They just sold most of it and purchased gold in London. The remaining 27 metric tonnes they did ship would only take up 1.4 cubic meters as a solid block, so probably 2-3 cubic meters as bars. A large shipping container can hold about 68 cubic meters, though they’d likely have to spread the gold out to better distribute its weight no matter the shipping method.
People forget that gold is nearly twice as dense as lead. It’s is extraordinarily impractical to transport in large quantities. Conversely you can transport a significant value of gold almost unnoticed - an average us salary weighs under half a kilo in gold today.
It is also not reacting to anything - you can bury your gold somewhere and it will be fine after several thousand years. If you try this with bank notes, chances are that they have rotten away or that the central bank has introduced new notes. That makes gold the perfect thing for criminal enterprises.
That must’ve been one heavy shipping container.
(Well, probably more than one, but I’m keeping it because of the expression.)
They just sold most of it and purchased gold in London. The remaining 27 metric tonnes they did ship would only take up 1.4 cubic meters as a solid block, so probably 2-3 cubic meters as bars. A large shipping container can hold about 68 cubic meters, though they’d likely have to spread the gold out to better distribute its weight no matter the shipping method.
Thanks for the facts!
My pleasure! I was curious myself and thought you might appreciate what I found.
People forget that gold is nearly twice as dense as lead. It’s is extraordinarily impractical to transport in large quantities. Conversely you can transport a significant value of gold almost unnoticed - an average us salary weighs under half a kilo in gold today.
It is also not reacting to anything - you can bury your gold somewhere and it will be fine after several thousand years. If you try this with bank notes, chances are that they have rotten away or that the central bank has introduced new notes. That makes gold the perfect thing for criminal enterprises.