Why Gold?

The first thing I learned about gold is that it does not rust, oxidize, decay, or otherwise corrode. It has it's own set of unique properties. There are two properties that interest me. 1) Malleabillity-defined as the ability to be smashed without being broken. There are companies who make gold leaf. It is made by taking gold and putting it through rollers to make gold plates. Put the plates together separated by parchment, roll them again. Keep repeating the process untill you have a layer of gold so thin, it's amost wothless. The process makes it valuable. Gold leaf is used to make ordinary things look like GOLD. 2) tensile strength- the ability to strech without breaking. If you were to take a small bar of gold and put a clamp on both ends and pull, if would strech..... and strech..... Gold wire anybody?
Why do these interest me? It's personal.