Expensive origins

Living as kings: 10 everyday things that were once worth more than gold

Image: Annie Spratt

Many of the things we take for granted today were once the stuff of dreams for kings, aristocrats, and the wealthy few. From basic household staples to everyday technology, these now-common goods were once markers of status and privilege. Here’s a look at 10 items that were once nearly unattainable luxuries.

Image: Daniel Kraus

Once called "white gold," sugar was a luxury in Europe during the Middle Ages, imported at high cost from the East. Only the wealthy could afford it, and it was often displayed as a status symbol.

By the 18th century, however, colonial plantations had increased supply, driving down global prices. Today, it’s one of the cheapest commodities in the world.

Image: Anas Alhajj

Highly coveted, black pepper was once used as currency in medieval Europe. Imported from India, it was so valuable that entire expeditions were launched just to secure trade routes.

Only the wealthiest households could afford to season their food with pepper regularly. Now, thanks to mass cultivation, it’s the most common spice in kitchens worldwide.

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen

Who would have thought transparent windows were once a luxury? In the Middle Ages, glass windows were reserved for cathedrals and palaces, while most homes relied on wooden shutters or oiled cloth.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that mass production made window glass affordable for ordinary households.

Image: Mike Kenneally

Coffee didn’t reach Europe until the 17th century, where it was considered an exotic and costly import. Coffeehouses soon became elite meeting places for merchants and intellectuals.

By the 19th century, improved trade routes and colonial plantations made coffee affordable for the masses.

Image: Scott Rodgerson

A humble ice cube wasn’t always a common sight. Before refrigeration, ice was harvested from frozen lakes and shipped long distances, making it expensive and seasonal.

Some insulation techniques allowed it to be preserved year-round, but it remained a privilege mostly reserved for the wealthy. Ice production plants in the late 19th century democratized cold storage, and by the mid‑20th century, home freezers had made ice an everyday convenience.

Image: Emmy Smith

Though abundant now, salt was once vital—not just for flavor, but for preserving food and countless other uses—and notoriously difficult to produce in inland regions. Heavily taxed and fiercely coveted, it even sparked wars.

The Roman practice of paying soldiers partly in salt is often said to have given us the word "salary," literally meaning payment in salt. Only with modern mining and global shipping did salt lose its status as a precious commodity.

Image: Vrînceanu Iulia

Before the printing press, books were handwritten manuscripts that could take months or even years to produce. Only monasteries, royalty, and the very wealthy could afford to own them.

Fortunately, Gutenberg’s press in the 15th century revolutionized access by lowering prices and helping to spread literacy to the broader public.

Image: Noah Clark

The earliest mirrors were made from polished obsidian or metal, making them very difficult to produce. Even after more refined techniques using glass backed with a thin layer of silver were developed, mirrors remained luxury goods.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that industrial glassmaking and silvering techniques made mirrors affordable for middle-class homes.

Image: Nadia Clabassi

In medieval Europe, soap was costly—largely because it was made using olive oil, itself an expensive commodity. Those who couldn’t afford soap relied on water or abrasive cleaning materials.

Heavy taxation kept soap prices high until the 19th century, when a combination of lifted taxes and industrial manufacturing made soap affordable for the masses.

Image: Museums Victoria

Soon after its invention, photography remained an expensive and formal process that required a professional studio. Only the wealthy could afford photographic portraits.

It wasn’t until the 20th century, with mass-market cameras like Kodak’s Brownie and simpler film development techniques, that photography became accessible to everyone.

CITIES AND THEIR STORIES

Did You Know The Tales Behind These 10 City Names?

Image: Spenser Sembrat

Does the word Honolulu just refer to its placement? What does Walla Walla, Washington really mean? And why did Mark Twain mention Yreka, California in his autobiography? Sometimes, names reveal much about the history of the lands as native communities and original settlers knew them. Arguments, infestations, practical arrangements, mythology, and landscapes, all inspired the current denominations of these ten cities that are thriving today. Read on to learn a dozen words in native languages and their meanings!

Image: patrickgregerson

Punxsutawney’s name might bring a certain charming groundhog to mind, but its origins are rooted in a less celebrated creature: sandflies. Derived from the Lenape word Punkwsutènay, which means "town of the sandflies" or "town of the mosquitoes," the name reflects the area’s early insect problem.

Originally a Native American campsite, Punxsutawney was strategically located between the Allegheny and Susquehanna Rivers. When German settlers arrived in 1772, they found that the Lenni-Lenape natives were already calling the swampy area Ponkis Utenink, meaning land of the ponkies (sandflies). Eventually, the swamps in the area were drained and the insects were exterminated. Today, the town is best known for its Groundhog Day celebrations featuring Punxsutawney Phil, whose weather predictions have become a beloved annual tradition.

Image: JC Cervantes

Tucson's name traces back to the O'odham language, with Cuk Ṣon translating to "black base" or "at the foot of the black mountain." This phrase refers to Sentinel Peak, also known as ‘A’ Mountain, which looms west of the city. The darker base of this volcanic peak compared to its summit gave rise to the descriptive name.

