What you need to know about gold bars: shapes, weights and prices

Steel Grades Structural low-alloy 40Kh, 20G, 30KhGSA, 30KhMA, 38KhM, 40KhMFA, 40KhGMA, 38KhGN, 12Kh1MF, 15Kh1M1F, 24KhM1F, 25Kh1MF, 25Kh2M1F, 40KhN, 40KhN2MA, 38Kh2N2MA , 38ХН3МА, 38ХН3МВА, 34ХН1М, 34ХН3МА, 38ХС, 12ХН3А, 12Х2Н4А, 15Х2НМФ -Sh, ShKh15, AB2-PK, 14Kh2GMR, etc. Tool-alloyed 9Х1, 5ХНВС, 6ХВ2С, 4Х5МФ1С-Ш, 5ХНМ, У8ACorrosion-resistant 12Х18Н10Т, 12Х18Н9, 20Х13, 40Х13, 14Х17Н2 Ingot weight, tonsIngot dimensions

(on solid, taking into account shrinkage of linear dimensions of 2.2%), mm.

Number of facesDdd1d2d3h1h2h34.974467261055036640014052508

Notes:

1. Deviations in the geometric dimensions of the ingot are allowed up to 5%
2. The height deviation of the profitable part of the bar is allowed up to 15%
3. Ingot dimensions are based on solids, taking into account linear shrinkage of 2.2%

How much does metal weigh?

Specific gravity of metals in kilograms and tons.

Specific gravity of alloys in kilograms and tons.

Source

Peculiarities

Standard yellow metal bars are banking metal bars that meet all standards and quality requirements. “Correct” products are distinguished by a truncated (cut) structure, like a pyramid. The weight of the ingots usually ranges from 11,000 to 13,300 g. In different projections, the ingots have different sizes:

• the length of the large base is 254 mm;
• The width of the large base is only 88 mm;
• length of the small base – 259 mm;
• The width of the small base is 59 mm.

Ingots are not only standard. There are measured varieties of them that have different dimensional indicators and total mass.

Defects on the surface and inside of forged steel ingots

Steel forging ingots have a complex and heterogeneous shape and structure. The lighter the ingot, the less likely it is to contain defects. This is explained as follows: when steel is poured into molds, gradual and uneven solidification of parts of the future ingot occurs.

A high cooling rate promotes the formation of a thin, fine-grained layer on the surface of the ingot. With slow cooling, heat remains on the walls of the mold, which promotes the formation of perpendicularly elongated grains - dendrites. The edges and boundaries of dendrites are with accumulations of non-metallic inclusions and harmful impurities.

The upper part of the ingots has zones of shrinkage looseness and cavities. They appear when steel shrinks when it crystallizes. This part and the bottom part are removed (cut off) and then melted down. Thus, forged blanks are made only from the middle part of the ingot, which makes up 60-70% of the total mass.

The main defects of forging ingots:

1. segregation - a heterogeneous chemical composition - a consequence of the fact that the alloy components solidify at different times,
2. captivity - metal peels off,
3. flaws - opening of perpendicular cuts,
4. inclusions of non-metals - the presence of other contaminants and hairs, slag residues, refractories, insulating mixtures,
5. gas bubbles - in the form of round holes on the surface of the ingots. The reason for their formation is a decrease in the temperature of the liquid metal and a decrease in the solubility of gases. The high cooling rate of the metal prevents gases from escaping, hydrogen accumulates under high pressure, and flakes (internal tears) form.

Applications of Steel Forging Ingots

Forged blanks are made from them in forges. To make deformation of the ingots possible, they are placed in heating furnaces in which the temperature rises to 850 degrees. Their chemical composition, shape and weight determine the holding and heating time.

In metallurgy, it is possible to obtain from ingots:

1. rolled bars,
2. shaped rolled products,
3. forgings,
4. stampings,
5. sheet steel,
6. other products.

Story

As cities grew and developed, their economic systems became increasingly more complex. A full-fledged division of labor was formed. Each person was employed in a specific industry. Some were engaged in growing grain crops, while others made excellent builders, and so on. A special barter system also actively developed, under the terms of which people had the opportunity to exchange services and goods. When making such transactions, people often resorted to using silver and gold. The latter had to be weighed and carefully checked each time the metals changed hands.

