The aluminium tip, the apex of the Pyramidion capstone was set in 1884 which completed the construction of The Washington Monument. It cost $225 at the time. Aluminum was chosen because it still hadn't seen the level of industrialization that we are used to in our modern world, and so it still remained a precious metal. Although, just two years later, that would begin to rapidly change after advancements that allowed for easier extraction. There was once a brief time between 1825 and the late 1800s, that aluminum was more valuable than gold, and considered a prized, luxurious metal, a symbol of wealth and power. These are among the reasons why despite the Egyptian influence of the monument, aluminum was chosen over gold or silver.

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