The 5.8064 gram gold bar is one of the smallest gold bars. At first glance, its strange weight is based on the definition of a currency unit in the Latin Monetary Union. In this union, ten currency units equalled 5.8064 grams. It therefore contains the same amount of gold as a 20-franc gold Vreneli. It is not cast, but produced as a gold disc. It is usually sealed in plastic together with its certificate. This 5.8064 gram gold bar is only produced and traded in Switzerland and is rather rare.
Who produces gold bars with holograms?
Only the LBMA-certified Argor-Heraeus refinery in Ticino currently produces gold bars decorated with holograms using a patented technique. These patented holograms are known as kinegrams, which is why the gold bars decorated in this way are marketed as kinebars.
Argor-Heraeus also produces Kinebars with logos or special images of dealers such as UBS or the Austrian Mint.
How gold bars are produced
In a first step, gold is refined to a fineness of 999.9. Then the bar is produced.
As bars with holograms are only produced up to 100 g and a very flat plane is required for the hologram, all bars are punched. In this process, a bar or strand is first formed into a long gold strip, which is already close to the dimensions of the future bar in terms of both width and thickness. Then, correspondingly heavy gold plates are punched out of this gold strip, which are subsequently embossed with the product and manufacturer logos. Finally, a hologram is applied to the bar.
The hologram
The holograms on the bars are created using a physical effect based on the diffraction of light on microscopically small structures. This splits up the ambient light due to the different wavelengths of the light components and creates a rainbow-coloured effect. The patent and trademark holder refers to the holograms created as kinegrams.
The purity of gold bars
Gold bars with holograms are produced exclusively in 999.9 purity.
The price of gold bars
The price of gold bars is based on the gold price on the stock exchange. The spread, i.e. the difference between the purchase price and the buying price, always depends on the production costs and their relative value to the gold bar. The larger the bar, the smaller the share of production costs in the price.
The importance of LBMA certification for gold bars
Internationally, the LBMA, the London Bullion Market Association, sets the standards for the production of gold bars. It is so influential that its standards are also adopted in the legal texts of various countries. The LBMA is not only concerned with the production itself, but also with sustainability, traceability and the conflict-free origin of the gold.
As gold bars with a hologram have an additional benefit due to improved counterfeit protection, they can also be somewhat more expensive than bars of the same size without a hologram.
Image rights: © Austrian Mint
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