Unlike paper currency, coins or other assets, gold has maintained its value throughout the ages. People see gold as a way to pass on and preserve their wealth from one generation to the next. Since ancient times, people have valued the unique properties of the precious metal.
Gold has been an excellent hedge against inflation, because its price tends to rise when the cost of living increases. In the last 50 years gold prices soar while the stock market plunge during high-inflation years.
Gold retains its value in times of financial and geopolitical uncertainty. Often referred to as the "crisis commodity," because of its relative stability when world tensions rise; during such times, it often outperforms other investments.