Kilo Bar
Also: 1 kg bar, Kilo bar, 1000 g bar
A kilo bar is a standardised precious-metal bar weighing exactly 1,000 grams (1 kg), produced for gold, silver and other precious metals in either cast or minted form.
The kilo bar is among the most widely traded bar sizes in both private and institutional precious-metal trading. At a weight of exactly 1,000 grams, it offers a comfortable middle ground between small bars (1-100 g) and the large bars reserved for interbank trading (such as the 400-troy-ounce LBMA Good Delivery bar). Anyone wanting to work out the current value of a kilo bar can use the gold calculator or the silver calculator.
Weight and unit conversion
One kilogram equals 32.1507 troy ounces in the troy weight system. This conversion matters because precious-metal prices are quoted internationally in troy ounces per US dollar.
1 kilo bar = 1,000 g / 31.1035 g/oz = 32.1507 troy oz
Value (EUR) = 32.1507 x spot price (USD/oz) / EUR/USD rate
You can find the current gold price and silver price as well as the up-to-date exchange rate on this site.
Manufacture: cast or minted
Kilo bars are produced in two ways:
- Cast bars are made by pouring molten metal into a mould. The surface is slightly rough and every bar is minimally individual, a feature that makes forgery harder.
- Minted bars are stamped from rolled strip and then pressed. They have smoother, more uniform surfaces and are especially suited to blister packaging with an assay certificate.
Leading manufacturers include Heraeus, Umicore, PAMP Suisse, Valcambi and Argor-Heraeus. All reputable suppliers stamp the fineness, weight, serial number and their mint mark directly into the bar.
Finenesses at a glance
| Metal | Typical fineness | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 999.9/1000 | Fine gold (four nines) |
| Silver | 999/1000 | Fine silver |
| Silver | 999.9/1000 | Ultra-fine silver |
| Platinum | 999.5/1000 | Fine platinum |
| Palladium | 999.5/1000 | Fine palladium |
Tax treatment in Ireland
Gold kilo bars with a fineness of at least 995/1000 count as investment gold and are exempt from VAT under the VAT Consolidation Act 2010 and EU Directive 2006/112/EC. Silver kilo bars, by contrast, carry the standard Irish VAT rate of 23%; there is no VAT relief for silver bullion. A private individual's gain on a later sale is liable to Capital Gains Tax at 33% after the annual EUR 1,270 personal exemption, with no holding-period relief (unlike Germany's one-year rule). Note: this is not tax or investment advice; please consult a tax adviser.
Storage and safekeeping
A gold kilo bar, at a density of 19.32 g/cm3, has a volume of just under 52 cm3, so it is surprisingly compact. Even so, with several bars a professional arrangement is advisable, such as a bank safe-deposit box or a certified bonded warehouse, since a single gold kilo bar is typically worth a five-figure euro sum.
Distinction from the LBMA Good Delivery bar
The LBMA Good Delivery bar used in international trading between central banks and commercial banks weighs between 350 and 430 troy ounces (about 10.9-13.4 kg) and is neither practical nor affordable for private investors. The kilo bar is the largest bar size available as standard in the retail trade without a substantial premium over the spot price.
Key takeaway
The kilo bar combines manageable handling with comparatively low percentage premiums; the larger the bar, the closer the purchase price sits to the pure material value. It suits investors who want to build larger positions in physical precious metal while minimising premium costs.