However even this thin, the resistance to weathering is outstanding. That's why Weathercocks are coated with gold leaf. Since Roman times, a small quantity of gold has been mined in Wales. Sadly I have to report that the last gold mine in Wales closed at the end of January 1999, at the time of writing there is no indication that any more Welsh gold will be mined. It really is the end of an era.
Welsh gold looks exactly the same as any other gold, but it is very rare and also is expensive.
That's nobody's fault, there isn't much gold to recover from the ore, so mining costs are very high, also wages in the UK are much higher than in other gold-producing countries. It is the very high cost of extraction, coupled with payments due to the British Royal Family who legally own the gold in Wales, which finally caused this industry to disappear. Some items are sold and described as containing a proportion of Welsh gold. The makers of these items say they have enough Welsh gold to continue the range for a few years, after which their stock will be exhausted. So when buying an item made from Welsh Gold, ask for a clear statement that all the gold is Welsh.