Gold did not become valued for arbitrary reasons: it actually has very important physical qualities that make it a natural choice for the most valued metal of a society:
- It has a reasonably low melting point that allows it to be worked and shaped easily
- It is highly ductile (meaning it can be stretched and flattened very easily). Few metals can form "leaf" like gold leaf.
- Perhaps most uniquely, it is extremely resistant to corrosion and chemical reactions. Copper and Silver must be polished regularly to keep their shine: gold will stay shiny naturally.