Why Gold, Silver, and Bronze? The 5,000-Year-Old Metal Hierarchy Explained

Why is gold always first, silver second, and bronze third? It's not just scarcity. This episode traces the metal hierarchy back 5,000 years—from the first gold artifacts worked before the Bronze Age to the divine sun-metal link in Egypt, Inca, and Hindu cultures. We explore why platinum was once considered worthless, how the Potosí silver mine flooded the world without disrupting the ranking, and why the Olympic medal system is surprisingly modern (1904 St. Louis). Chemistry, psychology, religion, and path dependence all locked this order in place.