There are three very familiar metals that are indigenous to Earth. That is, they occur in native form as shown above. A native metal is any metal that is found pure in its metallic form in nature. That means they are not exclusively combined with other elements. Only gold, silver, copper and the platinum group occur native in large amounts. Other metals do occur in native form but the three shown above have been singled out through millennia for special use.
While there have been many commodities used as money throughout history, including giant stones, Cowrie shells and salt, the most enduring have been used for thousands of years. Those are gold, silver and copper, which were usually struck as coins. Their monetary value, from highest to lowest, has always been gold, silver and then copper.
In physics, there are only three noble metals: gold, silver, and copper. These three are found in group 11 on the Periodic Table of Elements as indicated in the red rectangle below.
I believe that the periodic nature of the Elements in the Periodic Table is a design feature of this universe from the Creator, who created the rules — the laws of physics — by which the universe operates.
The electronic properties of metals is related to their ionisations states. The properties of Copper, Silver and Gold are listed in the Table below.
Each atom in these three metals gives a single electron to the metal lattice, which forms a plasma gas. This is because of the electron occupation in the quantum mechanical orbital states, which, for the superseded shell model of the atom are listed as in the Table on line 2, Orbital occupation (shells). Though superseded the shell model still has some explanatory power.
Each number represents the number of electrons in each shell. Note each has a single electron in its outer most shell farthest from the nucleus. The electron gas determines the metal’s properties like electrical and thermal conductivity, malleability and even reflectivity when polished.
There is one more element in group 11 under Gold with an atomic number of 111, Roentgenium (Rg). All elements with atomic numbers greater than 92 are not naturally occurring and are radioactive. Roentgenium is man-made.
But note Roentgenium ‘should have’ a similar electronic orbital structure to the others in the group with a single electron in the outer most orbital (shell). But it does not. One of the electrons in the next lower shell is promoted to make 2 electrons in the outer receptor shell leaving 17 in the donor shell, which breaks with the others in the group. But that means the Rg atom does not so easily liberate a free electron to the crystal lattice, and that changes its properties significantly.
As you will note from the Table of properties each successive noble metal has 18 more electrons than the previous one. These represent filled shells or half filled shells and with 18 or 32 electrons. And the inner electron clouds shield the single outer electron from the attractive force of the nucleus. When the shells fill like this the atom shrinks in size as the electron cloud binds closer to the nucleus. This explains the increasing density from copper, then silver, then gold.
Except for the outer most single electron this means the rest of the electrons are successively more tightly bound. Therefore in the crystal lattice even the free electrons are successively less likely to bind with oxygen, and hence tarnish. For this reason gold retains its shine better than silver and silver better than copper.
There is one element that has 18 less electrons than copper, and that is Sodium (Na) an alkali metal. But it is highly reactive and does not fit the same property profile of these noble metals. The 18 electrons in the third (M) shell of these noble metals is important to their properties, making them very special.
Origin of Noble Metals
In astrophysics, stellar nucleosynthesis is a theory which describes the creation of chemical elements by nuclear fusion reactions within stars. The theory was initially proposed by Fred Hoyle in 1946 with the added refinement to nucleosynthesis by neutron capture of the elements heavier than iron (Z > 56) by Margaret and Geoffrey Burbidge, William Fowler and Fred Hoyle in their famous 1957 B2FH paper, which became one of the most highly cited papers in astrophysics.
In short the theory is as follows. The big bang is alleged to have formed all the hydrogen and helium in the universe and some of the lithium. The rest of the elements were formed in stars, first by ‘burning’ hydrogen, then helium, and progressively ‘burning’ higher elements. This process though only creates elements as heavy as iron (Z = 56). To create heavier elements (i.e. Z > 56) a supernova (gravitational collapse of the star followed by a rapid explosive expansion) is required. (Note: ‘burning’ here means nuclear fusion.)
You’ll notice that gold has an atomic number Z = 79 and hence greater than iron with Z = 56. So the theory is that gold was created in supernova events but silver (Z = 47) and copper (Z = 29) were created in stars by nucleosynthesis. To get these noble metals into the crust of a planet the stars had to have exploded into a cloud of dust from which planetary systems were alleged to have condensed.
