago, before they found a way of manufacturing it," and tosses the gold bar away.

[Valli6]

"The Rip Van Winkle Caper" - Originally aired April 21, 1961

http://images.tvrage.com/screencaps/32/6258/212794.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2d/The_Rip_Van_Winkle_Caper.jpg/250px-The_Rip_Van_Winkle_Caper.jpg

Of course in reality, it's the federal reserve notes that are are manufactured - not the gold.

[Dr.3D]

Well, with current technology, the process of making gold would consume so much energy, the manufactured gold would be more valuable (expensive) than that mined from the ground.

[luctor-et-emergo]

It's already possible to produce gold from other elements...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesis_of_precious_metals

The most important thing is, that the paper is worth WAY less then what you can currently buy with it. Think about all the other things paper is used for. Same stuff, different image.

[Zippyjuan]

if this asteroid mining thing happens gold will be next to worthless

Asteroid mining, while technically possible, is not very economically feasable at this time. Costs are extremely high. That would not make it "next to worthless". Technology was able to significantly lower the prices of aluminum which used to be considered more valuable than gold before refining processes were improved.