12 Amazing Gold Infographics Showing Its Rarity

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.

So, the price of 1 kilogram of gold is approximately 1,850,000 Russian rubles

In dollar equivalent, this will be $36,865.
On the world gold market, quotes are formed largely based on the results of daily speculative transactions. At the same time, experts try to link the cost of gold with the amount of precious metal actually mined and produced. But there is no direct relationship observed here. There is only an increasing fall and winter demand associated with the traditional Asian wedding season. Clearer patterns are observed in the foreign exchange market. The chaotic nature of this segment of the financial system forces many investors to turn to gold, which is more stable in the long term. And many experts explain today’s rise in prices for the yellow metal by the fall in the exchange rate of the US dollar.

People stop trusting unstable currencies and turn their attention to gold

Convenient investment

The cost of 1 gram of investment gold with a three-nine purity is set every day by the Russian Central Bank. It is published in official sources. But this is not the price that is used when purchasing precious metals. Based on it, calculations in the financial sector only take place.

The price of precious metal in bullion will always be higher than the exchange price due to the costs of production, sale and payment of VAT of 20%. Thus, taking these factors into account, the cost of the bar will depend on its weight and the content of chemically pure gold in it. So, if the sample of a precious metal is “three nines,” this means that 1 kilogram of the alloy will contain 999 grams of yellow metal.

If you want to save money, open a metal bank account. In this case, there is no need to pay VAT, spend money on renting a cell, etc. Again, such a deposit is easy to cash out at any time.

Cost of products

The price of gold bullion bars in the Russian Federation differs depending on which region and which banking structure represents them. For example, the Central Bank values ​​1 gram of yellow metal at 2,500 rubles. At Sberbank, this figure starts from 2,650 rubles.

The official price of precious metals is established and changes daily on working days of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. It is determined based on the fixing for palladium, platinum, silver and gold directly on the London market. Next, the price is converted into national currency from US dollars at the current ruble exchange rate. The determined accounting value is very important for credit institutions in accounting.

As for standard ingots, refineries that operate in accordance with Russian State Standards specialize in their production. “Standard” type blanks differ from measured analogues in that they cannot be the property of individuals . There are officially 4 alloys (palladium, silver, platinum, gold) that are used in the Russian Federation and are allowed to be purchased.

A standard ingot can weigh from 11 to 13 kg, with the mass fraction of the main component being 99.95%. As for blanks of other designated metals, the following requirements apply to them:

• platinum ingots are produced with a weight not exceeding 5500 g, the mass fraction is 99.9%;
• a large silver sample can weigh from 28 to 32 kg, and the purity should not be less than 99.9%;
• palladium in the alloy does not exceed 3500 g in weight, the composition of the main component is similar to the previous ones.

Measured blanks made of expensive metals are a convenient and profitable method of investing earned money in stable currency. Before purchasing such products, it is recommended to study the attached certificate.

A control weighing and a thorough inspection of the ingot itself must be carried out to ensure its authenticity; it must look smooth and without flaws.

Weight and quality features of gold

Gold has all the properties that are characteristic of metals:

• Electrical and thermal conductivity;
• High strength;
• Plastic.

Gold also has a special, metallic luster. It should be noted that each group of metals has its own characteristic metallic luster. Overall, metallic elements are found in 75% of all naturally occurring elements, but not all are found in nature in their pure form. The most valuable and rare metals include gold and platinum. Both metals are characterized by a fairly large specific gravity (19.3 gcm3 and 21.45 gcm3, respectively). It should be noted that the specific gravity of heavy metals, including tungsten and gold, is almost the same. Thanks to this property, gold can be mined by washing it from relatively light particles of clay and sand contained in the washed rock.

However, gold is a very soft metal; in addition, it is also very heavy. In order to find out how much one cube of gold weighs, you can use a special formula or table. This figure is 19.320 kg. The hardness of gold is 220-250 MPa (Brinell) or 2.5 (Mohs scale).

