Gold as an investment
Many people choose to invest in gold either by directly owning gold or buying shares in gold because as a resilient material, it tends to hold its value. Obviously, the days of the gold standards in UK are gone but the concept is still there. Obviously, currency and holding currency is not necessarily a secure investment. We only need to look at the way the pound and the dollar have moved in relation to each other to see this. Previously, the pound was worth $2 and now as of writing, it is closer to $1.60, so 20% of value lost.
Obviously, currencies are at the mercy of the performance of local markets and of the government, and also of the general image of the country as a whole. Therefore, it is not necessarily a stable way to hold your money. Gold on the other hand is cross currency and it has for hundreds, if not thousands of years, been used as a medium foe change which maintains and enhances wealth.