Hobbies And Interests
Shape
Gold bullion is sold as gold bars or gold coins. They are identical except that bars are rectangular and coins are round.
Manufacturer
The entity that casts the gold bullion is identified on the surface. On gold bars, this is usually a company. On gold coins, it is usually a country's government mint.
Weight
The weight of the gold bullion is listed in either ounces or grams. The weight refers to the weight of the gold contained in the bullion and not the overall weight of the coin or bar.
Purity
The purity is listed as a decimal like .9999 pure, or in karats like 24K. Both of these are considered pure gold. If the gold bullion purity is not marked, it is 22K gold or 91.3 percent gold.
Date
The year a gold bullion coin is minted is usually stamped on it. Most gold bullion bars do not have dates.
Identification
Many gold bars have identification numbers stamped on them. Most gold coins do not.