Gold bars are one of the most straightforward and reliable ways to invest in precious metals.
Favored by investors for their purity, value, and efficiency in storing wealth, gold bars typically come in a wide range of sizes—from small 1-gram bars to large 1-kilogram or even bigger options.
Un gold jewelry or coins, bars are often sold with lower premiums over the spot price, making them a cost-effective choice for those looking to maximize their investment.
Before buying, however, it’s important to understand where to purchase authentic bars, how to verify their quality, and what storage options are best to keep your investment safe.Table of ContentsSteps for How to Buy Gold Bars Today1.
Decide Where to Buy Gold2. Register With the Gold RetailerSee All 12 Items250-gram gold bar. Source Valcambi.Steps for How to Buy Gold Bars Today these steps to start in gold bars.1.
Decide Where to Buy GoldBefore you buy your gold bars, make sure that you re which dealers specialize in selling gold bullion, and deal only with reputable dealers with lots of positive client s.
You may also want a dealer with a straightforward buyback policy and responsive support staff.Make sure that any gold bars you purchase have a recognizable hallmark and the appriate stamping.
These features help ensure that you're buying an authentic gold bar.
While some private mints also duce gold bars, many don't include a hallmark or other markings, so you can't be sure of the purity of such gold bars.Remember these important factors when selecting a bullion dealer to buy gold bars.Reputation: A dealer's reputation with its clients can be inferred by social media s and reviews left at sites Trustpilot.
You'll also want to check if the company has received awards or industry recognition for its services.
Steer of dealers with numerous client complaints and companies that try to sell you overpriced gold ducts.Buyback Policy: Reputable dealers tend to have a buyback policy for their clients.
This feature ensures you have a buyer for your bars if you decide to sell.
Dealers with a buyback policy also typically give their clients a decent resale price.Dery: For bulk gold purchases, bullion dealers that offer a flat dery rate would ly be your cheapest option.
Bullion dealers will typically not ship gold to you until all payments have ed, so that would increase the amount of time for dery.Customer Support: Bullion dealers generally have a toll-free telephone number and a chat option on their website.
A good dealer will also have an order tracking and tracing service and will ship gold with per insurance. Support can be extremely important in case an issue arises with your order.2.
Register With the Gold RetailerSince most U.S. banks that sell gold will only deal in federally minted bullion coins, the best places to buy gold bars are typically local and online bullion dealers.
Some of the best gold brokers are Advantage Gold, American Hartford Gold, JM Bullion, and AMPEX. Scroll down to find a more expansive list.
Other methods of acquiring gold bars include online eBay auctions and Gold-to-Go automatic teller machines (ATMs).Such ATM gold vending machines can be found in cities Dubai and Las Vegas, although make sure you know gold's prevailing market value since these machines often charge a substantial premium over the spot bullion price.
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Select the Gold Alloy TypeIf you want to purchase gold bars, you will generally want to invest only in 99.9% pure gold bars rather than buying gold alloy bars where the gold is mixed with other metals.
Once you've selected a reputable source for buying gold bars, you'll need to decide if you want a cast, minted, or CombiBar.While each type consists of investment-grade gold, they have different characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages:CastAlso referred to as poured and molded, these types of gold bars are cast into a special mold that assures the appriate weight and size.
This cess dates back to the 4th century B.C. in China.
Cast bars tend to have a more rugged appearance and are typically labeled with a simple engraving describing the details of the bar and its manufacturer.
Due to the economic efficiency of this cess, cast bars are generally the least expensive to invest in.MintedThese are the type of bars you might find at Fort Knox.
They have a slick, smooth, and shiny appearance and are the most common gold bars.
The nice finish on these bars makes them more expensive than traditional cast bars and often easier to sell because they tend to be .
They also come securely packaged and may lose value if you open the package.CombiBarThe CombiBar is the size of a credit card and weighs 50 grams.
It is usually the most expensive bar type and has a purity of 99.9% gold. Each bar can be broken down into 1-gram pieces manually, which can be useful if you need to use your gold as currency.4.
Pay for Your GoldBuying gold bars from a reputable online or local bullion dealer requires selecting the bars you wish to purchase by weight, quantity, and price.
After making your selection, you put the gold bars in your cart, select a payment method, enter your mailing address to receive the shipment, pay for the order online, and check out.Paying for your gold bars from an online bullion dealer typically involves payment via credit/debit card, bank wire, PayPal, or eCheck.
Some bullion dealers have recently begun accepting select cryptocurrencies for payment as well. Gold-to-Go ATMs accept cash as well as credit and debit cards.
If you buy gold bars from eBay or other online auction sites, you would have to pay using a method acceptable to the seller.5.
