Good Delivery Bars

Good delivery bars are a specific set of requirements made by The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) that is used to determine whether the gold bars are high-grade and fit for transactions to major international gold bar markets that take place in New York, Hong Kong, London, Zurich, Sydney and Tokyo as well as in the gold vaults of central banks, IMF and government Gold bars that meet the criteria and standards of this rule, are stamped by approved assayers and melters from one of the authorized sixty companies worldwide, sealed and marked with a serial number, fineness (displays up to four figures), year of manufacture (expressed in four digits), and gold content measured in troy ounces (minimum of 350 to a maximum of 430). Good delivery bars are notable for their weight and density. To pass this criteria, dimensions of gold bars must be 210-290 mm in Length, 55-85 mm in Width, and 24-45 mm in height. It is also specified that the bars must be of good appearance. If the gold bars do not successfully meet the said requirements they are chopped as “NGD” Non-Good Delivery Bars to set them aside from conforming bars.

About The LBMA:

London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), established in 1987, an ally of two former companies: London Gold Market Fixing Limited (1919) and London Fixing Market Limited (1897), Members of these associations are connected within the LBMA. The LBMA published a list of accredited and known “refiners” worldwide. The list is known as “The Good Delivery List of Acceptable Refiners: Gold”.

Here’s a list of the 9 major “refiners” that have successfully met its criteria for accreditation. Good Delivery Bars have a specific weight and purity requirement set by each association. Acceptable bar weights can range from 50g to 400 oz. Milessimal gold density can range from 990 to 999.9.

Europe:

LBMA (London Bullion Market Association): 400 oz; 995+ purity

Middle East:

DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Center): 100g-1000g; 995+ purity IGE (Istanbul Gold Exchange): 400 oz, 1000g; 995+ purity

Americas:

COMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange, COMEX Division): 100 oz, 1000g; 995+ purity BM&F (Brazilian Mercantile & Future Exchange): 1000g, 250g; 999+ purity

Far East:

TOCOM (Tokyo Commodity Exchange): 1000g, 999.9 purity SGE (Shanghai Gold Exchange): 1000g, 3000g, 100g, 500g; 999.5+ and 999.9 purity SHFE (Shanghai Futures Exchange): 1000g, 3000g, 100g, 500g; 999.5+ and 999.9 purity CG&SES (The Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society, HongKong): 5 tael, 1000g, 400 oz; 990, 999.9, 999.5+ purity

* “995+” and “999.5+” mean that the bars must meet the milessimal gold purity at a minimum and can range to 999.9.

International exchange gold markets rely heavily on “Good Delivery Bars” as these bars influence the scale of pricing for gold.

References:

http://www.goldbarsworldwide.com/PDF/GB_1_Good_Delivery_Bars.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Delivery#The_Good_Delivery_Rules_for_Gold_and_Silver_Bars
http://info.goldavenue.com/info_site/in_glos/in_glos_golddeliverybar.html
http://www.lbma.org.uk/pages/index.cfm?page_id=27

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