How Much Is a Gold Bar Worth? Live Values by Size

The table above answers the question for every common size of gold bar: the value of the gold inside it at the current gold price. It updates with the price several times a day. The chart above it shows how the gold price has moved, from the past month to the full record since 2000.

The short version: a gold bar is worth its weight in fine gold multiplied by the gold price. A 1 ounce bar holds one troy ounce, so it is worth one ounce at the price at the top of this page. A 1 kilogram bar holds 32.15 troy ounces. The big bars held by central banks and London vaults weigh about 400 troy ounces, or roughly 12.4 kilograms. What you pay a dealer for a bar is a little more than the value in the table, and what a dealer pays you when you sell is usually a little less.

Values are for information only and may be delayed. This is not financial advice.

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How to work out what a gold bar is worth

Three numbers decide the value of any gold bar: its weight, its purity and the gold price.

Gold value = weight in troy ounces × purity × gold price per troy ounce

Almost every bar sold to the public today is stamped 999.9 or 999 fine, which means 99.99% or 99.9% gold. At that purity, the purity term barely changes the result, so for a retail bar the sum comes down to weight times price. That is what the table at the top does.

An example. At a gold price of $4,000 an ounce:

• a 1 ounce bar holds $4,000 of gold;
• a 10 ounce bar holds $40,000;
• a 1 kilogram bar holds 32.15 × $4,000 = about $128,600;
• a 400 ounce bar holds about $1.6 million.

The table does the same sums at today's price, so you do not need to.

How much does a gold bar weigh?

Gold bars come in sizes from a single gram to around 400 troy ounces. (Our guide to how much a gold bar weighs covers weights, sizes and the official specification in more detail.) Gold is weighed in troy ounces, which are about 10% heavier than the ordinary ounces used on a kitchen scale: one troy ounce is 31.1035 grams, while an ordinary (avoirdupois) ounce is 28.35 grams.

The bar in the movies is the large one. It is the standard bar of the wholesale market, called a Good Delivery bar after the London Bullion Market Association's standard, and weighs approximately 400 troy ounces. Each one is stamped with its exact weight, which varies a little from bar to bar, so its value is worked out from that stamp rather than from a round 400.

Gold is dense. A 1 kilogram bar fits in the palm of your hand, and a Good Delivery bar, roughly the size of a house brick, weighs about as much as a full suitcase.

Bar sizes most buyers choose

• 1 to 10 gram bars are cheap enough to buy one at a time and are often sold in tamper-evident card packaging. They cost the most per ounce, because making and packaging a tiny bar costs almost as much as making a large one.
• 1 ounce bars are the most popular size. They are easy to price, because their value is simply the gold price, and easy to sell.
• 10 ounce and 100 gram bars cost less per ounce than small bars and suit buyers who are putting a larger sum into gold.
• 1 kilogram bars are the largest size most dealers sell to private buyers. They have the lowest cost per ounce of the retail sizes, but you can only sell the whole bar at once.
• 400 ounce bars trade between banks and institutions. The LBMA's rules say only bars that meet its Good Delivery standard are accepted in settling trades of gold held in London, and they are kept in vaults rather than at home.

The trade-off is simple: bigger bars cost less per ounce, smaller bars give you more flexibility when you sell. Many buyers hold a mix, such as a few 1 ounce bars alongside larger ones.

What you pay, and what you get when you sell

The table shows the value of the gold, not a shop price.

When you buy, a dealer charges a premium on top of the gold value to cover refining, packaging, shipping and its own margin. The premium per ounce is highest on gram bars and lowest on kilo bars, and it rises when demand for physical gold is strong.

When you sell, a dealer pays a price based on the gold value, usually somewhat below it for common bars. The gap between the buying and selling price is the true cost of holding a bar.

To judge a quote, divide the price by the troy ounces of gold in the bar and compare the answer with the gold price at the top of this page. Ask the dealer what it would pay to buy the same bar back today, and get both prices in writing.

Does the brand matter?

A little. Bars from well-known refiners, such as those on the LBMA's Good Delivery list, are recognized by dealers everywhere and are quick to sell. A bar from an unknown maker may need to be tested before a dealer will pay full value for it, and may fetch less.

A genuine bar is stamped with its weight, purity and maker's mark, and most modern bars carry a serial number that matches an assay card or certificate. Keep the packaging and paperwork: a bar still sealed in its original assay card is easier to sell. Our guide to gold bar scams explains how fake bars are made and how to check one.

