A metallic element that is very heavy, the most malleable and ductile of allmetals, and unalterable by heat, moisture, and most corrosive agents. Pure goldis too soft for most practicable uses, but as an alloy with silver, copper orother metals it serves ordinary purposes as jewelry or coins.Gold is not susceptible to compression, so that when beaten it increases its surface areawhile losing thickness. It is basically yellow, but when alloyed it appearswhitish, greenish, reddish or other hues. The proportion of gold in an alloy isexpressed in fineness and carats. Gold has a high melting point (1063°C.,19450°F.). It is the most precious metal used as a medium of monetaryexchange but platinum is more valuable as a metal. Gold is used in gilding.Earliest gold objects were made of sheets ofgold decorated in relief by being punched and hammered (see embossing;repouseé) or by stamping, or in the case of objects in the round by thelost wax (cire perdue) process or being beaten into two hemispherical mouldsand then soldered together. It was also used decoratively as strips, rods, andwire.