What is the largest gold bar in the world ?

Until 1999, the largest gold bar came from Japan and weighed 200 kilos. Then, it was dethroned by a Chinese ingot, exhibited in Taiwan, and weighing 220 kilos. Since then, Japan has regained its number one rank and its place in the Guinness World Records, as “largest ingot of pure manufactured gold”. Mitsubishi Materials, designer of this gold ingot, cast a mass of 250 kilos of pure gold in 2005. It has a grade of 999.9/1000, the highest degree of purity in existence. How far this mad race for the largest gold ingot will go ? Impossible to say, but without a doubt, the record will be broken again in the years or decades to come. Will an Asian country still be the holder of the largest ingot in the world ? Case to be continued, but the current record is already very impressive and deserves attention.

WHERE IS THE HEAVIEST INGOT IN THE WORLD ?

Due to its exceptional nature and its price, the largest ingot in the world is exhibited in a Japanese museum. It can be admired in the Toï Gold Museum, which is located near the Toï mine, in the province of Shizuoka. This famous Japanese mine closed its doors in 1965, after centuries of exploitation having exhausted the available resources. The Toï museum and theme park constitute today an emblematic place to discover gold objects, the history of gold mining in Japan, the underground galleries of the mine, etc. So it was the perfect place to display the world record-holding ingot. Visitors even have the opportunity to touch it, with the hope that it will bring them luck and fortune.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THIS GOLD INGOT ?

If you are planning to make a purchase of gold bars to diversify your savings, do not bet on the largest gold bar in the world! Besides, it is not for sale. But above all, its price was estimated at 400 million yen at the time of its manufacture, or around 3 million euros. But the estimate of its price is not fixed, since it depends on the price of gold. While the gold metal was worth between 10,000 and 14,000 euros per kilo during 2005¹, it was worth more than 56,000 euros per kilo as of January 5, 2023. The calculation is simple: 250 x 56,000 = 14,000,000. Thus, to date, the largest gold bar in the world has an intrinsic value of approximately 14,000,000 million euros. But it is so exceptional that its price could be worth much more if it were resold on the market.

WHAT ARE THE LARGEST INGOTS YOU CAN BUY ?

The largest gold bars in the world are not intended for sale and do not pass into the hands of individuals, but sit proudly in museums. However, if you want to make a gold purchase, there are many other bullion weights available to you. Gold bars, weighing 12.5 kilos, are today the largest ingots that can be purchased “easily”. However, you will have to spend several hundred thousand euros to be able to acquire one. If you are interested, then be very vigilant about the quality of the product and choose a gold bar with the “Good Delivery” label, awarded by the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association).

But rest assured, there is no need to turn to the largest gold or silver bars to make a good investment. On the Gold Union website, you can purchase gold bars weighing up to one kilo, certified SAAMP (French gold) or Umicore (LBMA certified organization). They are of course sold with their certificate of authenticity, assuring you of their quality, authenticity and gold content. You wish to dedicate a smaller budget to your purchase of gold ? Divide your holdings into physical gold ? There are then smaller bars, weighing from 5 to 500 grams. From a few hundred euros, you can then own an ingot. The other option for investing in physical gold is coins. They are available at all prices and by doing in-depth research, you could get a good deal by taking advantage of the increase in the coin's premium (difference between its market value and its intrinsic value).

What about silver ingots ? You will find 5 and 15 kilo ingots on our online store, as well as ingots of one kilo of silver and ingots of 100, 250 or 500 grams . Why are they on average heavier than gold bars ? Particularly because the price of silver is much lower than that of gold (as of 05/01/2023, around 718 euros per kilo 'silver² VS approximately 56,000 per kilo of gold³). They therefore represent more accessible investment solutions in precious metals.