Gold bar
Abundance Gold is extremely rare. All of the gold that has been refined by now - an estimated 153.000 tons - could be placed in a cube measuring 20 meters on a side.
Bars Gold bars come in a variety of forms, sizes and weights. Private investors can buy bars in sizes up to 1 kg. The advantages with larger bars - also compared to coins - is the smaller premium, that has to be paid above the current spot price.
Coins There is a variety of bullion coins issued by mints worldwide. Common bullion coins are Krugerrand (South Africa), Maple Leaf (Canada), Brittania (UK) and American Eagle (USA). See our section » Gold Coins for further information.
Dealers The best way to buy gold is through specialized dealers with good reputation. There are also banks, coin clubs, auctions and private sellers who offer gold. Bars can also be purchased at mints or affineries. Important: compare offers and prices.
EFT Gold EFTs are exchange traded funds with gold being the principle and only commodity being traded. Each share you buy is physically backed with gold.
Fixing Since the 18th Century the gold price is fixed formally twice a day at the London Bullion Market by a group of bankers (Londong Fixing), although the gold price then changes by the hour and moves depending on various influences and perceptions of the value of gold.
Gold Markets Basically there are five major gold markets around the globe: New York, London (Bullion Market), Hong Kong, Zürich and Sydney. As a matter of fact gold can be traded around the clock, more or less.
HUI-Index Also know as The Amex Gold Bugs (Basket of Unhedged Gold Stocks) Index. It represents a portfolio of 13 major gold mining companies, that do not hedge their gold production beyond 1 1/2 years.
India This country is by far the largest importer of gold, accounting for 35 percent of global investment in gold.
Jewellry At present, jewellry accounts for around 63 percent of global gold demand.
Krugerrand South African gold coin. First bullion coin to be tenderable at the market value of its face gold content. It was first minted in 1967. For detailed coin images, also see our » gold gallery!
Legal Gold During a period of 40 years, private ownership of bullion by U.S. citizens was banned. In January 1974 ist was legalized again.
Melting Point Gold has a melting point of 1064 degrees celsius. The boiling point is 2808 centigrade. Gold is a soft metal and very malleable compared to other metals.
Nuggets Gold nuggets are usually found above ground, not in mines. There are a good buy and increase in value because of the history and romance attached to them.
Ounce Short for "troy ounce". The term is used to express the mass of precious metals such as gold ans silver. Equals to exactly 31.1034768 grams.
Premium Mark up over the spot price when you buy coins or bars. It takes cost of the manufacture, the shipping, the insurance, the dealers expenses and profit margin into account.
Quality 24 Karat (or 9999) gold is the purest gold you can get in gold bullion, bars coins or gold jewelry.
Resistance Gold is not reacting to oxygen, resistant to corrosion or water. Gold does not tarnish. It does not cause reactions on skin for the majority of people.
Scrap gold Any products that are made of gold or include gold in its manufacture. E.g.: bent or broken jewelry, bracelets or chains that are inextricably tangle, casting gold and grain or even computer mother boards, electronic boards, old cell phones. The gold can be recovered and sold.
Testers There are several methods of testing the purity of gold. Some tests consist of acids which you can purchase for that purpose. Electronic testers can be easily found by searching the internet. Take a look at ebay.
Usage Jewelry is still the most common practical use for gold. Apart from that: its being a reflective shield used in spacecraft, for tooth fillings and other dentistry needs. Gold serves as a versatile and safe conductor for electricity and as a semiconductor for computers and other fancy equipment.
Vienna Philharmonic
Vienna Philharmonic Austrian Gold Coin with 9999 or 24 Karat purity
World Record The largest bullion gold coin can be found » here: Its weight is 100 kg, worth around 2 million Euros.
XAU Currency code under the ISO 4217 standard, denominating one troy ounce of gold. Also: Symbol for the Philadelphia Gold and Silver Index, an index of precious metal mining company stocks, that are traded on the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.
Yield In 2007 estimated gold production from mining was 2.415 tons worldwide, compared to a total in gold demand of 3.722 tons.
Zero Unlike most other investment classes and regardless of very volatile trading periodes, physical gold can never be worth zero. Mining the precious metals alone means, there has been put afford in its existence, that is at least worth the digging cost.