The high cost of gold is primarily due to its rather low content in the earth’s crust - 0.5 - 5 mgt. The volumetric or specific gravity of gold can be found by the formula – y=PV, where P is the weight of gold, and V is its volume.

Interesting Facts

The significant value of the described product was noticed by representatives of ancient civilizations. For example, Egyptian scripts contained information according to which, in the process of trade settlements, 1 g of the yellow metal was compared with 2.5 g of silver. This factor is quite understandable, because during the growth of cities, an economy was created and strengthened, which subsequently contributed to the formation of separate states.

Gold as a universal method of payment became established during the development of foreign economic and commodity-money relations. As a standard, it was measured in grams, for which regular weighing procedures were carried out. In order to facilitate the calculation procedure, back in the 6th century BC. e. The first blanks made from a mixture of silver and gold appeared.

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.

Dimensions of 1 kg gold bar

Info

Since ancient times, gold has been considered a sign of wealth and prosperity. In fairy tales, rich people promised to make them rich for one service or another; in adventure films, heroes went through many tests in search of gold. Nothing has changed today. Gold is still considered one of the most expensive metals.

Its high price is due to the fact that there is very little of this metal in the world, for example, when compared with iron, copper, etc.

Gold is a good investment. Even if it does not rise in price at a rapid pace, you can be sure that your money is safe, because it will not become cheaper. As an investment, you should not use jewelry from jewelry stores, but bank bars with documents.

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

physical characteristics

Gold is a fairly heavy metal; its density ranks seventh among all metals on the periodic table and is 19.32 g per cubic centimeter. Specific gravity is expressed differently in different unit systems. In the SI system it is newton per meter cubed, but most often jewelers use a non-systemic unit - grams per centimeter cubed. This is done for convenience, so the density will be equal to the specific gravity.

Gold has the following physical properties:

• high strength;
• thermal conductivity;
• electrical conductivity;
• plastic;
• characteristic shine of metal.

The peculiarity of gold is its inertness. It is this characteristic that allows the metal to have the status of noble. This makes it possible to produce gold jewelry, because it does not oxidize and retains its original appearance for a long time. For the jewelry industry, there is only one disadvantage of gold - its softness. This drawback is circumvented by adding other metals to the alloy - alloying, which changes not only this characteristic, but also others: density, melting point.

Studying the quality of a product using special means

Some properties of different grades of gold are presented in the table.

High electrical conductivity characteristics along with inertness have made gold also an industrial metal. In terms of distribution, it is inferior to silver, but surpasses it in another quality: over time, silver oxidizes, but gold does not.

Specific gravity also plays a role in gold mining and in the production of alloys from it. High-quality alloys are obtained only by fusing metals with a small difference in density. Metals with a greater weight than gold can float during melting and form an inhomogeneous structure.

The melting point of gold is 1095 degrees. In addition, there is a hidden melting point. It is measured in kilocalories and represents the energy required to destroy the crystalline structure after the metal has been heated to its melting point. Gold is a diamagnetic metal - a metal that is not attracted to a magnet.

999 gold

In the mid-twentieth century, the United States decided to store the country's gold reserves only in bullion. The weight of the bar was set at 400 troy ounces. Now the mass of a gold bar is 11–13.3 kg. One ounce is 31 grams.

Back in the Middle Ages, the weight of one gold coin was 30 grams, and it turned out that this weight measurement was very convenient for jewelers. It is still in use today. In addition, in the metal stock market, the price of gold is set in dollars per ounce, not per gram. So the mass of gold in the coin is one ounce.

How to determine specific gravity at home?

To do this, you will need scales whose accuracy is about a gram. After weighing into a glass or any other container where there are marks on the volume of liquid, lower the product and see how much the volume has changed. The mass divided by this indicator will be equal to the density of the metal, and accordingly, the specific gravity in units of g/cm?