Around 600 BC e. Indians have developed a curious way to get rid of this common problem. They began to smelt electrum, an alloy containing gold and silver. From such an expensive combination of materials, ingots were made with a specific mass and degree of purity. The required state mark was necessarily placed on the manufactured elements. Soon this interesting idea was picked up. So, after about 50 years, most shopping centers around the world began to use the same system.

Primary requirements

Modern products made of yellow metal not only have to be weighty and look high-quality and shiny. They must meet a number of important requirements. Let's take a look at their list.

1. The weight of a standard type product can be from 11,000 to 13,300 g. If the customer has agreed, the weight of the finished product can be realized within a different range.
2. Ingots smelted from gold must have the established shape of a truncated pyramid , where each side has its own specific dimensions. The refinery has the right to make ingots that have a different structure and different dimensional parameters, but this requires the consent of the customer.
3. The current requirements determine the grade of gold. In addition, the relevant standards establish impurities and their specific content in the precious metal alloy.
4. Certain requirements are also set for the surface of ingots smelted from gold. It must be perfectly smooth, without smudges, sagging, protruding particles, grease stains or plaque. In no case should the surface of high-quality specimens have slag or other unnecessary inclusions.
5. The walls of gold bars may have minor stripped zones, the depth of which is no more than 1 mm. The products may show slight concavities that remain due to metal shrinkage. The depth of these elements should not be more than 5 mm.

An ingot of the type in question, made from gold and meeting all standards, must have the following marking components:

• immediate part number;
• the brand to which the metal from which the ingot is made is directly related;
• mass fraction of metal of precious origin (implies gold purity);
• total weight of the “brick”;
• symbol of the state that produces the bullion;
• refinery trademarks;
• the year the product was released.

A high-quality gold bar must meet the listed standards and have all the necessary marks on it. Each point is important.

Can the 999 sample be considered pure?

Before finding out the cost of a 999 gold bar, it makes sense to determine the purity of such a product. First, you need to note that you won’t be able to find the purest gold just like that. Industrially, it is possible to obtain only such a metal that contains various kinds of special impurities. Simply put, these are combinations of other metals mixed with gold in a certain percentage.

Ingots marked with 999 purity are otherwise called “4 nines”. This name is due to the fact that in such products the base metal accounts for 99.99% of the total mass. The resulting material can be considered a reference material, since it turns out to be the purest of all possible products that are available to modern investors. Due to such features, these products are widely used by relevant government agencies, for example, central banks of different countries, for the formation of funds.

The largest and different from the standards

Until 2005, the world record was claimed by an ingot smelted in Taiwan, weighing 220 kg.

Photo: 220 kg block

But its size inspired the Japanese holding Mitsubishi Materials. Not wanting to be left behind, his specialists cast another one, surpassing the record holder by 30 kg. Made in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, with dimensions of 455x225x170 cm. Today it is the largest. The Guinness Book of Records certificate only confirms its uniqueness.

Photo: world's largest Japanese ingot

No less interesting are the hand-made non-standard gold bricks. For example, Chip Gold bars are designed like a bank card and weigh 1–20 g.

Interesting fact! In the Emirates, at the Emirates Palace hotel you can purchase 10-gram bars through a goldsmith. The German-made machine is capable of tracking current prices and dispenses the precious product after paying the appropriate amount at the time of purchase.

Photo: Zolomat

Sometimes pieces of native metals of remarkable weight are found in nature. And although experts have not yet come to a consensus on what kind of find can be called a nugget, the largest in the world is unanimously recognized as the one found 145 years ago in Australia in 1872. Although in fact it was a slab weighing 235.5 kg, named after named after the discoverer, "Holtermann Plate". It contained more than 93 kg of gold.

The real nugget was “The Welcome Stranger” (1869), also from the fifth continent, weighing 70.9 kg.

In the same Australia, a sunstone called “Brilliant Barkley” was found in 1857. Its weight exceeded 54 kg.

Later, in 1901, the find was announced in Japan. The nugget weighing 71 kg was the only one discovered in this country.

It's sad that the most famous of them didn't survive. They were sold, weighed, measured and melted into bars or coins. The only one that “survived” was the “Big Triangle” - a 36-kilogram piece of gold, which was found in the Southern Urals in the Miass region in 1842, today it is stored in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation.

Photo: “Big Triangle”

The material from which the ingots with a printed hallmark of 999.9 are made can be considered a reference material. It is the purest of all products available to modern investors. And it will continue to be used by relevant government agencies, such as the central banks of various states, to replenish storage facilities and form funds.

Author: Demidova Marina. April 4, 2021.

