If you’ve ever taken a peek at the price of gold leaf, you’ve likely wondered, “Why is gold leaf so cheap?” The answer? It depends! There are a variety of factors that play into the price you see reflected for gold foil and other metal leaf types, and today, we will attempt to clarify these details for you.
So, if you’re ready, let’s dive into the glimmering details.
Table of Contents
- Why Are Gold Leaf Cheap?
- Is Gold Leaf 100% Gold?
- Is Gold Leaf Not Expensive?
- Why Is Gold Leaf Cheap? Well …It Isn’t!
- FAQs
Why Are Gold Leaf Cheap?
First and foremost, if we’re talking about pure gold leaf, you should note that the gold isn’t actually cheap.
While it may seem that the price is more inexpensive than you thought, the truth is that it is only because you are getting such a small amount of gold that you may end up paying much less than you expected for, say, gold jewelry, a gold bar, or gold coins.
Because real gold is pounded into thin sheets even thinner than a human hair, you must understand that the gold you’re getting is still the high quality expensive stuff you’d expect on jewelry, but in minute form.
Thus, this thin foil is marked at a seemingly reasonable price. But really, it’s just that you’re getting a tiny amount of gold that the price is so low.
Is Gold Leaf 100% Gold?
Not always.
Here’s where the other factor comes into play, and that’s whether or not you are actually buying real gold leaf in the first place.
As you may already know, there are real gold sheets, gold flakes, and even edible gold, but there are also imitation gold leaf versions of these. Imitation leaf varies in terms of gold content, with some potentially containing no gold at all. Imitation gold foil can include other metals such as copper and silver, but these thin sheets can also be used over food in small pieces if the company markets the sheets as edible.
Note: Please know that not all gold or imitation gold will be edible and must be marked as such if you intend to eat it.
Is Gold Leaf Not Expensive?
Gold leaf can be expensive, especially if it is pure gold and you buy a lot of it. Its purity typically determines its overall value along with its weight.
Depending on how you plan to utilize the gold (for edibility or decoration) may determine which type of gold sheet you want to use, so you’ll want to decide those details before you ever get the process started.
Why Is Gold Leaf Cheap? Well …It Isn’t!
All in all, real gold leaf isn’t actually cheap. If you buy a lot of pure gold leaf, especially in 24kt gold varieties, you’ll understand that the cost is a bit more than you think.
Still, because most people only buy gold leaf in the form of a thin sheet booklet or broken up into a flake form, it can be easy to think that gold leaf is inexpensive compared to something like solid gold jewelry or an expensive solid gold dish.
Remember also that there are some gold leaf types that are simply gold alloy and thus are made of a variety of metals that are thrown into the mix during the manufacturing process. If you plan to eat the gold leaf, just ensure that the gold leaf is marked as edible before doing so to lessen your chances of ingesting harmful compounds.
We hope this helps.
FAQs
Gold leaf is definitely worth the money as long as it is pure gold. This is especially true when you want to impart a level of grandeur, sophistication, or superior relevance to a project. Gold is the perfect touch when you want a hint of shine and a dose of regality all at the same time.
