Gold was known at least as early as Neolithic times, and possibly earlier. Some sources say that gold was noticed and used even before the knowledge of the existence of copper. Gold was probably used by prehistoric man as tools. This was possible because it was not very difficult to find alluvial gold on the earth's surface. With little or no digging, it was easily available since it could be identified by its colour and bright appearance.

Highly sophisticated gold objects and jewellery was discovered by archeologists in Royal Tombs at Ur, in Southern Iraq. These date back to around 3000 BC. But the earliest uses of gold as believed by some, date back to 4000 BC, when gold was used in parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Around 3000BC, Egyptians had mastered the art of beating gold into thin gold leaf and alloying with other metals.

Peruvian Civilization had thrived for centuries and had reached a high level of sophistication. Gold had been recovered from placer deposits in Andean river from as early as 1200 BC. The civilization beginning with the "Chavin", the goldsmith's skills developed for more than 2,500 years. The progress in metallurgical techniques in civilization around the world led to the gold casting techniques, where moulds, usually made up of ceramic were used. The most ancient and distinguished of the arts developed for the use of gold has been jewellery and coins. The first coins are believed to have been minted in 670 BC by king Gyges of Lydia in Turkey. The legandary king minted 98% pure gold coins in 558 BC. Half a millennium later, Julius Caesar minted gold coins to pay the Roman legions. Briefly, it can be said that gold has played an important part in human history and continues to do so. It is more so evident with the fact that country's wealth is measured by the amount of gold reserve it has.