Best Gold Bars to Buy For Investment

Updated July 22, 2024

Are you looking to purchase gold bars as a means of diversifying your investment portfolio or guarding yourself against economic uncertainty? Good idea. Unfortunately, buying gold bars isn't like going to the grocery store and picking up an item. Like any other precious item out there, gold is no stranger to scams – and you don’t want to fall prey to those!

This guide explores the best gold bars to buy from reputable mints and refiners across the globe. Each brand incorporates its gold bars with unique heritage, craftsmanship and innovativeness. We also give comprehensive insights into why you should invest in gold bars, the selection criteria and the associated risks.

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Top 10 Best Gold Bars to Buy in 2024

Here are our top picks;

  • Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bars
  • PAMP Suisse Gold Bars
  • Credit Suisse Gold Bars
  • Valcambi Gold Bars
  • Australian Perth Mint Gold Bars
  • Asahi Refining Gold Bars
  • Sunshine Mint Gold Bars
  • Argor Heraeus Gold Bars
  • Rand Refinery Elephant Gold Bars
  • Britannia Gold Bars

1. Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bars


Many investors globally recognize these gold bars because of their purity, quality, and security. On the front, each bar features the weight, purity and the Canadian Mint logo. These bars are available in 1g to 1kg weights and have a gold purity of 99.99%, which meets the IRA standards. 

The mint goes the extra mile by using innovative security features on gold bars with distinctive radial line patterns. There's also a maple leaf engraved on the obverse side that can only be viewed under magnification. Moreover, you can scan the barcode on the packaging to verify that the gold bars are authentic. These features make the bars unique and prevent risks of counterfeits.

2. PAMP Suisse Gold Bars


PAMP Suisse is a global manufacturer of precious metals based in Switzerland. PAMP Suisse gold bars are made of 99.99% pure gold and are available in various weights from 1g to 12.5 kg. However, the 1 Oz and 10 Oz PAMP Suisse gold bars are the most popular among traders. 

The PAMP Fortuna 1 Oz Gold bar is the most traded and is uniquely crafted with 999.9 pure gold. On the front, the bar displays a blindfolded Lady Fortuna statue. The reverse side bears the purity, weight and PAMP logo. Each bar has a designated serial number and is packed in tamper-free casing.

3. Credit Suisse Gold Bars


Credit Suisse gold bars are products of PAMP manufacturers, a world-renowned company for precious metals. The bars have a simplistic look, and each can be identified by a serial number. The bars are approved for IRA investing as they fit the .9999 gold fineness and have received global recognition for their liquidity.

Credit Suisse gold bars range from 1g to 1 kg to suit different investor needs. The bars feature the mint's logo, purity and weight. The bars are sealed in protective tamper-proof casing and have an assay certificate. Credit Suisse gold bars offer a mixture of quality and elegant design at low premiums, which explains why they are sought after by many investors.

4. Valcambi Gold Bars


Valcambi gold bars were initially released in 2011 and featured a unique and innovative design. Valcambi gold bars are available in multiple sizes: 5gm, 1 troy ounce, 20gm, 50gm, 100gm and 1kg. You can break the 50-gm bar into 50 similar 1-gram bars for more diversity and easy storage. Every bar has a unique identifying number and comes sealed in PETG wrapping. 

One thing most investors love about Valcambi Gold Combibar is the mint's extra customization option on either side of the bar upon prior request. This is if the bar's design conforms to Swiss customs. Furthermore, investors can get customized packaging solutions and individual assay certificates. 

Each Valcambi bar bears the mint's logo, purity percentage and weight. The bars have a gold purity standard of .9999, thus IRA eligible. For example, the 1 Oz Valcambi gold bar features a serial number, logo, purity and weight on its obverse side. The bar has a simplistic look on its reverse side, featuring only the mint's full name.

5. Australian Perth Mint Gold Bars


Perth Mint is one of the oldest mints in Australia and a reputable gold bars producer worldwide. Its gold bars are available in sizes ranging from 1 gram to 1 kg. Most traded sizes are 1 Oz and 10 Oz bars. On the obverse, the bars feature the purity, weight and Perth Mint logo. The reverse side of the Perth Mint gold bar has a repetitive pattern of a kangaroo, Australia's national icon.

Each bar is sold in tamper-proof packaging and comes sealed in a plastic bag containing an assay certificate and serial number. This is enough clarification of the bar's authenticity and purity. As an extra security feature, the packaging has a barcode that you can scan to verify that the gold bar is from the Australian Perth Mint.

6. Asahi Refining Gold Bars


Asahi refining incorporates its two centuries of experience with top-notch technology to make its Asahi gold bars. Asahi Refining gold bars have 99.99% pure gold, which assures investors of their high quality. Moreover, their gold bars are in a protective plastic casing that retains their value and includes an assay card for authenticity. 

The obverse side of the Asahi gold bars displays the Asahi logo, purity, serial number, weight, and material composition. These gold bars are offered in multiple designs and weights to appease different buyers. The Asahi 1 Oz gold bar stands out from other sizes since it's the most bought.

7. Sunshine Mint Gold Bars


Sunshine Mint is a world-renowned manufacturer of precious metals like silver and gold. The gold bars are made from .9999 fine gold. The bars have an aesthetic design and feature an assay card for authenticity. Their obverse side features the Sunshine Minting logo, which includes an eagle that wants to land, leaving the sun behind it. The front also indicates the purity level and weight. 

Other security features that set the bars aside are Mint Mark SI and the repetitive mint logo on the center of the reverse side. These extra security features on Sunshine Mint gold bars assure investors of their legitimacy. Lastly, the Sunshine Mint produces gold bars of different sizes, from 1g to 10 ounces.

