Best Gold Bars to Buy

Picking the right gold bar for your collection can be tricky. In addition to the world’s most famous government mints, collectors also have to choose from hundreds of private mints. Every mint has something to offer, but you aren’t just looking for a basic, pure gold bar. Smart investors consider potential resale value, premium costs, and a number of additional factors as they search for the best gold bars to buy. 

Luckily, you’ve always got the Bullion Academy on your side. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the best gold bars to buy. We’ll walk readers through some of the world’s most beautiful, fine, and collectable gold bars. We won’t throw you straight into a list of excellent bullion bars, though. Let’s start by diving into some important factors every collector should consider when buying gold bars for their precious metal portfolio. 

Factors to Consider When Buying Gold Bars

There are three main factors that you should keep in mind when buying gold bars. Whether you’re buying bulk gold bars from a small private mint or just one gold bar from the British Royal Mint, these three considerations should guide your investment process. Below, we’ll discuss how purity and fineness, weight and size options, and brand recognition should influence your choice when looking for the best gold bars to buy. 

Purity and Fineness

People buy gold bars primarily for purity. Unlike gold coins, which come with high purity but an equally high premium over spot, gold bars are generally sold at a price very close to their value in gold. Because of this, smart investors will try to buy the purest gold bars possible. 

Most of the best gold bars to buy will include .9999 pure gold. This is about as fine as it gets; a bar with higher purity than .9999 will run the risk of being damaged during shipping, as this level of fineness makes the bars a bit too malleable to be handled. While purer bars might exist, we consider .9999 fineness to be the standard for quality gold bars. 

Weight and Size Options

What is the best size gold bar to buy? This is a common question, and our answer is pretty simple: it depends on your own investment objectives. When you purchase large quantities of gold bullion at a time, you’re getting more gold for your money. Most reputable dealers will provide higher discounts on premiums if you buy larger denominations. But these larger sizes come with a disadvantage, too. If you ever need to sell a gold bar quickly, having all of your money in one large bar may be inconvenient. 

Some investors prefer smaller gold bar denominations because they have higher liquidity and may be easier to quickly sell in the case of an emergency. 

Recognized and Reputable Brands

Brand reputation is still important when you search for the best gold bars to buy. While most mints producing gold bars will offer similar purity and weight standards, the reputation of a manufacturer can make quite the difference when it’s time to sell your gold bar. A highly recognizable gold bar from a famous mint is likely to sell faster than a basic bar from an unknown private distributor. 

Best Gold Bars to Buy

Now that you know some of the most important factors to consider when buying gold bars, let’s run through some of the best gold bars to buy. As always, we weren’t able to include all of our favorites in this section; these are just a few of the best gold bars to buy offered on the Hero Bullion website. 

Popular International Gold Bars

If you’re an American, most of the gold bars in this guide are going to be international. Below, we’re outlining two of our favorite international gold bars: PAMP Suisse Gold Bars and Perth Mint Gold Bars. These bars come with an exceptional reputation among collectors and are sure to maintain resale value over time. 

PAMP Suisse Gold Bars

PAMP Suisse is a dominating force in the gold bar market for a reason. Their 1 oz gold bar is beautiful and features intricate designs on both the reverse and obverse. On the front of the bar, you’ll note the PAMP logo, as well as the weight, purity (.9999), and material of the piece. These details are set against a beautiful light-refracting micro-engraving, giving the gold bar a unique look and feel.

This trademark background design is also featured on the reverse, where you’ll find the mint’s stamp and the unique serial number of your bar. Each PAMP Suisse Gold Bar also comes with its own assay card, adding another layer of security to one of the best gold bars to buy on the market. 

Perth Mint Gold Bars

The Perth Mint’s reputation seems to precede any bullion product it releases. Their Perth Mint Gold 1 oz Bar is no exception. Featuring .9999 pure gold bullion and a beautiful selection of designs, the piece remains a favorite for gold bullion stackers around the world. 

The obverse of the bar includes the Perth Mint’s logo, which itself features a swan and the inscriptions “The Perth Mint” and “Australia.” The swan is rendered in unprecedented detail and stands out against the dark coloration behind it on the seal. The purity, material, and weight are also featured on the obverse.

From a design perspective, the reverse of Perth’s gold bar helps cement its reputation as one of the best gold bars to buy. Invoking another classic symbol from Australia’s cultural identity, it shows off with a repeating kangaroo design and nothing else on the reverse. We love the look and feel of this gold bar, and the adorable repeating kangaroo is certainly a plus. 

Certified Gold Bars

To be fair, many of the gold bars we sell at Hero Bullion come with certificates of authenticity. Below, we’ve included two of our favorite certified gold bars: Credit Suisse Gold Bars and Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bars. These are two of the best gold bars to buy, and we’re proud to offer them to our customers. 

