You’ve seen them before (well, at least in photos) but…
How much do you know about gold bars?
Well just because we’re experts in custom design doesn’t mean we know either. So after a little research, we’ve discovered:
- A gold bar (also called gold bullion or a gold ingot) is a quantity of refined metallic gold of any shape that is made by a bar producer meeting standard conditions of manufacture, labeling and record keeping.
- Gold bars are categorized as either cast or minted (see image below), with both differing in their appearance and price. Cast bars are created in a similar method to that of ingots whereas molten gold is poured into a bar-shaped mold and left to solidify.
- When molten gold is poured into bar shapes, it often results in malformed bars with uneven surfaces which, even though imperfect, make each bar unique and easier to identify.
- To prevent bars from being stolen or counterfeited, manufacturers have developed methods to verify genuine bars, such as branding bars with registered serial numbers or providing a certificate of authenticity.
If you want to learn more about gold bars, you could buy one. A 400 ounce gold bar costs more than $500,000…maybe looking at pictures is better ; )
A minted bar (left) and a cast bar (right)