Trade Your GoldAlthough gold bars can be traded, buying gold bars as an investment generally makes more sense than considering them a tradable asset.Even with a decent buyback policy from your bullion dealer, trading spot gold via an online forex broker would generally be far less cumbersome than trading physical gold.
Buying and selling gold bars involves insured shipping, receiving, and physically transporting these valuable items, and could present a theft risk.On the bright side, because of the high purity and standardized nature of gold bars, finding a buyer for your gold is generally not difficult.
If you decide to sell your bars, make sure you ship them through an insured dery service using its tracking/tracing capabilities.Valcambi CombiBar with $100 bill behind.
Source: YouTubeImportance of Gold Bar Size Gold bars of different denominations, hallmarks, and stamps.
Source: gold-bars-blogWhile gold bullion coins generally come in troy ounce denominations, gold bars are typically weighed in grams and can be purchased in denominations of 1 gram to 1 kilogram, although you can also find 1 troy ounce size bars that weigh 31.1035 grams (slightly more than the avoirdupois ounce used for measuring food and liquids).For larger gold purchases, the standard gold bar is known as the Good Dery bar since it can be dered into gold futures contracts and weighs 12.5 kilograms or 27.5 pounds.Currently, gold is priced at $3,685.78 per ounce or $118.5 per gram.
If you plan on selling portions of your gold investment in the future, you might want to consider buying a 50- or 100-gram CombiBar since they can easily be broken up into 1-gram pieces by hand.
A larger bar size would bably make more sense for long-term and bulk investments.Gold Bar Authentication and CertificationGold bars typically come with an assay card or certificate, while most coin purchases and other types of gold purchases come with a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA).
Assays can be ed on a card or a certificate and should contain all the pertinent information for the gold bar, such as authenticity, purity, and weight.Assays also include a seal and vide a serial number for the bar, which gives you further of of its authenticity and integrity.
The assay also generally vides a mark of the mint where the bar originated.Compare Gold BrokersNow that you know how to buy gold bars, you need to choose the best gold broker for you.
Finding the right broker for your needs to make gold bar purchases does not have to be difficult. Check out our picks for the best brokers to buy gold bars by reviewing this list.
All these picks offer direct dery and IRA purchases, so if you want the tax benefits of an IRA, any of these brokers would be a great choice.
American Hartford Gold Group ReviewBest For:Gold IRAs with On Going motions VIEW S & CONS:securely through American Hartford Gold's websiteGet Started with American Hartford Gold GroupAugusta Precious Metals ReviewBest For:Gold IRAVIEW S & CONS:securely through Augusta Precious Metals's websiteGet Started with Augusta Precious MetalsPreserve Gold ReviewBest For:Experienced Precious Metals InvestorsVIEW S & CONS:securely through Preserve Gold's websiteGet Started with Preserve GoldPriority Gold ReviewBest For:Precious Metals and CoinsVIEW S & CONS:securely through Priority Gold's websiteGet Started with Priority GoldIs it Better to Buy Gold Bars or Coins?If you plan on making a large gold investment, buying cast or mint gold bars would bably make more sense than buying coins.
Coins were once easier to use as currency than bars, but the new CombiBar and the availability of small-denomination bars mean gold bars can be just as usable as gold coins.Cast bars represent the cheapest option per gram for a gold bar and are often preferred by bulk gold collectors because they are the traditional gold bar.
Minted bars cost extra, but some investors prefer their nicer finish, while the CombiBar's ability to be broken down into 1-gram pieces makes it the best choice for those who might want to use gold as a currency.Hedge Against Inflation with Gold Investments in gold bars can help diversify your portfolio and safeguard against inflation.
Make sure to buy from a trusted dealer and verify the bars' authenticity. Deciding between cast, minted, or CombiBars depends on your personal preference. Consider different payment options.
Gold bars are typically a long-term investment, with smaller bars offering flexibility and larger bars being suited for bulk investments.Frequently Asked QuestionsQHow much does 1 bar of gold cost?A The cost of 1 gold bar depends on its weight and the current gold price.
For example, a standard 1-kilogram gold bar ( 32.15 ounces) typically costs around $70,000–$75,000 at today’s prices, while smaller bars 1-ounce bars cost roughly $2,200–$2,300.
QCan you buy gold bars at a bank?AWhile some banks do offer gold bullion for sale, it is not a common practice and can vary from one bank to another.
QWhat is the best way to buy gold bars?A The best way to buy gold bars is through reputable dealers, banks, or trusted online platforms, ensuring they come with a certificate of authenticity.
Stick to well-known mints, compare premiums over spot price, and consider secure storage options a vault or bank safe deposit box.