Old Russian units of measurement

In the pre-revolutionary system of units of measurement of mass, the basis was the Russian pound, which appeared in the 12th-14th centuries, initially equal to two hryvnias of silver. It differs from the pounds that existed in other countries, and by the end of the 19th century it was officially equivalent to 409.5124 grams, although the word "gram" was hardly used and was used only in international calculations. Large quantities of metal, food, or other goods were calculated in poods; one pood was equal to exactly 40 pounds, that is, 16.3804964 kg. 1 pound included 96 spools, which were equal to 96 shares. Most likely, the spool originally denoted the weight of a Byzantine (and then Russian) gold coin, which is mentioned in ancient documents. From the middle of the 18th century, a lot appeared, equated to three spools; this unit came from Europe, where it was used to measure the sample of an alloy in the lot system. The fraction (0.044435 g) was the minimum unit of mass measurement, approximately equal to the weight of a grain of one of the wild varieties of wheat - spelt. Ripe grains have almost perfectly equal mass, so it was convenient to weigh coins with their help. Grains were weighed not only in Rus', but also in many other countries, for example, the well-known carat, which was divided into grains - barley grains.

Weight designation on a 19th century silver coin

The ratio 1/96 was also used to determine the sample of a precious metal: 96 is pure metal without impurities, 48 ​​is billon, that is, half sample. For example, sample 72 is equal to international 750 (measured in ppm). In some countries, fineness is measured in carats, with 24 carats being pure gold, 12 equaling 500 fine gold, etc. The largest measure of weight in Rus' was the berkovets - 10 poods, but it was not used to determine the mass of coins or metals for them. In 1918 V.I. Lenin signed the decree “On the introduction of the international metric system of weights and measures”; from that time on, the official use of old Russian weight norms ceased, but for several years they could be found in various documents of a local nature. The peasant population adapted to the new system for many decades. Now the term “pud” is used only in relation to 16-kilogram weights, and with significant rounding; other units are not used at all. Thus, the ratio of Old Russian units of weight measurement can be represented as: 1 pood = 40 pounds = 16380.496 g; 1 pound = 32 lots = 96 spools = 9216 shares = 409.5124 g; 1 lot = 3 spools = 288 shares = 12.79728 g; 1 spool = 96 shares = 4.26576 g; 1 share = 0.044435 g.

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.

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.

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:

For an ingot weighing 1 kilogram you will have to pay (in million rubles):

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:

Weight and marking of gold bars

Most often, the population purchases measured gold bars. The established mass of such bricks does not exceed 1000 grams. The largest weight of a bar sold to the public is 500 grams. The smaller the weight of one copy, the more expensive it will cost the buyer per 1 gram. The minimum weight of 1 gold bar is 1 gram. The release form is usually rectangular, but other options are possible. If desired, the manufacturer produces plates of the ordered shape, up to round. The weight of measuring bars is 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 grams.

For bars of the “Standard” type, the shape of a truncated pyramid is adopted. The weight of a gold bar in this category ranges from 1000 g to 13.3 kg.

The dimensions of a standard bar are strictly regulated and deviations from the norm are not allowed

The Central Bank has determined the following standards for bullion of precious metals:

• length;
• width;
• no damage (chips, stains, scratches);
• presence of markings.

Each plate weight has its own parameters. The domestic standard for bank gold does not take into account the thickness of the bar (for measured gold). The information about the ingot is printed on the front side. The marking must indicate information about weight, sample, bar number, name of the precious metal, production date, and information about the manufacturer. The latest information is printed on the oval of the ingot. If the mass of the bar is less than 50 g, then the ingot number is printed on the reverse side. The marking “Nv” means that the manufacturing plant is in Novosibirsk, “Ek” means the Yekaterinburg manufacturer, “Kr” means the Krasnoyarsk plant. Gold bars may have a concave or wavy surface on the reverse side. This is due to the shrinkage of the metal during storage.

