Putting Apple's market cap in perspective

You don't have to be a stock market wonk to know that Apple is a staggeringly rich company. Heck, you barely need to have a pulse.

Even the departure of the iconic Steve Jobs from the CEO role hasn't dampened consumer optimism, with shares gaining 8 percent since his Aug. resignation. The company's market cap now stands at more than $378 billion – and a new tumbler site is helping people comprehend exactly how much that really is.

We mentioned a month ago that the company was worth as much as Europe's 32 largest banks – combined.  (It's now worth more, by the way.) But that's still a business centric view. Here are a few more real-world valuations, courtesy of Things Apple is Worth More Than, that underscore the company's bottom line. Apple is worth more than:

* The Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter and Twilight franchises combined – as well as everything Steven King has been associated with. (approximately $49 billion)

* Every single home in Atlanta, Ga. ($274.8 billion)

* All of the gold at the New York Federal Reserve ($350 billion)

* All of the illegal drugs in the world ($321 billion)