Published 2 June 2026
Minted bars versus cast bars
Investment gold bars come in two production styles. A minted bar is pressed or stamped from a blank, then milled at the edges and serial-stamped. The faces are smooth, the corners are sharp, the design is crisp. A cast bar is poured into a mould and allowed to cool. The faces are rougher, the corners are softer and the surface often shows tiny shrinkage marks. Both are equally pure gold. Most modern bars under 100 grams are minted. Larger bars from 250 grams upward are usually cast.
Minted bars are almost always sold blister-packed inside a tamper-evident assay card with the serial number printed on the card to match the bar. Cast bars are sometimes loose with a paper certificate, sometimes in a hard plastic capsule, sometimes in a wooden box.
LBMA Good Delivery and recognised refiners
The London Bullion Market Association maintains the Good Delivery List of refiners whose bars are accepted in the international wholesale market without re-assay. PAMP Suisse, Metalor, Argor-Heraeus, Valcambi, Umicore, the Perth Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, Heraeus and Johnson Matthey are some of the names on that list. A bar from a Good Delivery refiner is easier to verify and easier to value because every step of its production is documented and tracked.
Bars from non-listed refiners are still sellable, but they may need a more thorough XRF and density check before any offer is firm. The discount, if any, is small for well-known non-LBMA brands and can be larger for obscure ones.
How condition affects the offer
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market. For bars, the inputs are weight, XRF reading, refiner brand, assay card condition and physical condition. A clean bar in a sealed card sells closest to the wholesale offer. A bar removed from its card sells slightly under. A bar with stamp damage or unauthorised re-engraving sells noticeably under because some buyers will only accept it after re-assay.
A scratch on the face does not change the gold content. It can still affect how the bar trades downstream, especially if the serial stamp is partly obscured. We will tell you in the written valuation if condition has been a factor.
Posting bars safely
- WhatsApp clear photos of the bar (both faces), the assay card serial and any presentation box to 07763 741067.
- Receive your shape-of-offer reply and prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label.
- Leave the bar inside its sealed assay card. Do not break the tamper seal yourself.
- Wrap the card in bubble wrap or a small padded sleeve.
- Pack inside a rigid box rather than a soft envelope so the corners of the card stay sharp.
- Drop off at a Post Office counter and forward the tracking number on WhatsApp.
Sizes commonly traded in the UK
Bars traded in the UK private market typically come in 1 gram, 2.5 gram, 5 gram, 10 gram, 20 gram, one ounce, 50 gram, 100 gram, 250 gram, 500 gram and one kilo sizes. Smaller bars carry a higher premium when bought new and trade closer to bullion when resold. Larger bars trade closest to wholesale. We accept all sizes. There is no minimum and no maximum.
Insurance, decline and payment
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. A bar above that figure (typically over a 50g bar at current prices) needs to be split across more than one shipment or covered separately. Tell us before you ship and we will arrange the right cover. Accept and Faster Payments leaves the same working day. Decline and the bar comes back to you by tracked post at our cost.
Common questions
Do you buy bars without the assay card?
Yes. The offer may be slightly lower because we cannot verify the original packaging.
Are LBMA bars worth more than other bars?
They are easier to verify and trade closest to wholesale. Non-LBMA bars are still saleable.
What if my bar has been broken out of its card?
Send it as it is. Do not try to reseal the card. We will value it on its merits.
Is my bar insured in the post?
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. Larger bars need more than one label or separate arrangement.
Will the XRF damage the bar?
No. XRF is a non-destructive surface test. Nothing is scratched, drilled or scraped.
Do you buy 1 gram bars?
Yes. Small bars are welcome.
When am I paid?
On the working day you accept the written valuation, by Faster Payments.
Can I come to a shop?
No. The service is by post, UK-wide.