Bullion

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A gold nugget

A precious metal is a rare naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value, which is not radioactive (excluding natural polonium, radium, actinium and protactinium). Chemically, the precious metals are less reactive than most elements, have high lustre, are softer or more ductile, and have higher melting points than other metals. Historically, precious metals were important as currency, but are now regarded mainly as investment and industrial commodities. Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium each have an ISO 4217 currency code.

The best-known precious metals are gold and silver. While both have industrial uses, they are better known for their uses in art, jewellery and coinage. Other precious metals include the platinum group metals: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum, of which platinum is the most widely traded.^[1]

The demand for precious metals is driven not only by their practical use, but also by their role as investments and a store of value. Historically, precious metals have commanded much higher prices than common industrial metals. In January 2009, gold was about $840/troy ounce and silver was about $11/troy ounce, compared to copper at $1.50/pound and nickel at $5/pound.

In the early part of the 21st century, precious metal prices rose significantly and recycling precious metals became more and more attractive. Although some companies have been doing recycling for many years, such as Sabin Metal Corporation since 1945.

Bullion

A 500 gram silver bullion bar produced by Johnson Matthey

American Platinum Eagle bullion coin

A metal is deemed to be precious if it is rare. The discovery of new sources of ore or improvements in mining or refining processes may cause the value of a precious metal to diminish. The status of a "precious" metal can also be determined by high demand or market value. Precious metals in bulk form are known as bullion, and are traded on commodity markets. Bullion metals may be cast into ingots, or minted into coins. The defining attribute of bullion is that it is valued by its mass and purity rather than by a face value as money.^[2]

Many nations mint bullion coins. Although nominally issued as legal tender, these coins' face value as currency is far below that of their value as bullion. For instance, Canada mints a gold bullion coin (the Gold Maple Leaf) at a face value of $50 containing one troy ounce (31.1035 g) of gold—as of July 2009, this coin is worth about $930 as bullion. Bullion coins' minting by national governments gives them some numismatic value in addition to their bullion value, as well as certifying their purity.

Silver 1000oz bar

The level of purity varies from issue to issue. 99.9% purity is common. The purest mass-produced bullion coins are in the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf series, which go up to 99.999% purity. Note that a 100% pure bullion is not possible, as absolute purity in extracted and refined metals can only be asymptotically approached. Many bullion coins contain a stated quantity (such as one troy ounce) of the marginally-impure alloy. In contrast, the Krugerrand is one of many historic and modern bullion coins of 22 Kt Crown gold, with a stated content (usually one troy ounce) of "fine gold", with the other component(s) of the alloy making the coin heavier than one ounce in total. Still more bullion coins (for example: British Sovereign) state neither the purity nor the fine-gold weight on the coin, but are recognized and consistent in their composition, and many historically stated a denomination in currency (example: American Double Eagle).

One of the largest bullion coins in the world is the 10,000 dollar Australian Gold Nugget coin minted in Australia which consists of a full kilogram of 99.9% pure gold. There have been a small number of larger bullion coins, but they are impractical to handle and not produced in mass quantities. China has produced coins in very limited quantities (less than 20 pieces minted) that exceed 260 troy ounces (8 kg) of gold. Austria has minted a coin containing 31 kg of gold (the Vienna Philharmonic Coin minted in 2004 with a face value of 100,000 euro). As a stunt to publicise the 99.999% pure one-ounce Canadian Gold Maple Leaf series, in 2007 the Royal Canadian Mint made a 100 kg 99.999% gold coin, with a face value of $ 1 million, and now manufactures them to order, but at a substantial premium over the market value of the gold.

Gold and silver are often seen as hedges against both inflation and economic downturn. Silver coins have become popular with collectors due to their relative affordability, and unlike most gold and platinum issues which are valued based upon the markets, silver issues are more often valued as collectables, far higher than their actual bullion value.

Aluminium

An example of a precious metal that is now common is that of aluminium. Although aluminium is one of the most commonly occurring elements on Earth, it was at one time found to be exceedingly difficult to extract from its various ores. This made the little available pure aluminium, which had been refined at great expense, more valuable than gold.^[3] Bars of aluminium were exhibited alongside the French crown jewels at the Exposition Universelle of 1855^{[citation needed]}, and Napoleon III's most important guests were given aluminium cutlery, while those less worthy dined with mere silver^[3]. Additionally, the pyramidal top to the Washington Monument is made of pure aluminium. At the time of the monument's construction, aluminium was as expensive as silver^[4]. Over time, however, the price of the metal has dropped; the invention of the Hall-HĂŠroult process in 1886 caused the high price of aluminium to permanently collapse^{[citation needed]}.

Bismuth and tellurium

Bismuth and tellurium are the only two metals which have abundances less than 10^-8 by mass part (g/g) in the Earth's crust, but which are currently not of high economic value.

Rough world market prices

The abundance of the element, a measure for its rarity, is given in mass fraction as kg/kg in the earth's crust (CRC Handbook).^[5] All given prices from 10th April 2009 are taken mostly from London Metal Exchange. Data from 22nd of July 2009 are from the the bulliondesk com taken, except Germanium, Gallium and Indium. The metal prices of the last three metals are taken from minor metal com as examples of modern precious metals used for investment / speculation.

See also

References

This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (November 2008)

External links

Sources of current metal prices

• Online realtime prices of precious metals from thebulliondesk.com
• One year price charts for minor metals
• Kitco Current Metal Prices
• Spyker International Bullion Services
• Measurements and Conversions of Precious metals

Organisations

• International Precious Metals Institute