What is the smallest gold bar you can buy?

Gold is recent record-breaking price increasefueled by central bank accumulation, dollar uncertainty and stubborn inflation, has turned a full troy ounce of gold into a serious financial commitment for most people. At the current gold price from almost $5,300 per ounce, one ounce of gold now costs more than most Americans have in savings. But the current high value of gold has an interesting impact on the market. It doesn’t deter investors; it simply moves them to smaller access points.

When one gold bar Although it costs thousands of dollars or more, it can put many gold options out of the reach of smaller investors. As a result, the math comes full circle fractional gold is starting to look a lot more attractive. These species smaller gold bars mean lower upfront costs for investors, making it easier to buy in without selling assets or stretching your budget to do so.

However, what are the smallest sizes of gold bars? And what should you know about these miniature gold investments? That’s what we’ll describe below.

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What is the smallest gold bar you can buy?

The smallest gold bars commercially available are Gold bars of 1 gramwhich weigh only a fraction of an ounce, with the price varying depending on the current spot price of gold and the premium offered by it the precious metals dealer. At that size, these gold bars are about the size of a postage stamp, meaning they are easy to store and accessible to almost any type of investor. From there, the market moves up in fairly standard steps. The most common sizes you can find at reputable dealers include:

• Gold bars of 1 gram: Bars of 1 gram are the entry-level model. These bars are widely available at mints like PAMP Suisse, Valcambi and the Perth Mint. However, they offer high premiums relative to the gold content but can still be attractive due to the low absolute cost.
• Gold bars of 2.5 grams: A 2.5 gram gold bar is a modest step up from the smallest gold bar, but is still relatively affordable and widely available from most major dealers.
• Gold bars of 5 grams: 5 gram gold bars are a popular middle ground, one that is starting to offer slightly better premium value while still remaining accessible to most investors.
• Gold bars of 10 grams: At about a third of a troy ounce, Gold bars of 10 grams may make sense for investors with slightly larger budgets. This gold bar size is where premiums start to drop meaningfully.
• 1 ounce gold bars: 1 ounce gold bars are the reference unit for gold prices and the most liquid measure for resale.
• Gold bars of 10 ounces and 1 kilogram: These larger gold bars are typically used by institutional buyers and serious collectors. They have the lowest premiums per ounce, but require significant upfront capital.

It is important to note that while smaller gold bars, especially anything under 10 grams, are the more affordable option in terms of overall price, the premiums are significant. Small gold bars typically have the highest premiums above the spot price of gold. And that’s the trade-off with accessibility: you pay for manufacturing, packaging and distribution costs that don’t become less than the gold content.

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How to decide which gold bars are right for you

To elect the right size gold bar comes down to your goals, budget and long-term strategy. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

If you’re just starting out

If you are new to investing in gold, 1 gram, 5 gram or 10 gram gold bars can be a practical entry point into the gold market. They let you gradually build up a gold position without spending thousands of dollars at once. Buying smaller gold bars also reduces the pressure to time the market perfectly, and you can spread your purchases over time and average your costs.

If you focus on minimizing premiums

If your goal is to maximize the amount of gold you get for your money, larger gold bars generally make more sense. And, one 1-ounce gold barRetail investors in particular are often in the right place. This gold bar size is liquid, widely recognized and has a lower premium than gram bars. However, if you invest significant amounts, 10 ounce or 100 gram gold bars can reduce your total premium even further.

When liquidity and flexibility are most important

Smaller bars offer flexibility when it’s time to sell. If you own one 10-ounce gold bar and need to liquidate a small portion of your holdings, you can’t shave off a chunk of it. You have to sell the whole bar. But if you own ten 1-ounce gold bars or several smaller gram bars, you can sell incrementally. This can be particularly useful for retirees or investors who want to take advantage of it gold as an additional source of liquidity instead of a single large asset.

If storage is an issue

All gold requires safe storagewhether it is a home safe or a professional safe. Smaller bars are easier to store discreetly, but larger bars consolidate value into fewer pieces, which can simplify organization.

The bottom line

The smallest gold bar you can buy is a 1 gram bar and is more affordable than many people might expect. But affordability and value are not always the same. The right size of gold bars depends on your budget, your goals and how you ultimately want to use or sell your asset. Start small if you need to, but make sure you understand what you’re paying for beyond the gold itself.