Are there any civilizations which does/did not value gold like people do now? What makes gold so valuable and precious to people?
Honestly, my response and other responses in this thread may answer your question about gold. Ever since the earliest currencies gold was valuable. As to why it was precious? Most likely because rulers of nations thought of it as a precious resource. It was easy to mint and therefore easy to produce and distribute.
fyi, you'll find some more info in the FAQ