Gold

Gold is a relatively soft, precious metal. It is conductive. It is yellowish in color. It's also often shiney. It is often mixed into alloys and used to make jewelry. It is so malleable that it can be made into a sheet many times thinner than a human hair, so thin it is then transparent. It is used on visors in spacesuits. It does not corrode.

Au

Gold is as an investment, and speculators drive the price up and down. Currently it has enjoyed a strong run but is beginning to slip.