Overview of species

Ingots made from high-quality precious metal alloy are divided into two main types. Each of them has its own distinctive characteristics and external qualities. Let's take a closer look at them.

Measured

Products whose weight is up to 1 kg are called measured. In this case, high-quality 999 alloy is used. This designation indicates that such a metal contains almost 100% pure gold (99.99% to be precise). Measured ingots are marked exclusively by manufacturers. Ingots of this variety belong to the small-weight class. They are sent not only to specialized banking organizations, but also to retail outlets where jewelry is sold.

To better understand the specifics of testing these types of ingots, it should be noted that the indication of a specific sample indicates the quantitative content of pure gold per 1000 parts of the alloy. For example, the widely used 585 sample equals and corresponds to 585 parts out of 1000. The same applies to the above 999 sample. In Russia, the production of dimensional types of ingots occurs in accordance with GOST 51572-2000. Measuring ingots must meet all established requirements for such products.

They must be provided with all the necessary stamps, on which all designations will be legibly applied.

Standard

Modern production varieties of produced ingots are called standard. Their weight can vary within different limits. For example, one ingot can vary in weight from 11 to 13 kg. Standard copies must also be made based on established standards.

1. Standard products must have a characteristic low prism structure. This form can be changed by prior agreement with the customer.
2. The ingots in question should not have depressions whose depth is more than 0.5 cm.
3. All necessary information data (sample, manufacturer, production date, etc.) on the specified ingots is applied on the lower half of the base.

Technological differences

Different types of ingots differ not only in weight, size and structural features, but also in the method of direct production. Thus, small products whose weight is less than 50 g are produced by stamping. As a result of this technological process, the surface of the ingots turns out to be very neat and aesthetic - it comes out perfectly smooth, and all the drawings and markings on them are perfectly readable and executed just as carefully and accurately.

Instances, distinguished by larger sizes and weight , are made using another popular technology - casting. The external appearance of such products cannot be called as perfect and spectacular, however, this production method has established itself as the most accessible and cheapest. There is also a powder method for producing ingots, which uses electrolysis. However, this technology is not used in Russia.

Gold bar size and shape

The investment ingot has a rectangular shape. Each ingot has a stamp that carries the following information:

1. Trademark of the manufacturer or selling bank.
2. Nominal weight in grams (in order to find out how much a gold bar weighs, manufacturers use ultra-precise scales that undergo periodic testing and, if necessary, adjustment).
3. Type of precious metal (in our case gold).
4. Sample or mass fraction of precious metal content in an alloy.
5. Individual number of the bar (in the case of bars of 50 grams or less, the number may be on the reverse side).

All inscriptions on the block must be easy to read and clear. The purchased bullion must be stored carefully.

Indeed, if the integrity of the bar is damaged, its inscriptions are distorted or deep scratches appear on it, the bank has the right to refuse to repurchase it, even if the bar was previously purchased in one of its branches.

Marking on the bar is allowed by standards both in a concave and convex form, it all depends on the casting technology and the stamp of the manufacturer's ingot.

Depending on how much a measured investment bar made of 999 gold weighs, its thickness may vary, and the length and width are approved by state standards and comply with GOST R 51572-2000.

The weight and size of the sides may have a deviation corresponding to the limits stated in this GOST.

A standard ingot has the shape of a cut-off pyramid and, in special cases, at the request of the customer, it is produced in other forms.

Cast gold bars are also produced in cubic forms. The mass of a cube-shaped gold bar with an edge of 20 millimeters is 154.4 grams.

In the circulation of gold between banking institutions and individuals, ChipGold measured cast bars and bars are more often used. However, products in Kinebar and CombiBar formats are often found.

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The Kinebar ingot is produced with a special protective kinegram, which is a distinctive individual sign of each product in this format. It is a three-dimensional iridescent element.

It looks quite impressive, but it would be more correct to classify such a product as a collectible rather than an investment item. There are no standard dimensions for such ingots and the size directly depends on how much the bar weighs.

CombiBar is a unique bar-shaped chocolate bar. This product is also a collector's item. The uniqueness of the bar in the CombiBar format is that the slices of such “chocolate” can be divided by hand into equal parts of 1 gram.

A CombiBar contains 50 slices. “Golden chocolate” is produced by the Swiss company Valcambi and is certified by the world’s largest banks.

Their ingots can have different stamps, which are placed either on the entire bar or on each piece separately.

