The world's largest gold bar is located in one of the Japanese museums. It weighs 250 kilograms and costs more than $3 million. This metal has always been desirable and expensive, not only due to its beauty, but also due to a number of useful properties for people, which include the fact that it does not oxidize, does not tarnish, serves as a conductor and is used in medicine as an antiseptic.
However, its main area of application is monetary relations. Gold bullion is the world's hardest currency because, unlike money or securities, it cannot lose value.
You can buy them for investment purposes at any large bank, however, before making a purchase, you should find out more about them so as not to make a mistake with your choice. You should know that there are measured and standard gold bars, as well as the standards of Russian manufacturers according to which these bars are manufactured. Overseas smelters follow their own standards set by the London Platinum and Palladium Market, abbreviated LPPM, and the London Bullion Market Association, abbreviated LBMA, referred to as the “London good delivery” standard.
Physical form of investing in gold
In ancient times, identification marks were placed on valuable metals. In the modern world, different types of stamps are also used. But standardized signs were introduced centuries ago. Before that, each manufacturer put their own stamps and engravings.
Thanks to branding, the purchase and sale system has been simplified. Gold has become even more widespread; today it is one of the investment instruments.
It is distinguished by a set of properties:
- stability in the long term: the price is maintained even in difficult times (when disasters, wars, economic crises occur), while its slight decrease is possible, but even then Au remains the most valuable resource for which goods and services can be exchanged;
- divisibility: the production of coins and bars does not change their properties, they are just as valuable as a large piece of precious metal or a nugget;
- preservation of physical properties: valuable metal does not lose its attractiveness and is not subject to corrosion.
For investment, different types of bars are used. They are standardized and must comply with GOST parameters. It is permissible to produce ingots to order; they may differ in size and weight. The stigma is also different in this case. Sometimes such products are even marked with a portrait of the owner.
Bank coins
Coins vary in type of material, weight and size. They are produced in series and may have a name. A separate category presents those that are produced in limited quantities. The price of this type of valuable metal is higher than those coins that are produced in large quantities. It is believed that investment gold should have the highest value (high purity), but there are different hallmarks starting from 900. Among them there are also non-standard options. But the most popular products are 999. They are also the most valuable. Accordingly, the cost of such coins is higher.
Buying and selling
Trading in this product is primarily the prerogative of banks. You can not only buy gold there, but also leave it for storage. Such a financial investment has a high level of profitability, but only in the long term, since the purchase price will be higher than the sale, as with other foreign exchange transactions.
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Lyudmila Pestereva
Our most experienced gold investor
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Such an acquisition is subject to VAT, and upon sale the owner is charged income tax. However, these fees will be canceled if more than 3 years have passed since the date of purchase. Therefore, it will be beneficial not only not to sell gold before this period, but not even to withdraw it from the bank.
What determines the price of a bank bullion?
In addition to the current gold rate, the price of the product is tied to its weight. The buyer pays the most money if he purchases metal weighing 1 gram. The higher the weight of the ingot, the cheaper the gold is per gram.
When selling gold to a bank, some financial institutions, for example Sberbank, provide an additional commission, which increases in proportion to the weight of the item being handed over.
Products in poor condition, on the contrary, are accepted at banks, charging an additional commission of about 3% of the value of the metal.
How much does a gold bar cost in Russia 1 gram and 1 kg
As of today. 1 gram of gold costs:
| Price 999 standard according to the Central Bank | Market value of the sample today | Scrap price | Price in jewelry |
For an ingot weighing 1 kilogram you will have to pay (in million rubles):
USDRUB*GC1!*10000000/311034 chart courtesy of TradingView
Where is the best place to buy bullion?
It is always better to purchase such things from financial institutions. In this case, the possibility of forgery is eliminated and the availability of the entire package of accompanying documents is guaranteed.
Where and how to store the bullion
The storage of gold, including in coins, should also be entrusted to the bank. It’s not safe to keep such valuables at home, and there’s no point in keeping them. The financial institution opens a metal safekeeping account for the client - an analogue of a safe deposit box. You can put all your precious savings there, add new ones or withdraw the necessary part.
