Gold

Gold is the oldest precious metal known to humanity, initially prized for its smooth, shiny appearance, and later for its unique physical characteristics. Gold is the most malleable and ductile of all metals known. Combined with its high reflectivity to radiation and resistance to corrosion, gold has obvious applications in both the optronics and ship construction industries. Of course, the scarcity of gold -- colony holdings of gold increase by only 1.2% per standard year -- also makes it the ultimate status symbol for those who can afford it.