Credit Suisse Gold Bars

Our Credit Suisse Gold Bars are some of the best gold bars to buy if you’re looking for a secure, authentic investment option. Minted with .9999 pure gold bullion, these bars offer both a beautiful design and high-tech security features. The reverse of this bar includes the mint name, “Credit Suisse,” in a repeating diagonal pattern, while the obverse features the mint logo, weight, and purity – along with your individualized serial number.

The tamper-evident assay packaging on each Credit Suisse Gold Bar helps cement its reputation as one of the best gold bars to buy. If you want security, these certified gold bars are about as good as it gets. 

Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bars

If we had to put the design philosophy of the RCM Gold 1 oz Bar into one word, it would be: regal. The simplistic but refined design philosophy employed by the Royal Canadian Mint has helped to make its products some of the best gold bars to buy in the world. The piece is minted with .9999 pure gold bullion. Its obverse features the detailed mint seal, complete with their logo, the name of the mint, and the French name of the RCM. You’ll also find the serial number, purity, material, and weight on this side of the bar.

Flipping the bar over, you’ll notice the same maple leaf logo repeating. Each side of the bar is struck against a textured pattern, allowing the designs to stand out even more. 

Investment-Grade Gold Bars

The gold bar below is generally considered one of the best gold bars to buy for investors interested in long-term value appreciation. Its manufacturing mint offers exceptional reputation, and the designs of these gold bars tend to speak for themselves. 

Valcambi Gold Bars

A simplistic, refined, and regal design characterizes the best gold bars to buy from Valcambi Suisse. This Swiss Mint has been a premier gold bar distributor for decades – and with good reason. The .9999 purity of this bar makes it a fantastic way for collectors to invest, while its design offers numismatic value. The obverse includes our bar’s weight, material, purity, and individual serial number. On the reverse, note a stamp of the manufacturing mint’s logo.

Considerations for Buying Gold Bars

Your investment journey doesn’t end once you’ve found the best gold bars to buy. Shopping around for the right price and taking steps to protect your investment through proper storage are tasks that every investor should know how to do. Below, we’ll discuss three important considerations for buying the best gold bars. 

Pricing and Premiums 

Cost is an important investment factor. Even collectors with substantial budgets should shop around to try and find the best possible prices. After all, lower premiums mean more profit later down the road when you finally sell your gold bullion bar. Precious metal premiums are fees added to the total cost of a bullion product. To figure out the total cost of your gold bar, add the premium of the product to its current gold melt value. 

We recommend looking through multiple different dealers before deciding on one to buy your gold bar from. Some dealers may have special arrangements with mints to help cut down on costs, and these savings might be kicked to buyers. 

Storage and Security

Storing your gold bars properly is an essential part of the investment process. If you fail to safely store and protect your investment, you can expect it to lose significant value over time. Remember: your precious metal investment is your future, and keeping it safe is one way to make sure you’re able to sell for a profit later on. 

Store gold bars in a cool, dry place. Because gold is so expensive, it’s probably worth investing in a safe as soon as you buy your first gold bar. Whether you’re purchasing the best gold bars to buy or just collecting small, basic gold bars, a well-developed storage philosophy is the key to maintaining your investment’s value. 

Larger stocks of silver might require a bit of extra work. You can inquire with local banks and mints to see if they might allow you to store your gold with them. Professional storage can give you an added layer of security, protecting your investment against virtually any risk of theft, damage, or disaster.

Market Liquidity and Resale Potential

Is it the right time to buy gold bars? Carefully watch the spot price of gold to figure out if now is a good moment to purchase gold bullion. Resale potential for gold bars is generally pretty high, but can vary based on the weight and type of gold bar you want to sell. The best gold bars to buy come from mints with high reputations, which makes these gold bars easier to sell down the line. 

Where to Buy Gold Bars

Where can you find the best gold bars to buy? Doing business with reputable dealers can help you save on premiums and retain significant peace of mind throughout the purchasing process. We recommend buying from authorized bullion dealers; large distributors like Hero Bullion offer wide product selections and competitive prices. 

Authorized Bullion Dealers

Hero Bullion is an authorized dealer of gold bullion. Our expansive selection of gold products includes the best gold bars to buy in the world, and we pride ourselves on an impeccable customer service experience. 

Online Bullion Marketplaces

Online marketplaces may also be a good place to find the best gold bars to buy. Some online marketplaces may list gold bars at a significant discount, making them excellent options for consumers buying on a budget. 

If you choose to buy from an online bullion marketplace, be sure to vet your dealer by reading online reviews. After all, the last thing you want is to be sold a bad bullion product or tricked with an unfair price. 

Final Thoughts: Best Gold Bars to Buy

We hope our guide to the best gold bars to buy helped you learn more about the world’s gold bullion bars. As always, we want you to be as informed as possible before making your first – or hundredth – bullion purchase. Please feel free to reach out to our customer support team with any questions you might still have about buying gold, silver, or platinum bullion items.