The cost of such a service will not depend on the number of items, their weight and even the metal from which they are made - all your savings in precious metals can be kept in one place.
To see how Russia's gold reserves are stored, watch the video:
Measurements of gold: kg and troy ounce
One of the foreign units of measurement is the troy ounce. It allows you to determine the mass and corresponds to 31.1034768. In the Middle Ages, in the French city of Troyes, a measure of weight was used - an ounce. Today it is used in jewelry, to measure the mass of particularly valuable components in the manufacture of cosmetics, as well as in the banking sector, but not everywhere. The Central Bank sets the price of precious metals daily, taking into account the price per troy ounce on the world market (set by the London Stock Exchange).
Specific points
Now let's talk about some details. First of all, about standard ingots. If they are mass-produced, their weight does not exceed 13.5 kilograms. There may be large values, but this is an exception. Most ingots produced range from 10 to 13.5 kg. It is also necessary to note the difference in the measurement of masses. For example, in our country it is customary to use a unified measurement system based on the gram. But if you go to an international stock exchange, for example the London one, then the precious metal will probably be measured in troy ounces.
Methods for making ingots
Main technologies:
- stamping;
- casting.
High-tech equipment is used for stamping. Moreover, there are restrictions on weight. To obtain gold bars with perfectly smooth surfaces, they are produced weighing no more than 500 g.
The stamping method allows you to obtain the correct parallelepiped; it is distinguished by a mirror surface.
Another method is casting. It assumes the need to use forms. When the liquid melt hardens in them, the bars are removed. They also have smooth edges, but the appearance is less attractive than that of ingots, which are obtained by stamping.
Casting gold bars
Precious metal in modern times
And after many centuries, the precious yellow material is still used by society as a universal currency. Many wealthy people are interested in whether this view of using metal is outdated and how much a gold bar can be sold for. Paradoxically, other alloys of no less significant value are used in the world. But it is gold that is used by many states to measure well-being.
Currently, it no longer represents an indispensable bargaining chip in the economy; it can be freely bought or sold. However, gold bars, along with other alloys, are actively used by international and national banking structures. They are a profitable and reliable investment.
Everything is explained by the fact that buying and storing them is always profitable - this is an ever-increasing monetary equivalent. It is not difficult to find a place where to sell a gold bar, i.e. you can exchange it for material assets of interest on favorable terms.
The history of the appearance of gold in bars
Gold has been used as a means of payment since ancient times. But then a difficulty arose when paying - it was necessary to weigh each time and determine the quality of the valuable metal. This made transactions difficult.
Approximately 600 BC. e. The ancient Indians began to use a new method - they smelted an alloy of silver and gold, today it is called electrum.
The precious metal had a certain value and weight, which had to be indicated on the product (a state mark was placed). This made it possible to solve the problem, which was the need for constant monitoring of the quality of gold in the absence of extensive opportunities.
Why is pricing so difficult?
It is important to understand that gold should be considered solely as a long-term investment. Its real value is growing, albeit slowly, but surely. So, over the past half century it has doubled. That is, by selling a gram of gold you can now buy twice as much of the precious metal as in the early 70s. Although, if you are interested in long-term investing, then this is a good and very real prospect. It is suitable even for private investors. After all, you can make an investment in almost any commercial structure. The same goes for selling. Let's look at this in more detail.
Bullion weight in other countries
Standards are somewhat different abroad. Different countries (USA, Spain, England, etc.) may use different methods for producing bars. One of these is electrolytic (not used in the Russian Federation). The mass of a gold bar, which constitutes the gold exchange standard, is 400 ounces, which corresponds to 12.44 kg when converted to the metric system. There are ingots of non-standard sizes (2 or 2.5 g), which are not produced in the Russian Federation.
The highest quality bars have the designation – Good Delivery. They are valued all over the world and in the Russian Federation.
How much does the largest gold bar weigh?
