Gold is a pliable and soft metal. It is also incredibly inert, so it resists corrosion and retains its luster. These properties make it useful for making jewelry and coinage. The reason gold coins remain shiny is because they are coated with a thin layer of gold. This coating prevents any other material from attaching to the coin. So although other objects in life (such as coins) lose their own individuality, they still appear bright due to the uniqueness of each piece of gold. This article is part of our series on interesting facts about coins.