The 16 Most Expensive Substances in the World

Learn what makes these 16 materials so expensive. You won't believe what people are doing to get their hands on these expensive substances.

 

#16 Saffron - $11/gram

Saffron has an aroma and flavor which cannot be duplicated, and a chemical make-up which, when understood, helps the chef or home cook to know how to best release that flavor and aroma in cooking and baking. Saffron is sold in two forms, powder and threads, and each behaves very differently in the kitchen.

 

This article contains more of the botanical and culinary background of this expensive plant.

#15 Gold - $56/gram

Pure gold is soft and is usually alloyed with other metals, such as silver, copper, platinum or palladium, to increase its strength. Gold alloys are used to make jewelry, decorative items, dental fillings and coins. Gold is a good conductor of heat and electricity, and does not tarnish when it is exposed to the air, so it can be used to make electrical connectors and printed circuit boards. 

 

Gold is also a good reflector of infrared radiation and can be used to help shield spacecraft and skyscrapers from the sun's heat. Gold coated mirrors can be used to make telescopes that are sensitive to infrared light.

 

Learn more about this glittering, precious metal from this article, including more about how it's weighed and measured.

#14 Rhodium- $58/gram

William Hyde Wollaston (who also discovered palladium, which doesn't appear on this list of most expensive substances), an English chemist, discovered rhodium in crude platinum ore.

Though the name comes from the Greek word for "red", there's nothing red about it. It is a strong, hard metal, and is often used to improve the hardness and conductivity of other metals.

 

See this article to learn more on the properties of rhodium, its molecular structure, chemical properties and industrial uses.

#13 Platinum - $60/gram

Platinum is indeed a special substance, with value in industry, ornament and environmental improvement. More than 20% of all consumer goods either contain platinum or are produced using platinum; it's in jewelry and catalytic converters, electronics and anti-cancer drugs... and eight tons of ore produce just an ounce of it.
This article gives you much more detail on the many, many uses and values of platinum -- including its use as an investment.

#12 Methamphetamine - $100/gram

You don't have to have seen Breaking Bad to know that crystal meth is bad news. This synthetic stimulant is powerful and highly addictive, with numerous negative effects on a person's health during use, during addiction and upon withdrawal.
This article provides more detail on all of these aspects of meth -- its chemical makeup, its effects, its (myriad) drawbacks.