Densest metal
No element is denser than osmium — the cube turns that fact into something you can literally feel.
The famous cube
The osmium cube — heavier than it looks
The osmium cube is the most striking way to feel the densest metal on Earth: at 22.59 g/cm³, a small cube weighs surprisingly much. Here’s the weight, the sizes and where to buy a certified osmium cube.
Density
How much does an osmium cube weigh?
Same size, very different weight — that’s the whole point of the osmium cube. Weight of a 1 cm³ cube by metal:
| Metal | Density | Weight of a 1 cm³ cube |
|---|---|---|
| Osmium | 22.59 g/cm³ | ≈ 22.6 g |
| Gold | 19.30 g/cm³ | ≈ 19.3 g |
| Lead | 11.34 g/cm³ | ≈ 11.3 g |
| Iron | 7.87 g/cm³ | ≈ 7.9 g |
Scaled up, a 10 cm osmium cube (one litre) would weigh about 22.6 kg — heavier than the same cube in gold, lead or iron. How osmium compares with 16 other metals is shown in the ranking of the densest metals.
Why the cube
What makes the osmium cube special
Crystalline & rare
Each cube is cut from crystalline osmium with a unique blue-silver shimmer — the rarest stable element.
OIC-certified
Every genuine cube carries an Osmium Identification Code — scannable and forgery-proof.
Collector’s favourite
The cube is a favourite display piece — high value in the smallest of spaces.
Want to hold the densest metal on Earth?
Buy a certified osmium cube → AdCube, bar or disc?
Besides the cube, osmium also comes as a bar (standardised and easy to store), a round disc and the smallest denominations — stars and diamonds. The cube stands out purely for the density effect; for value-per-piece a bar or disc is the classic.
Whatever the form: buy only crystalline osmium with an OIC certificate. How to do it safely is in the osmium buying guide; for the rate see the osmium price.
How to buy osmium safely →
Value
The osmium cube as a tangible asset
An osmium cube is not just a display piece but a tangible asset: its value follows – like every osmium form – the weight and the current osmium price per gram. Because osmium is the rarest stable element on Earth and can only be prepared in small crystalline quantities, the cube packs high value into the smallest of spaces.
What matters is the crystalline, OIC-certified form: only it is forgery-proof via the Osmium Identification Code and verifiable in the Osmium World Database. Anyone viewing the cube as an investment therefore looks first for a valid certificate – form and size are then a matter of taste.
FAQ
Osmium cube — frequently asked
How much does an osmium cube weigh?
At 22.59 g/cm³, a 1 cm³ cube weighs about 22.6 g; a 10 cm cube (one litre) about 22.6 kg.
Why is osmium so heavy?
Osmium is the densest metal on Earth — denser than gold, lead or iron — so a small cube feels surprisingly heavy.
Where can I buy an osmium cube?
Buy only crystalline cubes with a valid OIC certificate from a verified dealer. See the buying guide.
Is an osmium cube a good investment?
As a crystalline tangible asset, the cube combines extreme rarity with OIC forgery protection; its value follows the osmium price per gram. More on the osmium as an investment page.
Is an osmium cube toxic or dangerous?
No. Crystalline, solid osmium is stable and safe to handle. Only osmium tetroxide, which can form from fine osmium powder, is toxic – not the crystalline cube.
How do I recognise a genuine osmium cube?
By its Osmium Identification Code (OIC): it lets you verify authenticity and origin in the Osmium World Database. The unique crystal surface acts as a physical fingerprint.
Read on
Related topics
Osmium Bar
What a crystalline flat bar is, how its value follows from weight and gram price and what to look for when buying.
About the osmium bar →The Heaviest Metal in the World
The ranking of the densest metals, the narrow lead over iridium and why “heavy” and “dense” are not the same thing.
See the ranking →
Buy Osmium
Step by step to a safe purchase: OIC certificate, denominations and storage.
Open the buying guide →Feel the densest metal on Earth
A certified osmium cube — forgery-proof, crystalline, surprisingly heavy.
Buy an osmium cube → Ad