1. Francium – $1 billion
2. Californium – $27 million
3. Tritium – $30,000
4. Plutonium – $4,000
5. Neptunium – $660
6. Osmium – $400
7. Rhodium – $260
8. Iridium – $150
9. Technetium – $60
10. Gold – $56

Learn

This top list shows the top 10 most expensive precious metals (highest known price per gram). Some precious metals are so rare and valuable that their price per gram reaches extraordinary amounts. At the very top of the list is francium, a highly radioactive element, priced at $1 billion per gram. Its extreme rarity and instability make it the most expensive metal known.

Next is californium, valued at $27 million per gram. This radioactive element is used in specialized applications such as nuclear reactors, contributing to its high cost. Tritium follows at $30,000 per gram, commonly used in nuclear fusion and for luminous devices.

Another valuable metal is plutonium, priced at $4,000 per gram due to its use in nuclear energy and weapons. Neptunium, a rare radioactive metal, comes in at $660 per gram.

Among more accessible metals, osmium is valued at $400 per gram, while rhodium is priced at $260 per gram, making it one of the most expensive metals used in jewelry and automotive applications. Iridium follows at $150 per gram, a dense and corrosion-resistant metal used in high-performance equipment.

Technetium is valued at $60 per gram, and gold is priced at $56 per gram, reflecting its long-standing role as a store of value and a symbol of wealth.

These metals showcase the immense value attached to rare and specialized elements in both scientific and industrial contexts.