Oh, how we would all love to have a secret horde of gold bullion and bars hidden in the basement of our home! The very foundation of wealth, gold seems to glow like a magic material and one of its amazing properties is that gold does not oxidise at any temperature. If you are planning to include gold in your investment portfolio, here is some background information on the hallmarks and stamps found on gold of all sizes.
Gold Purity
Of course, gold can vary in purity; from 9k right up to 999.9 pure, which is a global standard. For jewellery, gold is usually 9k, 14k or 18k, which is more suited to daily wear than 24k gold, which is soft and malleable. For investment purposes, you would stick to the top grade, which is 999.9 and by registering with a leading gold bullion dealer, you can use their secure market connection and trade in real time.
Gold Bar Markings
By law, a gold bar must contain certain information by marking:
- Characteristic
- Weight
- Manufacturer
- Origin
- Serial number
On a 1kg bar of gold, the maker’s stamp would be on the top, with the country of origin next, followed by the weight and the assayer’s stamp and finally, the serial number for identification purposes.
Various Forms Of Gold
Gold comes in many formats, such as:
- Gold ingots
- Gold bars
- Gold coins
- Gold jewellery
Major gold bullion dealers trade in 1kg bars, which are 999.9 pure, yet bar sizes range from 1 gram to 1 kg, in both imperial and metric weights. Due to the ease of creating gold ingots, they come is a wide range of weights and every ingot would have all the required stamps, regardless of size.
Gold As An Investment
More and more private investors are turning to gold, and City Gold Bullion is one of the gold sellers Brisbane locals go to. You can search online for gold dealers in your area, if you are planning to acquire gold, but find the Australian location too far from you. Simply make an appointment, visit gold dealers’ offices and take physical possession of your gold. You might, for example, wish to start with a few 1oz ingots, which you can store in your concealed safe.
Gold Coins
Many investors prefer to collect gold coins and there are so many variations – some 999.9 and others 96.1. Classic examples are the American Buffalo, American Eagle, the Britannia and the Canadian Maple Leaf, to name but a few. Each coin comes in its own little presentation box, which is felt-lined for padded protection.
Correct Packing & Storage
When you order gold bars or ingots from an established gold bullion dealer, each comes in its own felt pouch and the dealer will go through the markings with you. The staff are very knowledgeable regarding the storage and transportation of precious metals and can assist you if you have any issues.
If you are looking to acquire gold bullion, choose a weight that suits your needs and make a buying appointment via the gold bullion dealer’s website. Then you can take physical possession of the gold, which brings with it peace of mind, knowing that your collected wealth is safely under lock and key.
