Gold Bullion Securities, the first GETF introduced (in 2003, on the Australian Stock Exchange), stood for 1/10 of an ounce of gold. GETFs are a good means of gaining exposure to the price of gold, minus the inconvenience of storage. Trading in GETFs involves payment of commission and storage fee (charged on an annual basis). It was based on the Spanish gold coin called the doubloon. The United States adopted the gold specie standard "de jure" (by law) in 1873, using the American Gold Eagle as unit. Gold Exchange Standard: In this gold standard, only the circulation of coins minted from lesser valuable metals (such as silver) may be involved. Palladium is traded on the London Stock Exchange as an exchange-traded fund (ETF), under the ticker symbol LSE: PHPD. Platinum as an investment commodity: As of January 2010, platinum is valued at around us$1,555 per troy ounce (a couple years earlier, its price is about 48% higher than this - considered its peak price). In other instances, gold nuggets are found in piles of residue in sites where mining operations once took place. Two gold nuggets are noted for being the largest masses of gold ever discovered. These are the "Welcome Stranger" and the "Hand of Faith". Their respective "largest" titles, however, carry further qualifications. In fact, it is used as a component in some alcoholic drinks and as a food additive. However, ionic chemical compounds of gold (example, gold chloride) can be extremely harmful to the kidneys and liver. Platinum: Findings by the U.S. federal agency CDC reveal that exposure to platinum salts, on the short term, may cause nose, throat, and eye irritation. Palladium - William Hyde Wollaston, an English chemist and physicist, discovered palladium in 1803 in samples of platinum ore obtained from South America. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was discovered on March 28 the year before. 3. Osmium - Smithson Tennant, an English chemist, discovered osmium in 1803 from the residues of platinum ores that were dissolved in nitro-hydrochloric acid.