The manufacturing method is indicated on the bar - SLZ (cast gold ingot), SSHZ (stamped). Powder-made plates are extremely rare. The technology for making such bars is a complex process (an ingot is melted from precious metal powder using the electrolytic method). Powdered bars are the cheapest, stamped bars are the most expensive.

How different criteria affect the price of gold metal

Frequency or trial.
The main factor when valuing precious metals. The highest quality standard in banks and special trading platforms is 9999. These numbers indicate that 1000 g of the bar contains 99.99% pure gold without inclusions of other elements. Samples of 925 and below are used only when turning jewelry, otherwise rings and pendants made from pure material will be very soft and will quickly deteriorate. Ingot type. For sales to individuals, banks and thematic platforms use measured gold bars with a maximum weight of 1000 g. There are also bars whose weight ranges from 11 to 13.3 kg. In addition to weight, they differ from measured ones in purity and contain 99.95% pure gold. Large bars are purchased by large-scale gold and foreign exchange funds, foreign investors, and central banks. The relationship between the value of a gold bar and its price is clear without further consideration. However, modern banking institutions are causing a little confusion in this matter. When purchasing precious metal for storage or further investment, you need to pay attention to large bars weighing more than 500 g. In practice, 500 g purchased in one bar costs much less than 10 gold plates of 50 g each

Roughly speaking, apply to gold as well

Above are the main pricing factors on the territory of the Russian Federation. In addition to those indicated, the cost of precious metal bars is significantly influenced by the situation on the world market and fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate.

The Double Gold Market Phenomenon

Before 1973, there were two gold markets. In the official segment, Central Banks traded precious metals at reduced prices, thereby supporting the American dollar. In the private segment, the price was formed based on real supply and demand. After America abolished the gold backing of the dollar, the official market simply collapsed. In the fall of 1973, the central banks of leading countries stopped operations with gold at reduced prices. The artificial price parities of the official gold market were completely abolished by 1978.

The graph shows the upward trend in the value of gold in the first decade of the 21st century.

The market price of gold bullion can be influenced by economic conditions, politics and speculation. The rise in value is driven by increased household, industrial and investment demand. If the economy is in a fever, inflation and payment imbalances are growing, along with fluctuations in exchange rates and lending rates, then the cost of gold always increases.

At the end of the 70s of the last century, the West was literally gripped by a “gold rush”. The price of 1 kilogram of gold went through the roof. Then, until the end of the century, negative dynamics were observed, interspersed with minor changes.

The main reason for what is happening is the strengthening of the position of the US dollar and US government bonds against the backdrop of curbing inflation. As a result, interest in the yellow metal has diminished in many countries.

To compensate for budget deficits and reduce public debts, many countries at the end of the last century began to sell off their gold reserves.

When considering global market processes, it is also worth taking into account the multifaceted nature of gold itself, which can be a promising asset, a foreign exchange reserve, and a necessary raw material.

What volume does 10 tons occupy, or 100, and all the gold in the world?

10 tons of gold and 100 tons compared to the height of a person.
And if you estimate the scale, when there is a lot of gold, for example, the entire gold reserve of the United States of America?

What does the entire US gold reserve look like?

But if you collected all the gold in the world mined before 2009 and cast it into a huge cube with sides of 20.5 meters and placed it in an Olympic swimming pool, it would look something like this

All the gold in the world in one cube. The small sphere at the woman's feet below is 1 ton of gold

Ingots

With sharp fluctuations in the ruble and foreign currencies, gold bars become a reliable investment for many Russians. However, there are difficulties - you have to pay a fairly large tax for storing precious metals.

According to manufacturing technology, ingots can be cast, stamped, or powdered. Measured ingots are used for storing gold by the population, standard ingots are used for melting into other products.

Measured gold bars are bars weighing up to 1 kilogram and having a purity of 999.9. They are marked with weight and manufacturer. Such ingots are manufactured according to the Russian standard - GOST R 51572-2000.

