German artist puts $15m cube of gold in New York's Central Park

A 186 kilogram cube of gold has been left in the centre of New York's Central Park.

It's not a case of a very forgetful billionaire, but a piece of art.

The shiny cube is on display on the snowy ground with a heavy security presence to make sure nobody tries to make off with it.

READ MORE: Treasure hunter marks sixth year in jail for not revealing stash of gold

The cube isn't up for sale, but unlike most pieces of art, it's easy to quantify its value.

If melted down and sold on the commodities market, the cube would be worth $15.1 million.

Despite its weight, it is largely hollow - just 63 millimetres thick.

The block of gold is only on display for today.

The cube is about 45 centimetres on every side, and was made in a specially designed kiln in Switzerland.

It is the work of German artist Niclas Castello, a pop artist likened to a modern-day Andy Warhol.

Previous customers of Castello's art include Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Accompanying the brief exhibition of his cube, Castello has launched his own cryptocurrency, named the Castello Coin.

The cryptocurrency is selling for 70 cents each, for those of us who want to make a risky financial decision but can't afford a massive cube of gold.

A non-fungible token auction is scheduled for later this month.

READ MORE: Ancient coins may solve mystery of murderous 1600s pirate