8. Argor Heraeus Gold Bars


Argor Heraeus is a key manufacturer and supplier of precious metals. The availability of its gold bars in weight ranging from 1g to 1kg makes it a best fit for both small and large-scale investors. These gold bars feature the mint's logo, with an inscription 'Switzerland', meaning the country of origin, purity, and weight on the front.

The reverse side has a repetitive company logo pattern. Each gold bar is packaged in a unique tamper-proof assay card that still details the purity, weight and signature of the Chief Assayer to help prove its authenticity. The bars have a gold purity of 99.99%, hence making them IRA-eligible.

9. Rand Refinery Elephant Gold Bars


Rand Refinery is the world's top gold producer based in South Africa. The company's Rand Refinery Elephant gold bars are available from 2g to 100g to suit different customer preferences. Each bar has critical information like the refiner's logo, metal purity content, unique serial number and weight. 

The 1 Oz Elephant Gold bar is one of its valued products. Its obverse side displays the logo, an AU 999.9 1 Oz inscription and a serial number. On the reverse is an inscription of the fabulous South African elephants. Each bar is uniquely crafted with an elegant design and refined edges to form an ingot-style artistic work.

10. Britannia Gold Bars


The Royal Mint, the manufacturer of Britannia gold bars, is highly known for producing beautifully crafted and pure quality gold bars. The Mint's long-stunning manufacturing history and reliability in precious metals make it a favorite of many investors. Britannia gold bars come in different sizes: 1g to 100 Oz.

The obverse side of the Britannia gold bar is engraved with a stylish forward-facing Britannia holding a trident and shield, contemplated by a wave design in the background. On the reverse side, the bar displays the Royal Mint's logo and additional details like the unique serial number, weight, and fineness percentage.

No matter the size, each bar comes in Britannia-branded blister-free packaging and a blue assay card for added safety. The 1 Oz Britannia Mint gold bar contains 999.9 fine gold.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Gold Bars

When choosing gold bars for your investment portfolio, you should examine your investment potential, risk tolerance and overall financial goals. The following are the key factors to use in your selection of gold bars;

  • Purity - Gold bars for investment should have a purity of 99.5% or higher. If you buy gold bars for storage in an IRA precious metals account, they should have a purity of 99.99%. As you can see, all the above gold bars meet IRA-approved rates for gold storage.
  • Weight and cost - Gold bars are available in different weights and sizes. The weight of a gold bar should relate to its value. You can't expect a 500g gold bar to be less expensive than a 100g bar; this will raise fears about its authenticity. However, many choose gold bars with lower premiums because this helps reduce costs.
  • Manufacturer - Don't just buy gold from any supplier you find online. You fall victim to counterfeit bars. Instead, you should get gold bars from reputable and internationally recognized brands like the one outlined herein.
  • Storage - Before buying gold, you should have determined how to store it properly. Always store gold in a safe and secure location to guard them against damage or theft. Using insured vaults or IRA-approved depositories would be best, although you should consider the storage costs.
  • Liquidity - While your sole purpose for now may be buying gold bars, you will need to sell them for liquidation at some point in the future. Some gold can be easy to sell, while others may take time. The liquidity of gold bars may also vary depending on their weight, purity, size and general market demand.

Why Should You Choose to Invest in Gold Bars?

Investing in gold bars is best done when you have evaluated how it will fit into your financial plans. Here are some reasons to guide you;

  • Hedging against inflation - The value of gold has been on an upward curve for many years and is expected to remain so. An increase in commodity prices equally decreases the dollar's purchasing power, which equally affects mutual funds like stocks and bonds. On the contrary, the prices of gold may be constant or increase during inflation; thus, it is a viable investment tool.
  • Diversification - Diversification of your investment portfolio in both paper, paperless and physical precious metals helps to mitigate risks and returns. Gold bars' prices are typically unaffected by economic uncertainty or other asset price fluctuations. Having gold in your investment portfolio arsenal smoothens its returns and reduces overall risks.
  • Low premiums - The prices of gold bars are slightly lower than coins. This is because not more effort is put into their refining as they don't need to be appealing like gold coins.

The Drawbacks of Investing in Gold Bars

  • Complexity - Learning the ropes might take some time if you are new in the precious metals investment field. It's not all about choosing gold rather than investing in bonds and stocks, which bring more profit. It would help if you considered cash flow, risks, taxes, storage fees, etc. 
  • Performance over time - Although gold bars can outperform other asset classes during some periods, they may fail to hold up for long-term price increases. Therefore, if you plan for retirement, you should consider not investing much money in gold. You may hold back the long-term profits you could have easily acquired with bonds or stocks. 
  • Storage costs - Gold is a valuable asset that should be securely stored to prevent risks of damage or theft. You will incur storage charges and insurance costs if you store your gold bars or coins with a storage company rather than at home. Remember that cold bars will occupy more storage space than gold coins, thus making them more expensive. 
  • No income stream - Investing in physical gold doesn't provide an income stream as it pays no dividends. This is unlike other investments in listed assets in the financial market, which can provide passive income and significantly affect your portfolio performance.

Conclusion

It doesn't matter if you are new to the gold bars market or are a veteran investor interested in expanding your precious metals collection. The above list details the best gold bars to buy from world-trusted mints that guarantee value for your money. Investing in either of these can go a long way in providing you with the stability and diversity you need as part of longterm financial planning.

Jerry Garnes

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About the Author

Jerry Garnes is a seasoned writer in personal finance. His informative and insightful pieces have been featured by esteemed platforms like Bankrate, The Street, and Business Insider. In addition to his financial expertise, Jerry is a passionate poet and musician with a deep love for nature.

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