900 Gold
Also: 21.6 carat, 900/1000
900 gold is a gold alloy with a fineness of 900 per mille (90 %), equivalent to 21.6 carat - a historically important standard for European and American circulating coins.
900 gold contains exactly 900 parts of fine gold per 1,000 parts of total weight. That equals a fineness of 90 % and 21.6 carat. The remaining 10 % is usually copper, occasionally supplemented by silver, which lends the alloy a characteristic, faintly reddish-warm colour. To establish the current metal value of a 900 piece, you can use the melt value calculator.
Historical significance
Over the centuries, 900/1000 became a widespread standard for circulating coinage across Europe and the Americas. In Germany, 900 gold was the mandatory alloy for the imperial gold coins of the Empire (1871-1915): the 20 Mark gold coin (Wilhelmine era, 7.965 g gross weight) and the 10 Mark coin were struck in 900/1000 and today rank among the most collected historic gold coins of Germany. The Swiss Vreneli and many French, American and Latin American circulating coins of the 19th and early 20th centuries likewise follow this fineness.
A note on the term "crown gold": this label is sometimes wrongly equated with 900/1000. Historically, crown gold denotes the English 22-carat system (916.7), introduced under Henry VIII in 1526. 900 gold has no distinct trivial name of its own in English or international usage.
Calculating the fine weight
The fine-weight share is straightforward to calculate:
Fine weight = gross weight x 0.900
Example: 7.965 g (20 Mark gold coin) x 0.900 = 7.169 g fine gold = approx. 0.2305 troy ounces
With the gold calculator you can turn this directly into a metal value in euro.
Well-known 900 coins at a glance
| Coin | Country | Fineness | Fine ounce (approx.) | Gross weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Mark gold coin | German Empire | 900 | approx. 0.2305 oz | 7.965 g |
| Vreneli (20 Fr.) | Switzerland | 900 | approx. 0.1867 oz | 6.452 g |
| 20 Franc (Napoleon) | France | 900 | approx. 0.1867 oz | 6.452 g |
| Liberty Head Eagle | USA | 900 | approx. 0.4837 oz | 16.718 g |
The Krugerrand, by contrast, has a fineness of 916.7 (22 carat) and is therefore not 900 gold - it is dealt with under 916 gold.
900 gold compared with other finenesses
- 333 gold (8 carat): only 33.3 % fine gold - not regarded as real gold in many countries.
- 585 gold (14 carat): 58.5 % fine gold - the most popular jewellery standard in Germany.
- 750 gold (18 carat): 75 % fine gold - an internationally sought jewellery and watch standard.
- 900 gold (21.6 carat): 90 % fine gold - the historic circulating coins of Europe and the Americas.
- 916 gold (22 carat): 91.67 % fine gold - Krugerrand, Sovereign, British tradition.
- 999 / 999.9 gold: fine gold - bars and modern bullion coins (Maple Leaf, Philharmonic).
Tax treatment
Under EU rules and EU Directive 2006/112/EC, gold coins with a fineness of 900/1000 or more count as investment gold (provided they were struck after 1800 and were legal tender in their country of origin). Classic 900 coins such as the 20 Mark gold coin or the Vreneli can therefore be bought free of VAT in Ireland under the VAT Consolidation Act 2010. For bars, a stricter minimum standard of 995/1000 applies.
For a private seller in Ireland, any gain on disposal is chargeable to Capital Gains Tax at 33 %, after the annual personal exemption of EUR 1,270. There is no holding-period relief - unlike Germany, where a holding period of over one year under Paragraph 23 EStG makes the gain tax-free, Irish CGT applies however long the coin was held. Note: this is not tax advice; for individual cases please consult the Revenue Commissioners (revenue.ie) or a qualified adviser.
You will find the historical gold price trend as well as the current gold price on the relevant pages.
In brief
900 gold is a fineness rich in tradition, with a 90 % gold share, known above all through the German imperial gold coins, the Swiss Vreneli and numerous other historic circulating coins - more robust than fine gold, higher in grade than common jewellery alloys, and, as an investment coin, free of VAT in Ireland.