Gold Bullion

Gold bar

A gold bar is a common form for bulk storage and transport of gold bullion. Larger varieties of gold bars, produced by casting molten metal into molds, are called ingots. Smaller bars are often created through minting or stamping from rolled gold sheets. Central banks typically hold in their gold reserves the standard 400-troy-ounce Good Delivery gold bar, which is widely traded among bullion dealers. Additionally, the kilobar, weighing 1,000 grams, and the 100-troy-ounce gold bar are popular for trading and investment because of their more manageable size and weight. These bars carry a minimal premium over the spot price of gold, facilitating small transfers between banks and traders. While most kilobars have a flat appearance, a preference for brick-shaped bars exists among some investors, particularly in Europe.

Bullion

Bullion is non-ferrous metal that has been refined to a high standard of elemental purity. The term is ordinarily applied to bulk metal used in the production of coins and especially to precious metals such as gold and silver. It comes from the Anglo-Norman term for a melting-house where metal was refined, and earlier from French bouillon, "boiling". Although precious metal bullion is no longer used to make coins for general circulation, it continues to be held as an investment with a reputation for stability in periods of economic uncertainty. To assess the purity of gold bullion, the centuries-old technique of fire assay is still employed, together with modern spectroscopic instrumentation, to accurately determine its quality.

Gold

Gold is a chemical element; its chemical symbol is Au and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a bright-metallic-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal, a group 11 element, and one of the noble metals. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, being the second lowest in the reactivity series, with only platinum ranked as less reactive. Gold is solid under standard conditions.

Gold (color)

Gold, also called golden, is a color tone resembling the chemical element gold.

gold bullion

Noun

1. Physical gold manufactured at a high purity level and valued by its weight and the current spot price of the metal.