The derivation from Cuk Ṣon to Tucson wasn’t direct, however. Over time, it evolved to "Tuquison" when encountered by Spanish explorers. Later, early settlers called it "Toixon." Even today, there’s some dispute. Locals would like to remind everyone that the correct pronunciation is similar to "Two-sawn," not "Tack-sun."

Image: Chi Liu

Pennsylvania’s largest city is famously called the "City of Brotherly Love." This name derives from the Greek words philos (love) and adelphos (brother). It was William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, who chose this name. Why? Possibly because he had made an effort to establish a peaceful friendship with Tammany, the chief of the native Lenape, and bought the land from his people. In fact, Penn and Tammany made their friendship oath under an elm tree at Shackamaxon –which is now part of the city's Fishtown neighborhood.

Image: Michael Olsen

A name with a beauty that goes with the views. In Hawaiian, Honolulu means "sheltered harbor" or "calm port." It comes from the combination of hono (bay) and lulu (sheltered), chosen to reflect the city's natural setting. Historically, the protected bay of Honolulu’s port, with its calm waters, was vital for fishing and trade, which allowed the village to grow into what is today Hawaii's vibrant capital.

It is said that its sheltering quality refers not just to the topography of the place, but to its hospitality as well. By the mid-19th century, as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Honolulu was a significant hub for commerce and culture, and its name also symbolized a welcoming crossroads and sanctuary in the Pacific.

Image: Matthew Hamilton

Phoenix indeed refers to the mythological creature that is reborn from the ashes. The settlement that transformed into today’s metropolis was established on the land of a bygone Hohokam civilization. Early settlers originally called it Swilling's Mill, which then evolved into Mill City.

Later, new names were suggested, such as Stonewall (after Stonewall Jackson) and Salina. It was Phillip Darrell Duppa, a pioneer settler of the state of Arizona, who proposed Phoenix to signify how the new city had emerged from the ruins of the ancient Hohokam. The city was officially recognized in 1868.

Image: Gower Brown

The capital of Louisiana, located by the Mississippi River, famously stands for "red stick" in French. The name was officially given by French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, who was making his way upriver in 1699 when he came across a particular sight by the riverbank. It was a bloodied, red cypress pole adorned with fish and bear heads as sacrifices, marking the boundary between the hunting grounds of two Native American tribes that resided there. The vivid image of the red pole reflected in the clear water was memorable enough to earn the area its current name.

Image: Thom Milkovic

Mark Twain, in his autobiography, jokes about the origin of this name. He writes that it derives from a misreading of an incomplete sign that an early local bakeshop was painting. The word "Bakery" was stretched out to dry, but with the "B" hidden, a passerby read the reversed letters as "Yreka" and assumed it to be the town’s name. The settlers were satisfied and embraced this word.

The real story is more straightforward. Nestled in the shadow of Mount Shasta, the small city of Yreka boasts a name derived from the Shasta word Wai-rika, meaning "north mountain" or "white mountain." The name was intended to honor the majestic peak nearby, and the current spelling descends from Wai-rika’s pronunciation.

Image: Caleb Kim

This name has a very literal meaning and was chosen for a practical reason: it was a safe harbor. Established in 1914 as a tent city to support the construction of the Alaska Railroad, Anchorage quickly evolved into a crucial port. Its location offered ships and boats a reliable place to anchor and unload, making it a vital hub for transportation and trade in the region.

The name "Anchorage" reflects its essence as a safe refuge in the challenging Alaskan landscape. Originally known as "Knik Anchorage," the word also referenced its role as a waypoint for travelers heading across the water to Knik. Today, Anchorage stands as the largest city in Alaska.

Image: Olga Hall

Walla Walla is often said to be a "town so nice they named it twice." The alliteration in its name apparently amused the writers of the Looney Tunes, who decided to adopt "Walla Walla, Washington" as a recurring reference sprinkled in fast speeches by characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.

But what does Walla Walla mean? In the Native American Sahaptin language, the words stand for "running waters" or a confluence of streams, reflecting the valley's numerous rivers flowing into the Walla Walla River and eventually joining the Columbia River. Notably, the Lewis and Clark expedition camped near the "Wallahwollah River" in 1806, where they met the "honest and friendly" Walla Wallas.

Image: Blair Roberts Castagnetta

The sound of "Eek" might make some chuckle. In 2020, the census revealed that his small city in Alaska has 404 residents, most of whom are Alaska Natives. A nod to the town’s indigenous heritage is reflected in its name. It descends from the Central Alaskan Yup'ik word Iik, which translates to "two eyes." The name was first assigned to the Eek River, which would flood with the fall tide, and its water would reach the "eyes" of the riverbank. However, the Yup’ik name for Eek is Ekvicuaq, meaning "a small cliff", which refers to the hill upriver by which the community resides.