The largest gold bars were produced in different countries:
- Japan: manufacturer is Mitsubishi Materials - the ingot weighs 250 kg and costs 325 million rubles or $12.5 million;
- Taiwan: gold weighing 220 kg was considered the first such large product, but as a result it was not included in the Guinness Book of Records (the Japanese version received this honor).
The largest gold bar
Products of Russian refineries
They are classified according to different criteria:
- weight;
- form;
- manufacturer;
- sample or quantitative indicator of the gold content in the product;
- accompanying documents or quality certificates.
Among the most familiar to the average person are measured and standard ones, as well as with branded symbols. Let's talk about them.
Measured
This is the name for ingots produced by Russian or international refineries strictly in accordance with the standard - GOST R 51572-2000:
- 99.9% – pure gold content;
- up to 1,000 g – weight (1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000 g);
- sizes are different.
Pixabay/HamiltonLeen
They are intended for individuals and are very popular among them. There are many of them on the market: they are sold and bought, presented in banks or jewelry stores. And the more a 999 fine bar weighs, the more expensive it is.
Three different technologies for their production are known:
- Stamped ones marked SSHZ are the most expensive.
- Cast ones, weighing up to a kilogram, with the designation SLZ - are cheaper.
- Powder - do not comply with Russian standards.
Screenshot GOST R 51572-2000
But not only its designation is applied to the ingot, but also the following information:
- oval stamp “Russia”;
- weight;
- the inscription "Gold";
- try;
- manufacturer's brand.
This is a mandatory requirement of GOST.
Screen marking of a measuring ingot
But, before information about it is stamped on the product, the sample is tested in the chemical laboratory of the plant. If the gold is not pure enough, it is sent for reprocessing. Without the final approval of the chemists, the ingot will not be branded.
All inscriptions are placed on the title side of the product. They must be legible without corrections or merged letters. The presence of any defect reduces the cost.
Each ingot is accompanied by a manufacturer's certificate (GOST R 51572-2000, clause 4.4.2).
Source: GOST R 51572-2000, Appendix B
Have you ever bought gold bullion?
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Standard
They are also produced at refineries and labeled strictly according to state standards. These are banking metal ingots that meet all quality standards and requirements. They are intended to be raw materials for jewelry workshops and factories; they are not used in everyday life. And therefore they do not differ in variety. Such bars contain Russia's gold reserves.
Photo: in the vault of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation
According to Kommersant, at the end of 2021, reserves of precious metals in Russian banks reached a record value of more than 92 tons. This is the maximum over the last 5 years.
Reference! At VTB at the end of the year - 54 tons, Sberbank - 17 tons. At Sovcombank, FC Otkritie, Gazprombank and the National Clearing Center - from 1 to 5 tons.
“Purchases are usually made at the end of the mining season, then the gold is gradually sold to consumers and the Central Bank.
Now it is already less than at the beginning of the year" Sberbank
Requirements for standard products are regulated by GOST 28058-89:
- The mass fraction of gold must be at least 99.99%.
- Shape – regular truncated pyramid with dimensions, mm:
- larger base – length 254±5 and width 88±5;
- smaller base – length 229±5 and width 59±5;
- height – 35±2.
- The weight of a standard gold bar in kg is from 11 to 13.3.
- The surface is free of stains and/or damage.
- The depth of the cleaned areas is no more than 1 mm.
- Concavity – no more than 5 mm.
Markings are applied to the larger side of each copy in accordance with GOST requirements. In addition, it must have a standard certificate, just like a measured gold bar.
Find out all about existing samples of the yellow metal.
With branding
Only very successful companies allow themselves such business gifts to their partners or even employees. A VIP gift can be either a single bar or a whole set. Their weight, in accordance with international standards, varies from 1 g to 1 kg.
Photo: Pixabay/flaart
Interesting! LEGO gives its employees who have worked for the company for 25 years a 25.65 g bar.
Ingot price
The price is determined based on the size and weight of the valuable bar. The composition of the alloy and the condition of the precious metal are no less important. If there are defects, the bank accepts it with the condition of charging an additional commission. The price may be lower if a large number of valuables are purchased at once. The most expensive is 1 gram of Au.
