19 Most Expensive Goods in the World

Think about what goods are the most expensive in the modern world? Gold? Diamonds? Heroin? Congratulations, you are right! But these are only three of the most expensive things on the planet. In our issue, you will find many more. These items and substances are used in medicine, food industry, restoration and design. And some of them have not only a decent price tag, but also an equally decent history. So, let's take a look.

1. White truffles: $5 per gram or $2,000 per half kilo.

White truffles are a seasonal delicacy mushroom that can be used in almost any dish (of course!). They are also added to oil. The high cost of these mushrooms is due to the specific conditions for their growth, the method of their collection, storage and, of course, the refined taste and aroma.

2. Saffron: $11.13 per gram or $5,040 per half kilo.

Saffron is a spice and orange food coloring obtained from the dried stigmas of saffron flowers. People have used saffron for centuries as a seasoning and also as a folk medicine. To obtain 1 gram of this spice, at least 150 flowers must be processed.

3. Iranian Beluga Caviar: $35 per gram or $1,000 for 28 g.

And that's $16,000 for 450 g!!! The most expensive caviar in the world is not black. And not even the rare gray. The most expensive is almas, the caviar of a hundred-year-old albino beluga that lives in the Caspian Sea. This delicacy is usually eaten in small portions, spread on crackers or bread.

4. Gold: $38.81 per gram.

Gold has been used in jewelry for centuries. This soft, non-reactive metal is also used for electrical conductivity and to combat corrosion. It is also present in food and cosmetics.

5. Rhodium: $45 per gram or $1,270 for 28 g.

Rhodium (here in cube form) is often used in three-way catalytic converters, which reduce carbon emissions in cars.

6. Platinum: $48 per gram, $1,365 for 28 g.

In addition to music records, platinum is also used in jewelry, as a catalyst in various experiments and scientific processes, and as an ingredient in some anti-cancer drugs.

7. Rhinoceros horn: $55 per gram or $25,000 per 450 g.

Yes, humans are cruel and horrible, and that's one of the reasons why rhinos are on the endangered species list. It's all because of rumors that rhino horn can cure cancer. Guys, maybe we shouldn't kill these beautiful animals because of unconfirmed rumors?

8. Creme de la Mer: $70 per gram or $2,000 for 30 g.

Advocates insist the price tag is worth it because the cream supposedly reverses the aging process with fermented algae. The cream was originally developed by NASA physicists to treat burns. Face your fate, people: We're all going to get old.

9. Heroin: "High quality" can cost up to $110 per gram.

Of course, calling heroin “high-quality” is an oxymoron given the number of lives it has taken, but sadly, the drug remains popular. Heroin can be smoked, snorted, or injected, producing a euphoric high. It can also cause seizures, coma, and death.

10. Methamphetamine: $120 per gram.

Another "euphoric" drug - even stronger and more popular. "Cooks" usually make it from ordinary ingredients in ordinary "labs". No wonder even Walter White got hooked on it.

11. Crack cocaine: up to $600 per gram.

Crack is a very strong and dangerous drug made from cocaine that sells for serious money.

12. LSD: in crystalline form - up to $3,000 per gram.

Also known as "acid," Timothy Leary and the 1960s hippie movement popularized the hallucinatory drug.

13. Plutonium: about $4,000 per gram.

There are several types of radioactive plutonium with half-lives ranging from 88 years to 80 million years. Plutonium is used in nuclear power and the space industry. And also in the production of nuclear weapons.

14. Taaffeite: from $2,500 to $20,000 per carat (1 carat = 0.2 grams).

The color of this stone varies from a delicate pale pink to a rich purple. Taaffeite is a million times rarer than diamonds and is mined primarily in the floodplains of Sri Lanka. It is soft for a gemstone, but is used exclusively in jewelry.

15. Tritium: $30,000 per gram.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen used in illuminated signs found in almost any public place. In the United States, for example, there are about 2 million "Exit" signs.

16. Diamond: $13,000 per carat, $65,000 per gram.

Diamonds are the first and most popular choice for a stone for an engagement ring. Also, uncut diamonds are famous for their incredible hardness, which is why they are used in cutting and grinding tools.

17. Painite: $300,000 - $600,000 per carat.

Experts believe that painite is the rarest mineral on the planet. It has a pink or brown hue, but gives off reflections when viewed from different angles. It is named after Arthur S. D. Paine, who found it in northern Myanmar in the 1950s.

18. Californium-252: $27 million per gram.

This isotope of californium is used to label other substances. Using a process called neutron activation, it can find gold or silver ore. In neutron moisture meters, it can detect oil and water levels in a well.

19. Antimatter: $100 trillion per gram.

Okay, so this is kind of hypothetical, because we still have to "tune" antimatter to our own needs. Its main advantage is that it can serve as fuel for long-term space travel.