Hi faul,
I could provide you with a few examples of gold disappearing as well, easily enough!! Nothing can be fully secured.
The fact that people have found gold valuable is partly a consequence of the fact it is shiny and therefore desirable, and partly the result of the fact that it is rare. To have an economical value, a resource must be scarce.
This is a different concept to useful, of course. Air is useful, but we don't pay anything for it, except when we venture underwater. Underwater, air is scarce and we will pay for it. And if we don't pay for it, we will pay for it. ;-)
The reason cowry shells failed as a currency is also because they are not scarce. We revere many similar things which are wonderful but that have little economic value.
| 