Table: price of 1 gram of gold
The initial value of Au is set by the London Stock Exchange. Then the Central Banks of different countries (including the Russian Federation) form their value, on the basis of this Sberbank, VTB and others also set the price, as a result it may differ more clearly from the original one. Today the cost was:
Introductory information
The noble metal is present on earth in limited quantities. If it runs out, its value will increase over the years. Although it is possible to learn how to synthesize it. But now we have to make do with what we have. Bank gold is bullion with a purity of 999(.9). What does this indicator mean? If gold is 999, then this means that the bar contains 999 parts of the precious metal and 1 unit of impurities out of 1000. For 999.9 the quality is even better. The amount of impurities in it is reduced by 10 times. But obtaining such pure precious metal is very problematic and expensive. The purity of bank gold affects the price, as does the weight.
Where else can you buy a gold bar?
Most often, the purchase/sale of Au is carried out through a bank (this is the most recommended option). But there are others:
- transaction with private individuals;
- shops that have a license;
- jewelry is the rarest option.
In private transactions, there is a high risk of losing money, and it is unlikely that you will be able to buy a quality product. Reasons: the seller does not have a certificate or receipt; may get robbed.
Corn eats gold
Surprisingly, ordinary corn “extracts” gold from the ground and accumulates it in its stalks. This was discovered by chance when analyzing the composition of the ash. Corn feeds on solutions of various salts from the soil to obtain vital elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Along with them, the plant extracts other elements, including gold. However, you should not rush to grow corn on your farms for the sake of metal: the concentrate is so small that it is unlikely that you will get rich by growing this plant for gold.
Gold is without any doubt the most important of all metals known to man. Jewelry is made from it, it symbolizes status and indicates a person’s well-being. Gold is a metal that has long been a measure of success and a means of exchange, that is, what is now called money.
However, behind modern monetary units there is also gold. It is its reserve, which the state has, that is the criterion for the convertibility and value of the currency accepted in the country.
Many people imagine gold reserves literally, in the form of some kind of endless storage, in which weighty bars lie on shelves in neat rows and mysteriously gleam. And in connection with such a presentation, it often becomes curious - what is it, the largest and heaviest gold bar in the world? How much can it cost? How big is it?
Asset storage options
Common ways to preserve precious metals:
- leave it with you, but this option should be chosen only if there is a safe, otherwise you can lose valuables during theft, since robbers usually know about all the secluded places that the owners consider safe in their home;
- store in a bank: immediately after purchase, you can leave the Au there - in a storage facility; you need to sign an agreement that will contain all the conditions, but you will have to pay for such a service.
How much does it cost?
You can't say it that quickly. This is due to the fact that the answer to this question depends on a number of factors that can significantly affect the price. Bank gold varies within a certain range depending on:
- Added value. This includes the costs that were incurred when producing the ingot at the refinery, its transportation to the bank, insurance deductions, and a percentage of profit.
- The cost of pure gold. It is set daily during trading that takes place on the largest precious metals exchanges.
- Refining. In simple terms, this is payment for the manufacturer's brand. That is, ingots cast or stamped by well-known manufacturers will cost more than those created by less popular ones.
- Presence/absence of a certificate of conformity provided by the manufacturer.
- Production technologies. Stamped ingots are always more expensive than cast ones.
- Packaging forms. If it is not there, then the ingots will be cheaper. Then comes the standard one, followed by the hardened (gift) type.
Reviews
I purchased an ingot (only 10 g), I keep it in a secluded place - I will not voice it so that it continues to remain secluded. Initially I planned to accumulate valuable metal in order to invest money in this way, but now I have more information, so I don’t really believe in this method of getting rich. Rather, it is suitable for wealthy people who want to save their existing money rather than earn money.
Vitaly N., Yaroslavl
Linda G., Sochi
I was in the UAE and saw an attraction there - a type of slot machine: inside a transparent box with holes for hands there is a real jewel - a gold bar. It is problematic to get it, because it is difficult to lift it. I could not. I would never have thought that such metal could be so heavy.
