Heraeus

Heraeus (full name: Heraeus Holding GmbH, historically W.C. Heraeus) was founded in 1851 by Wilhelm Carl Heraeus in Hanau and is today one of the most significant precious metals companies in the world. The family-owned business operates in refining, bar manufacture and precious metals trading, supplying institutional buyers, central banks and the retail market. You can call up the current gold price and silver price in real time at any time.

History and Company Structure

The foundation was laid with a small smelting operation for platinum. Within a few decades, Heraeus expanded its activities to gold, silver and the platinum group metals. Today the company is divided into four business areas:

For investors and collectors, Heraeus Metals is particularly relevant – the division that produces bars, granules and semi-finished products.

LBMA Good Delivery – the Most Important Quality Mark

Heraeus has been on the LBMA Good Delivery List for gold and silver for decades. This certification by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) is regarded as the global quality standard in wholesale: only accredited refiners may supply bars that are accepted by central banks and clearing banks of the London market.

Requirements for LBMA accreditation:

1. Proven production capacity and technical equipment
2. Fineness ≥ 995.0‰ (gold) or ≥ 999.0‰ (silver) for Good Delivery bars
3. Regular sampling and assay testing by accredited laboratories
4. Compliance with the LBMA Responsible Sourcing Guidelines

Heraeus Bars in the Private Investor Market

At retail, Heraeus bars are available in numerous denominations – from 1 gram up to the 1-kilogram bar. Most bars are offered as certified bars in a blister pack (with a sealed-in certificate of authenticity) or as a classic minted bar without a blister.

Typical finenesses:

• Gold: 999.9‰ (also referred to as "four nines" or 24 carat)
• Silver: 999.0‰ (fine silver)
• Platinum: 999.5‰

The Melt Value Calculator helps to determine the pure material value of a Heraeus bar based on the current spot price. With the Gold Calculator, the value of a specific quantity in grams can be calculated exactly.

Argor-Heraeus – the Swiss Subsidiary

An important subsidiary is Argor-Heraeus, based in Mendrisio (Switzerland), founded in 1951 and later majority-acquired by Heraeus. Argor-Heraeus is likewise LBMA-accredited and known for the manufacture of CombiBar tablet bars as well as high-quality coin blanks for state mints. Both brands – Heraeus and Argor-Heraeus – are regarded as equivalent in the trade and are accepted by dealers and banks without a discount.

Authenticity Testing and Serial Numbers

Heraeus bars from 1 gram upwards usually carry a stamped or printed serial number that allows individual identification. Blister packaging additionally contains an assay certificate. The following methods are recommended for checking a bar:

• Weight and dimension check (target values per product data sheet)
• Density determination using the Archimedean principle
• X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) at a specialist dealer
• Ultrasonic testing for tungsten inclusions in large bars

The Authenticity Check on this site supports the verification of coins; for bars, analogous physical principles apply.

In Brief

Heraeus stands for over 170 years of experience in precious metals processing and, with its LBMA accreditation, is one of the most trustworthy names for gold and silver bars. Bars from Heraeus or its Swiss subsidiary Argor-Heraeus are traded worldwide without a liquidity discount and are therefore particularly suitable as a core position in a physical precious metals holding.