Pure gold also known as fine Gold is rarely used for making items, perhaps the odd commemorative coin to be kept safely in a box or cabinet but as a rule it is too soft. Coins would wear away, jewellery would bend out of shape. Prior to manufacture other metals are added when Gold is in the melting pot. The result is an alloy, part gold and part metal. We still tend to term the metal ‘gold’ even though it is no longer pure Gold.