The theory a priori assumes that the universe evolved from a big bang and that stars formed naturalistically from the hydrogen and helium produced, which I dispute entirely. See Planetary System Formation: Exposing Naturalistic Storytelling.
And the big bang scenario is totally inconsistent with biblical teaching. See The Big Bang is Not a Reason to Believe!
A correct biblical worldview is quite different. All elements in the universe are the product of divine creation. No supernova was required. The Creator created them in the crust when He made it about 6000 years ago, 4.6 billion as the big bang fairy-tale cosmogony affirms.
Therefore the abundance for these metals we find in the earth’s crust is also by divine providence. It is by design. And we dig them up. In the past many nuggets were found on or near the surface as native gold, silver and copper.
In The Garden In Eden God placed gold for Adam as he worked the soil.
11b … the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good:
Genesis 2:11-12
The Lord said that the gold is good. This is gold’s first mention in the beginning of the Bible. Throughout the history that follows gold and silver are mentioned as being used as money. Even Christ uses an example of investing silver money in His parable of the talents. See Jesus Gave Investment Advice.
In the scriptures, many times the metaphor of purifying gold and silver is used for our walk with the Lord.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The LORD is My God.
Zechariah 13:9
This uses the metaphor of the refining process. I can personally relate to this. See He Shall Purify Them as Gold and Silver. God has a purpose in our lives. He often uses the picture of purging out the dross, which rises to the surface of the molten metal in the refining process. These are trials He puts us through to sanctify us. This tells us we are His people when we acknowledge Him as our God.
Circulated Money
Gold has been the money of kings, silver the money of the working masses, and copper the money of the poor. During the 20th century most Western countries removed gold and silver from their coins. This was done systematically removing gold coins from circulation, then diluting the amount of silver in the silver coins, and eventually removing all silver. Pure copper coins also have mostly vanished. But in the ‘silver’ coins copper has largely replaced the actual silver that was once used.
The current Australian coins, the 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, and 50 cent are silvery grey in colour but made from an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel. The 1 cent and 2 cent coins have been removed from circulation, and the 1 dollar and 2 dollar notes have been replaced with coins a pale gold in colour but made from an alloy of 92% copper and 8% aluminium.
The current United States coins still include the 1 cent ‘penny’ but its composition is 97.5% zinc and only 2.5% copper. The 5 cent, 10 cent, 25 cent ‘quarter’ and the 1 dollar coins are silvery in colour but made from 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. There is also a pale gold coloured 1 dollar coin made from 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese and 2% nickel.
No silver is used at all anymore. Such is the debasement of the coinage, which is theft.
What is the definition of money?
For thousands of years money has been the most exchangeable commodity used to facilitate exchange of goods between parties. A money must be:
- a unit of account,
- a store of value, and,
- a medium of exchange.
So that by definition excludes current fiat currencies. When tried by fire they just burn up into nothing but ash.
What have the governments done with the money? That have hoarded it or sold it off and pretended that their fiat currency is just as good. They have stolen the true wealth from the people that God, by design, gave to us to be used as a money. That is particularly true for gold and silver.
So, why are gold, silver and copper used as money? Because they have intrinsic value. That value is linked to their scarcity but more so to their properties which give them special uses.
The three noble metals are like no others in the Periodic Table. They are a gift from God.
Eventually the Lord will bring His heavenly city to Earth in His eternal kingdom.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 1:1-2
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper [a gemstone]: and the city was pure gold, like to clear glass. 21b … the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Revelation 1:18; 21
The heavenly city is made of pure gold, the only metal that does not rust or tarnish. It is always shiny, reflecting the light of God. But also note, in verse 21:2 the redeemed believers are His bride, implying that we are pure gold, precious and rare.
Related Reading
- Gold and Silver Herald the Collapse of the Dollar
- Silver in the Crack-Up Boom
- The Coming Crack-Up Boom
Recommended Reading
- Book: Apocalypse Now: On the Revelation of Jesus Christ
- Book: Merchants of Death: Global Oligarchs and Their War On Humanity
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