Requirements for ingots:

1. For each denomination of ingots, deviations in the following parameters are allowed: length, width and thickness.
2. It is possible to change the shape and size of the bars, which is specified in the transaction agreement.
3. The presence of dirt, grease stains, and scratches on the metal surface is unacceptable.
4. Due to the softness of gold, bars can become deformed over time and take on a different shape - curved, concave. The surface may become wavy.
5. The marking can be either curved or convex, but legibility in indicating the mass of the ingot is required. Correction of the inscription is unacceptable.
6. The presence of a distinctive sign on one or more sides of the product is permitted.

Mandatory markings on domestic ingots:

• “Russia”, circled in an oval;
• mass in numbers;
• the name of the metal is “Gold”;
• sample or share;
• manufacturer's mark.

The registration number of the ingot is indicated below.

Many banks offer measured gold bars. Sberbank is the leader in Russia in the exchange of funds for precious metals and its storage. Other banks also sell gold and offer storage services.

Gold bars of different denominations

Yellow currency is stored both in the form of coins and in the form of bars of different weights. How much does a gold bar weigh? There are several denominations: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000 grams. The metal purity in measured ingots is standardized and amounts to 999.9, which corresponds to the Russian state standard. The production of ingots and their marking are carried out by refineries.

Sberbank branches sell bullion at the following prices:

1. A whole gold bar weighing 1 gram costs about 1850 rubles if the bank buys the gold. Banks sell a similar resource at much higher prices - 2700-2900 rubles per 1-gram denomination. This price includes value added tax.
2. 5 gram denomination cans sell for 12,400-12,700 rubles. Banks can accept the same gold bar from the population, depending on its technical condition, for a cost of 9200-9400 rubles.
3. A ten-gram standard bar of yellow metal will cost the buyer approximately 24,000 rubles, while it can be sold to a jar for 18,000 rubles.
4. A denomination of 20 grams is valued by banks at about 49,000 rubles. The sale of the same measured ingot will bring its owner about 36,000.
5. A 50-gram gold bar will cost the buyer approximately 121,000 rubles. A bank can accept 50 grams of refined gold from a private person in exchange for about 92,000 rubles.
6. Banks sell a 100-gram gold bar for 242 thousand Russian rubles. A private person can sell the same gold bar for a price of about 184,000 Russian rubles.
7. A quarter kilogram of a refined gold bar will cost the buyer 603,000. Among the population, banks accept bars weighing 250 grams for approximately 460,000 rubles.
8. The price of a half-kilogram ingot is about 1,205,000 rubles. A private individual can sell his 500-gram stock for 921,000 rubles.
9. A gold bar weighing one kilogram costs 2,408,700 rubles in Sberbank branches. They accept similar bars for sale at a cost of 1,843,000 rubles. Value added tax of 18% is also taken into account.

Some bars are produced in special packaging that protects them from dirt and grease, as well as damage.

Bank gold in measured gold bars is also produced in 585 standard, the content of the main metal in which is 58.5%. The remaining share comes from the alloy - other metals that give strength to the ingots.

Ingot condition

Sberbank divides gold bars according to their condition into two groups:

• Ingots in excellent condition;
• Ingots are in satisfactory condition.

An ingot in excellent condition must have a clean surface without damage (dents, burrs, scratches, foreign inclusions, abrasions and stains), and it must not only have a manufacturer’s certificate, but also its proper condition.

An ingot in satisfactory condition may have the mentioned surface defects that do not affect the weight of the ingot, as well as improper condition of the certificate for the ingot (extraneous inscriptions or stains that affect the readability of the certificate, a torn certificate or the absence of a part (piece) of the certificate). In addition, if you bought a gold bar from any other bank and decided to sell it to Sberbank, then the presence of the symbols of a “foreign” bank on the bar itself and (or) a seal in the certificate for the bar of another credit organization will be enough to recognize the condition of the bar as satisfactory, even if The ingot itself and the certificate are in perfect condition externally.

