Choosing the Right Gold Bar

Gold bars are available from 1 gram up to 1 kilo. But how do you choose the right gold bar? In this knowledge base article, we share a few tips.

LBMA-certified

It is important to choose an LBMA-certified gold bar. LBMA stands for London Bullion Market Association and is a leading trade association for the London gold and silver market, founded in 1877 by the Bank of England.

Producers that carry the LBMA seal, also known as the Good Delivery List, meet strict quality standards. This ensures that the gold you purchase has been sourced and refined legally and responsibly into a gold bar.

Reliable supplier

It is also important to buy your gold bars from a reliable supplier. Nowadays, buying gold online is perfectly possible and often even safer, as it allows you to more easily verify who you are doing business with.

Always make sure to check the credibility of the supplier. For example, The Silver Mountain is licensed by the AFM (the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets) and has been extensively reviewed on Trustpilot. In addition, The Silver Mountain only sells gold and silver from recognized mints and refineries. This guarantees that The Silver Mountain is a trustworthy address. If you come across a webshop with few reviews or without a license, this can be a red flag.

Which gold bar to choose?

So, which gold bar should you choose? This largely depends on your budget. Buying a smaller gold bar has the advantage of a lower purchase price, but the price per gram is higher. For example, a 1-gram gold bar from C. Hafner at The Silver Mountain cost around €127 in early September 2025, of which the metal value was €97.55 and the premium €29.45.

A 100-gram gold bar from C. Hafner, on the other hand, costs €9,950, but the price per gram is only €99.50, and the total premium for 100 grams is €195.80. This means you pay just €1.96 premium per gram, compared to €29.45 per gram for a 1-gram bar. Buying a larger gold bar is therefore usually more cost-effective.

Which refinery to choose for your gold bar?

There is also a choice between different refineries. Well-known refineries include C. Hafner and Umicore, with Umicore placing strong emphasis on sustainable and recycled gold bars. Other refineries, such as Valcambi or PAMP Suisse, are slightly less common but still well-regarded, LBMA-certified, and, of course, made from 99.99% pure gold.

If you value easy resale, it is wise to choose gold bars from the most common refineries. This gives you the best chance of quickly selling your gold bar again.

Choosing between gold bars or silver bars?

Instead of gold bars, you may also choose to buy silver bars. The advantage of silver bars is that the silver price is lower, and silver is often seen as somewhat undervalued compared to gold. There is a chance that silver may rise more than gold in the coming years, as the gold price is already relatively high.

On the other hand, silver bars are subject to 21% VAT, whereas gold is exempt. Silver bars also typically require a larger safe for storage. Whether you prefer silver or gold bars is ultimately up to you, but in our opinion, some diversification of your assets certainly doesn’t hurt.

Summary: which gold bar to buy?

Which gold bar you should buy depends on your personal situation, and The Silver Mountain cannot provide individual investment advice. However, it is wise to pay attention to certification and tradability of the gold bar, and always buy from a reliable supplier. In general, it is more cost-effective to invest a larger amount at once, as this allows you to save on premiums and transaction costs.

Are you curious about our range of gold bars? The Silver Mountain has a wide selection of gold bars in stock from recognized suppliers, ranging from 1 gram to 1 kilo. You can view our assortment here.

Disclaimer: The Silver Mountain does not provide investment advice and this article should not be considered as such. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.