Precious metals weigh a lot, I have noted this to myself more than once. I was looking for something valuable to invest money for my boss. I found where to buy it, checked the quality (at work I often have to deal with such things). So I wouldn’t take it for myself. I didn't like how much preparation it took to store it. And it doesn’t matter where: at home or in a bank – it’s still an expensive pleasure.
Gleb L. g, Kastroma
Certificate
Even one bar, regardless of size, is accompanied by a manufacturer’s certificate, which indicates the date of its production, gold purity, type of precious metal, its number, etc. Due to the fact that the number of each product is unique, you can easily find out the complete history of the purchase or sale of any bullion.
If you lose your certificate, you can always use the information provided on the product label. And since each manufacturer supports and maintains its own numbering method, it will not be difficult to determine the manufacturer.
Main characteristics
Gold is not only a beautiful metal with a lot of positive characteristics, but also an alloy that is not subject to oxidation and does not darken over time. It can act as a conductor and is widely used for medical purposes. Due to its properties, gold products are incredibly durable, and due to its antiseptic properties, it is used in some medicines and cosmetics.
This precious metal has an incredibly high density, so even the small size of gold bars provides a decent weight to the product. For example, a small ball with a diameter of only 5 cm weighs more than a kilogram. Used in many areas of life, this metal can also be called an excellent means of investing money. This hard currency can be exchanged for the money of any country in the world.
Gold Investments
At all times, experienced people kept a certain part of their money in gold equivalent and thus avoided economic problems during all kinds of crisis situations. It is a safe and stable investment whose main purpose is to preserve the value of money.
Gold bullion is a great option for storing money for those who are tired of constantly checking financial news and price jumps, as there is no need for it. For quick enrichment, gold is not the most suitable option, since it is designed for the long term.
How big is a Japanese ingot? How much does he weigh?
The weight of this golden “monster” is no less impressive than its cost. Its mass is 551.15 pounds, that is, 250 kg.
As for the dimensions, they match the weight - 17.9 by 8.9 by 6.7 inches. 1 inch is equal to 2.54 cm. Accordingly, in centimeters the dimensions of the ingot are as follows: 45.49 X 22.61 X 17.02.
What is very interesting is that this giant was cast by order of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. Moreover, anyone can see the ingot. It is part of the exhibition at the Toi Mine Museum.
Many people, when they saw a gold bar, were interested in the question: how much does it weigh? Considering that this metal has one of the highest density values among all others, and the ingot itself is of impressive size, this figure is clearly not small. Investors will need to know how much a standard gold bar weighs.
Interesting facts about gold
Here are 10 interesting facts about gold that you might not know:
- The melting point of gold is 1064.18 °C, and it begins to boil at 2856 °C, while liquid gold is quite volatile and actively evaporates long before the boiling point.
- Half of all gold mined (49%) today is used to make jewelry.
- More than 40,000 prospectors took part in the California Gold Rush, although not all of them became rich.
- Moreover, more than 90% of all gold mined in the world was raised from the ground after the California Gold Rush!
- Jewelry is not made from pure gold, but from its alloys with other metals, such as silver and copper, which may contain additives of nickel, cobalt, palladium to improve mechanical strength and durability.
- The color of gold jewelry (red gold, yellow, white, ...) and its mechanical properties will be determined by the ratio of silver to copper in the alloy.
- In April 2021, a group of Russian physicists from MIPT obtained “two-dimensional” gold for the first time in the world—a gold film less than 10 nm thick by attaching gold atoms to a special molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) substrate.
- One ounce of gold can be stretched over 80 kilometers into a thin thread with a thickness of only 5 microns and a linear density of up to 2 mg/m.
- Standard “Good Delivery gold bar” gold bars, which are traded on gold exchanges around the world (London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Zurich, New York, Sydney) weigh exactly 400 troy ounces, approximately 12.4 kg.
- The largest gold nugget was found in 1872 in Australia, its largest linear dimension is 1.42 meters, and its weight is more than 200 kg (the gold in the nugget itself weighs about 100 kg), this nugget was named “Holtermann Nugget” after the name of the person who found it.