Obviously, Sberbank buys bars in satisfactory condition cheaper than bars in excellent condition. For gold measuring bars, the difference in price is on average 0.3%, and the smaller the bar, the greater the difference in percentage. For example, at prices for bars as of May 2, 2012 (see prices for bars in Sberbank today), a measured gold bar weighing 1 gram in excellent condition will be purchased by Sberbank for 1,559 rubles, and in satisfactory condition - for 1,539 rubles. (difference of 20 rubles or 1.28%). If you take a gold bar of 1000 grams, then the difference in price in rubles is 600 rubles, and in percentage terms it is 0.039%. For measured silver bars, the average markdown percentage based on the condition of the bar is higher and amounts to 0.9%.

If the ingot has damage that causes a change in the weight of the ingot or its dimensions do not comply with GOST standards, then Sberbank will refuse to buy such an ingot. The absence of a certificate for the bullion or its deterioration (it is impossible to read the contents) will also serve as grounds for refusal of redemption by Sberbank.

Proper storage of bullion is the key to maintaining the excellent condition of the bullion and, accordingly, a higher selling price to the bank.

Measured (cast) and standard (stamped)

Compared to standard ones, measured gold bars look more beautiful. Photos of them can be seen in this article. Measured ingots of the purest standard are produced in different weights: from 1 gram to 1 kilogram.

There may be a concavity on the surface of the ingot as a result of metal shrinkage with a depth of no more than 5 mm.

A standard gold/silver bar on its large base should contain the following markings:

• ingot number;
• grade of precious metal;
• mass fraction of precious metal (sample);
• ingot mass;
• symbols of the country of origin;
• refinery trademark;
• year of production of the ingot.

Standard platinum and palladium bars

Standard platinum and palladium ingots must meet the following requirements in accordance with the specified GOSTs:

1. The maximum weight of standard platinum bars can be 5500 grams. The maximum mass of a standard palladium ingot is 3500 grams.

LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) and is sold in all countries.

The cast kilogram gold bar is the largest bar in the Heraeus product range. Popular among investors both in Europe and abroad.

Each Heraeus 1000g gold bar:

• •1000 grams of 24-karat 999 gold;
• •ingot dimensions - 117 mm x 51.5 mm x 9 mm;
• •blister packaging that protects against damage;
• •quality certificate from the Heraeus refinery;
• •a unique serial number, which is indicated on the ingot itself and in the certificate.

Why do investors choose Heraeus 1kg bar?

As soon as savings appear, the question arises of how to preserve the accumulated amount, and also, preferably, increase it.

By agreement between the customer and the manufacturer, the weight of the ingot may differ.

• Gold bars must have the shape of a regular truncated pyramid with certain dimensions of the base sides and height (thickness). The refinery has the right to produce ingots of other shapes and sizes as agreed with the customer.
• The standards establish grades of gold and silver, and also determine the composition of impurities and their maximum content in the alloy.
• The surface of the ingot must be free of sagging, burrs, grease stains and deposits, and the presence of slag and other foreign inclusions is not allowed.
• On the surface of the ingot, the presence of stripped areas with a depth of no more than 1 mm for standard gold bars and no more than 3 mm for standard silver bars is allowed.

Important

By agreement between the customer and the manufacturer, ingots of other weights can be produced.

• Ingots must be rectangular in shape with certain side dimensions: length 100 + 3 mm, width 65 + 2 mm, the height of the ingot is not regulated. The manufacturing refinery can produce platinum and palladium ingots of other shapes and sizes as agreed with the customer.
• GOSTs establish acceptable grades of platinum and palladium and the composition of impurities, as well as the maximum content of each impurity component in the alloy.
• The surface of a standard palladium and platinum ingot must be machined. The presence of any foreign inclusions is not allowed.

In this case, let's start with information about what measured and standard bars of gold and precious metals are available.

Bullions produced in the European Union comply with international standards established by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA).

All bars must meet state standards, which you will learn about in this article.

