Imagine this: you’re at a gathering for supper. People talk about gold quarter sovereign, real estate, cryptocurrencies, and—like clockwork—gold comes up in the conversation. Someone comments, “It’s old-fashioned,” and another person shrugs and says, “But it holds up in corners.” Gold is that friend who always stays in the group conversation.

Let’s get rid of the usual confusion. People have been drawn to gold since prehistoric times. Many people still think of gold as a safe place to save their money in case of rapid inflation or a market crash, even though you can’t hide gold coins under your floorboards. Why does it continually avoiding death? It’s easy. Gold doesn’t break down or disappear on a hard drive.

Give it some thought. The value of government money changes. Stocks drop quickly, sometimes for no reason. Gold shines as speculators, jewelers, and central banks fight over it. Some individuals look at gold during hard times and consider it as a safe place to be in a rough sea.

What makes this lustrous metal so special? For one thing, liquidity. You can nearly always trade it for cash when things go wrong. Holding a genuine ingot or coin is a primordial experience. It feels heavy and cold in your hand. Do you own shares in gold ETFs or mining stocks? Those add a little bit of modern convenience without the worries of thieves or rusted vaults.

There is no fairy tale here. Gold can go up and down a lot. Do you know about the 1980s? Prices went up quickly, then fell dramatically. Fast forward decades, and every so often it pings back and forth as whispers of a recession start. But in the long run, it’s done rather well compared to paper money. It’s a marathon runner, slow and steady, not a hare very often.

Some investors swear by the “gold allocation” rule of thumb, which says to keep 5% to 10% of their portfolio in gold. If you have too much, you won’t be able to go to the celebration when stocks go up. If you don’t have enough, you’ll be naked when things go wrong.

To be honest, owning actual gold isn’t as easy as it seems. When you store it, you have to consider about safety, insurance, and maybe even the classic saying about buried treasure. Digital forms, ETFs, and funds make things easier for people who don’t want to get up. But you don’t get that physical delight. Things to think about.

Taxes are a whole different story. Depending on where you live, gains may be taxed differently than stocks or bonds. You should talk to a financial consultant about that topic, unless you like surprises at tax time.

One more thing to remember: Gold doesn’t pay interest or dividends. It just sits there, shining, while stocks and bonds might send you a financial postcard every now and then.

So, the next time you’re afraid or bored with your assets, look at gold. It has lived through empires, crashes, memes, and conspiracies. It may not always be the brightest, but it never goes out. Now, give me that golden butter knife so we can cut another piece of cake as we think about how shiny things seem to last.