Dimensions and weight

The weight of gold bars may vary. It is indicated in kilograms and can be either modest or more impressive. In Russia, they produce ingots that can have a mass from 1 to 1000 g. If we are talking about products produced abroad, then among them you can find specimens weighing 2, 2.5 g. Quite often you can find the so-called triple ounce, which equals 31.1 g.

If we consider the mass of gold bars based on the established GOST standards, then acceptable values ​​are from 11 to 13.3 kg. The dimensional parameters of such products depend on their weight. For example, a kilogram measured product will have the following values: length - 105-116 mm, width - 48-52 mm. Height indicators are not regulated by regulations. The precious metal of the Russian gold and foreign exchange reserve is kept in a special storage facility. Typically, such conditions contain ingots whose mass ranges from 1 to 14 kilograms. In the USA, they decide to store their savings in the form of gold bars, the weight of which is 12.44 kg.

About the process of obtaining steel ingots

In ferrous metallurgy, liquid metal in molten form is poured into molds using a steel-pouring ladle. Often the material for molds is cast iron due to its low cost. For special cases, carbon and alloy steel grades, distinguished by special properties and characteristics, are used to cast molds.

Today, the weight of steel ingots varies from 400-500 kilograms to 500 tons. Options with weights are more in demand: 1 t, 3 t, 4 t, 5 t, 7 t, 9 t, 10 t. Low-weight ingots have a square or round cross-section, larger ones have a multifaceted cylindrical shape.

When the metal hardens and crystallizes, shrinkage cavities (voids) appear in the upper parts of the product, which are cut off before crimping. Crimping is a metallurgical process that increases the length of a workpiece and reduces its cross-section. After crimping, a lot of waste remains - trimmings. The volume is approximately 15% of the total mass.

To reduce metal losses during production, they use installations that provide continuous casting of steel (CCS): liquid steel is continuously poured into a cooled mold of a mold. Before pouring steel into the crystallizer, a seed (capture) is introduced, which, after the metal has hardened, is removed along with the forming ingot. This method helps to significantly reduce metal losses in contrast to casting into molds. This became possible due to the fact that liquid steel evenly enters the crystallizer, which ensures an even structure of the product along its entire length.

The largest bars in the world

Of course, not all ingots in the world correspond to the size and weight parameters listed above. Thus, in Japan there is one of the largest and most massive ingots, the weight of which reaches 250 kg. There is even a record of this in the world-famous Guinness Book of Records.

After Japan comes Taiwan. The happy owner of another large gold bar lives here, weighing only 220 kg.

Gold bullion price

Prices for gold bars are not fixed and depend on the type of bars, how much the product weighs and its purity. Collectible bars CombiBar, KineBar and ChipGold, which is often used as an investment bar, have a higher price than measuring bars or standard ones (per kg of product), since they are regarded as unique jewelry.

But it is worth understanding that they are rarely considered as savings in banks. Investors trust the nominal weight of the bar more than its shape and it is easier for them to invest their funds directly in the stock.

The quotation of gold on the stock exchange is somewhat different from the commercial value of bullion in banks. Therefore, when purchasing a bar, you should not rely on the market price of gold on the London Metal Exchange.

After all, when purchasing products in Russia, the price takes into account double conversion (from gold to US dollar - from US dollar to Russian ruble). The legislation of our country prohibits purchase and sale transactions in foreign currency.

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Also, the cost of the bar takes into account the bank commission and the tax on the sale of products made from the bowels of the earth.

If we consider the purchase of gold as an investment, then it is worth paying attention to the difference in the cost of the product per gram or kilogram for purchase and sale.

Buying gold can hardly be used as a short-term investment. It must be purchased for a period of at least three years. In this case, you can use it to recoup the costs of internal inflation of the country’s currency and even earn a little extra money.

For those who have already made a transaction and purchased a gold bar, it is recommended to monitor world events that may affect the price of the precious metal.

Also, do not forget that it is necessary to carefully store not only the ingot itself, but also the certificate for it. After all, the bank to which you expect to sell the product has the right to refuse the transaction if the certificate is damaged or lost.

The supporting document must clearly show all the data on the origin of the product, its individual number and weight. Also, many second-tier banks refuse to purchase gold bars whose origin does not meet certain criteria.

Therefore, it is better to buy gold from top banks, such as Sberbank of Russia, VTB, Bank of Moscow, Alfa-Bank and the like. Their standards and conditions for purchasing bullion are similar, so there should be no problems with further sales.