Ingot weight and dimensions

In Russia, ingots weighing 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 g are produced. Foreign-made products also come in weights of 2, 2.5 grams. 1 troy ounce is often found, equal to 31.1 grams.

International measure

The most common measure for gold abroad is the troy weight system. In bank accounts, gold can be recorded in both the metric system (grams, kilograms) and ounces. This system is used not only for precious metals: it is used in pharmacy and cosmetology to account for particularly valuable components.

Requirements for the gold bar standard

The list of requirements is regulated by GOST R 51572-2000. The document contains dimensions and maximum weight deviations from the norm, regulates the absence of cracks, foreign elements, damage and contamination, and lists permissible deformations that occur during production.

Each product has its own unique number, which is certainly indicated directly on the ingot. In addition, mandatory information is applied to the metal using markings:

• a stamp in the form of an oval with the inscription “Russia”;
• exact weight;
• the inscription "Gold";
• noble metal sample;
• brand of the refinery manufacturer.

All inscriptions must be on the title side of the product and be legible. Corrections or merging of letters are not allowed in the text. The presence of defects is the reason for the decrease in the value of a precious item.

However, such requirements are not mandatory. Gold can have any shape, weight and size in case of individual customer requirements.

Weight of a standard ingot in kg in Russia

The requirements are regulated by GOST 28058-89. Permissible weight – from 11 to 13.3 kilograms. The shape of the products is a bar in the form of a truncated pyramid. The document also determines the grade of metal, appearance without defects, permissible deformation and a list of data printed on gold.

Gold bar sizes 1 and 10 kg

The size established for a kilogram measured product: length 105-116 mm, width 48-52 mm. The height of the object is not regulated.

The following proportions are used in standard samples (with a permissible deviation of ± 5 mm):

• larger base, mm – length 54, width 88;
• smaller base, mm – length 229, width 59;
• height – 35 mm.

Weight of a gold bar in storage

The precious metal of the Russian Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserve is stored mainly in objects weighing from 1 to 14 kg.

The United States prefers to store its savings in the form of bars weighing 400 troy ounces, or 12.44 kg.

How much does the largest bar weigh today?

The largest specimen in the world belongs to Japan. Its weight is 250 kilograms, which is even recorded in the famous Guinness Book of Records.

In second place is Taiwan, the happy owner of a piece of gold weighing 220 kg.

How much does one spool weigh?

Spool in relation to other units of measurement:

• 1 pood equals 40 pounds
• 1 pound is equal to 32 lots (96 spools)
• 1 lot is equal to 3 spools

According to the “Regulations on Weights and Measures”, adopted in 1899, one pound contains 0.4095124 kilograms. Therefore, one spool weighs 1/96 of a pound, which in grams equals 4.26575417.

Tax

Buying gold bullion is a good investment if you want to protect your money. But for this you need to have large funds and invest them for a long time. A serious obstacle on this path is the 18 percent VAT on the cost of gold.

There are also various kinds of “metal accounts” in banks. They will save you from VAT and eliminate the hassle of storing bullion. But they won’t be able to give you the unique feeling of owning a precious metal!

Sberbank of Russia occupies a leading position in the precious metals market, having an impressive network of branches throughout Russia. In addition to operations with compulsory medical insurance and precious coins, Sberbank sells bars of gold, silver, platinum and palladium. What precious metal bars can be purchased at Sberbank, how bars are classified according to their condition and the presence of certificates, and how this is reflected when selling precious metals to the bank - these issues are covered in this article.

So, let's start with the fact that at Sberbank you can purchase measured and standard ingots produced at Russian refineries in accordance with current Russian GOSTs and international standards. There is no point in studying the standards before purchasing a gold bar from Sberbank or any other Russian bank, because... Acceptance of ingots from the manufacturer involves checking each ingot. If the ingot does not meet the standards or has unacceptable defects, then the ingot is sent to the manufacturer for remelting.

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.