Is a gold bar worth more than its gold?

Rarely. A bullion bar is valued for its metal, and that is the point of it: it is priced close to the gold price and easy to compare. The exceptions are a few collectible bars, such as historic assay bars or limited editions, which can sell to collectors for more than their gold. If a seller asks well above the gold value for a bar described as rare, treat the extra as a collector's price that you may not get back.

Selling a gold bar

• Get at least two quotes, and ask each dealer which gold price the quote is based on.
• Have the bar's details ready: maker, weight, purity and serial number, plus any assay card.
• Expect larger bars to be tested, especially if they are out of their original packaging.
• Keep your purchase records. The IRS taxes gains on physical gold as gains on collectibles, at a maximum rate of 28%. A tax professional can tell you what applies to you.

Can a gold bar go in an IRA?

Yes, if it meets the purity rule and is held by the IRA's trustee. Federal law excludes from the IRA ban on collectibles any gold bullion that is at least as fine as a regulated futures market requires for delivery, as long as the bullion is in the physical possession of the IRA trustee. In practice, that means gold bars of at least 99.5% purity, stored at an approved depository rather than at home. Our guide to gold IRA tax rules covers the details, and gold IRA vs physical gold compares holding bars in an IRA with keeping them yourself.

Buying gold bars for the long term

If you want gold bars for your retirement savings, or delivered to you, choose a company that prices them clearly and explains the account before you buy.

• Augusta Precious Metals sells gold and silver for IRAs and for purchases with personal funds, explains the account before any sale, and has a $50,000 minimum. It is our first-ranked company.
• Goldco sells gold and silver bars and coins for IRAs and for direct purchase delivered to you.
• American Hartford Gold sells gold and silver bars and coins and ships insured to your door for a delivery order.

The full comparison is in our ranking and in our guide to the best gold IRA companies. For the gold price over time, see our gold bullion price chart, and if you would rather buy in person, our list of banks that sell gold coins shows where that is still possible.

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FAQ

How much is a 1 ounce gold bar worth?

A 1 ounce bar holds one troy ounce of gold, so its gold value is the gold price per ounce shown at the top of this page. A dealer will charge a little more when you buy and pay a little less when you sell.

How much is a 1 kilo gold bar worth?

A 1 kilogram bar holds 32.15 troy ounces of gold. Its value at today's price is in the table at the top of this page.

How much is a 400 ounce gold bar worth?

A Good Delivery bar weighs approximately 400 troy ounces, so it holds roughly 400 times the gold price per ounce: about $1.6 million at $4,000 an ounce. Each bar's exact weight is stamped on it.

How much does a gold bar weigh?

Anywhere from 1 gram to about 400 troy ounces. A 1 ounce bar weighs 31.1 grams, a 1 kilogram bar 2.2 pounds, and a Good Delivery bar about 27 pounds. See how much a gold bar weighs for every size.

What is a troy ounce?

The unit used to weigh gold: 31.1035 grams, about 10% more than an ordinary ounce.

Are gold bars cheaper than gold coins?

Usually, per ounce. Bars generally carry a smaller premium than government bullion coins such as the American Gold Eagle, and large bars carry the smallest of all. Coins are recognized everywhere, which some buyers think is worth the extra.

Can I sell a gold bar for its full value?

Not usually. Dealers pay a little below the gold value for common bars. Get two or more quotes and compare each with the gold price.

Can I put gold bars in an IRA?

Yes, if they are at least 99.5% pure and held by an approved depository on behalf of the IRA's trustee.

Sources

• LBMA: About Good Delivery (Good Delivery gold bars of approximately 400 troy ounces; only Good Delivery bars accepted in settling Loco London trades), read November 8, 2026
• LBMA: Good Delivery list of gold refiners, read November 8, 2026
• 26 U.S. Code § 408(m), Legal Information Institute (the IRA exception for bullion at the fineness a regulated futures market requires, held by the trustee), read November 8, 2026
• IRS Topic No. 409, Capital gains and losses (the 28% maximum rate on gains from collectibles)
• Gold prices: COMEX gold futures (GC=F) daily closes from Yahoo Finance and the gold spot price from api.gold-api.com, refreshed automatically. Bar values are calculated from each size's gold weight at that price, assuming pure (.9999) gold.

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