Precious metals (gold and silver) in the form of coins and bars have been used as a means of exchange and payment for 4000 years. In all this time, they have not suffered any loss of material value or significance. Today, gold bars made of fine gold serve as a financial investment that can be easily traded. Above all, they are regarded as a crisis-proof store of value. Modern gold bars are stamped with the weight in grams, fineness and the manufacturer. However, a nominal value is not specified, as is usual for gold coins and silver coins.
Rare and historic gold bars make the eyes of numismatists and bar collectors shine. High bids are regularly made at auctions for gold finds, for example from sunken ships. These collectible bars - most of which are unique - are very expensive and their actual value is often extremely difficult to determine.
The price of marketable gold bars is based on the price of gold. The production costs of bars are lower than those of coins, which is why fine gold bars are usually cheaper than bullion coins. However, lower prices are paid for bars from manufacturers without a good delivery certificate.
From films, we are mainly familiar with the Good Delivery standard bars with a weight of 400oz, which corresponds to just under 12.5kg. These bars are mainly used by major banks and governments. Easily tradable LBMA bars, on the other hand, are investment bars made of gold in sizes between 1g and 1kg. While smaller "minted bars" are minted in a similar way to gold coins, larger bars - usually from 250g - are produced as cast bars.
Reputable manufacturers whose gold bars are bought by almost all banks and precious metal dealers worldwide at reasonable prices can be found on the London Bullion Market Association's (LBMA) "Good Delivery" list. These manufacturers are regularly inspected by an independent body and are repurchased by all banks worldwide.