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Buying gold can add stability and diversification to an investment portfolio, particularly in the current economic climate of high inflation and stock market volatility.
Here’s what you need to know about buying gold in its physical form.
How is gold valued?
Gold is valued by reference to its purity and weight. This is then multiplied by the gold spot price to calculate the value.
The London Bullion Market sets the gold price twice a day to match buyers and sellers or, put another way, to balance supply and demand.
1. How is the purity of gold measured?
All that glitters is not necessarily gold, with manufacturers adding other metals and alloys to the mix.
Carats measure the proportion of gold relative to other metals. The number of carats is often stamped on the gold, ranging from zero to 24.
The higher the carat, the higher the proportion of gold compared to other metals, such as copper, silver or palladium. Pure, or effectively 100% gold, is 24 carats.
Here’s how purity varies by carat:
2. How is the weight of gold measured?
To add a further layer of complexity, gold isn’t generally weighed using traditional measures but using the ‘Troy’ measure. A Troy ounce weighs just over 31 grams, or approximately 1.1 UK imperial ounces.
The Royal Mint still sells gold coins measured in Troy ounces, but its bullion bars are now priced by the gram.
How can you buy gold in physical form?
Physical gold can be purchased in the form of bullions, coins or jewellery through an online or local metal dealer, collector or bank. When buying or selling gold it’s important to consider its spot price – current market price per ounce – as it can help determine the fair market value of the metal.
Here’s more on how to buy gold according to its physical form.
1. Bullion bars
Gold bullion bars – often pictured stacked in bank vaults – can range in weight from one gram to over 10 kilograms. The bars are stamped with the purity level and weight.
The Royal Mint is one of the main sources of bullion bars in the UK, but charges a premium above the ‘spot price’ of the gold to cover manufacturing and other costs.
If you’re looking to buy 24-carat bullion bars from The Royal Mint, the current price ranges from £80 for a one gram bar to over £52,000 for a one kilogram bar.
2. Gold coins
Gold coins typically have a lower gold content than bullion bars. In the UK, the flagship gold coins produced by The Royal Mint are the Sovereign and Britannia.
- Sovereign: these 22-carat coins have a portrait of the King and are measured in Troy ounces. Options include a quarter, half and double sovereign coin.
- Britannia: these 24-carat coins feature an image of Britannia and are available in Troy ounce measures from a tenth of an ounce to a half-ounce.
Both coins are legal tender in the UK, and, as such, are free from capital gains tax and VAT for UK residents.
The Royal Mint also makes commemorative coins with costs reaching up to £83,000.
While commemorative coins have the same tax benefits as Sovereign and Britannia coins, they are not classed as ‘circulating’ meaning that banks and companies are not required to accept them as legal tender.
There is also an international market in historic coins as collectables, which typically sell at a premium to their gold content. The 1933 “Double Eagle”, one of the last gold coins minted in the US, sold at auction last year for $19 ($16) million.
Other popular one Troy ounce gold coins include the American Buffalo (US), Maple Leaf (Canada), Krugerrand (South Africa), Gold Nugget (Australia) and the Gold Panda (China).
3. Gold jewellery
Jewellery, especially antique pieces, is another avenue for buying gold. However, like gold coins, you will typically pay a mark-up relative to the content of the gold.
This mark-up is generally upwards of 20%, and often far higher, depending on the manufacturer, and covers the labour cost of the design and manufacture and the retail margin.
You should be able to calculate this mark-up if you know the weight and carat, together with the current spot price of gold. That said, some retailers are reluctant to advertise the weight of jewellery for this reason.
For example, an 18-carat gold wedding ring from a luxury designer brand is retailing at £1,570. The current value of the gold content is £240, meaning that you’re paying a mark-up of over 6 times for the craftsmanship and retailer’s profit.
By comparison, you can buy an 18-carat gold wedding ring from a high street retailer for £350, a mark-up of two-thirds on the underlying gold value of £210.
If you are looking to invest in jewellery, keep any sales documentation as it will make it easier to resell in the future.
Factors to consider when buying gold
If you decide to buy physical gold, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind:
- Storage: Physical gold requires secure storage, preferably not in your home. It should be stored away from damp, corrosives and metals such as silver, which can tarnish it. There is a cost of using third-party storage – for example, The Royal Mint charges an annual fee of 1% plus VAT for use of its vault, calculated on the value of the gold (based on the spot price).
- Insurance: If you decide to store your gold at home, you should ensure that your home insurance policy covers this. Similarly, if you’re using a third-party storage facility, you should check they hold adequate insurance.
- Provenance: Whatever type of gold you’re looking to buy, it’s important to use a reputable dealer. As discussed earlier, one option is to buy bullion bars or coins directly from The Royal Mint. If you’re looking to buy from an alternative source, members of the British Numismatic Trade Association have to comply with a code of ethics.
- Purity: The gold content in the bar, coin or jewellery determines its value. A high carat (21 carat or above) is preferred as it contains a higher proportion of gold and is less likely to tarnish. That said, the higher carat gold is less durable and requires more care to be taken so that it’s not scratched or damaged.
Other ways to buy gold
Buying gold in physical form can be difficult in terms of ensuring its authenticity, storing it securely and selling it on. Investing indirectly can provide investors with potential upside if gold prices rise, without the hassle of owning gold directly.
So what are the options for investing in gold? Here’s a quick overview:
- Buying gold and commodity funds: specialist commodities, mining and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can provide you with exposure to gold. These range from funds investing in gold mining companies to ETFs that directly track the price of gold and other precious metals.
- Buying shares in gold mining companies: companies that mine gold have enjoyed bumper profits over the last year due to the rise in commodity prices. Mining companies include BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Glencore. They also provide a potential income for shareholders via their traditionally high dividend payouts.
As with other assets, any profit or capital gain made from investing in gold, whether directly or indirectly, will be potentially subject to capital gains tax (CGT). However, as mentioned above, CGT is not payable on Britannia and Sovereign coins as they are legal tender.
Everyone has a CGT allowance of £6,000 for the current tax year 2023/24, being the amount of profit you can make before tax is payable. However, CGT is not charged on gold-based investments (such as funds) held within an Individual Savings Account or Self Invested Personal Pension.
Tax treatment depends on one’s individual circumstances and may be subject to future change. The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of tax advice.
Is gold a good investment?
If you’re looking to strike it rich with a modern-day gold rush, you’re probably in the wrong place.
While the price of gold has increased by 45% over the last decade, the FTSE 100 has increased by 58% over the same period. So why all the hype?
Gold price
The answer lies in holding gold in times of economic volatility. Some investors view gold as a safe haven during stock market dips, along with a way of preserving wealth when inflation is high.
For instance, during the bear market in 2007 to 2008, the FTSE 100 plunged by 44%, while the price of gold increased by over 90%. However, a word of warning – although the price of gold tends to rise during stock market downturns, this hasn’t always been the case historically.
Gold prices can also be very volatile, meaning gold isn’t a safe investment. If you want some of that golden gleam in your investment portfolio, aim for it to occupy only a small percentage of your overall investments.
As with other investments, your investment in gold can go down as well as up, and you may not get your money back. If you are unsure as to the best option for your individual circumstances, you should seek financial advice.
Should you invest in gold?
Gold may offer investors a safe haven and a way of preserving wealth in a high inflation environment. As with shares, the price of gold is volatile, however it has delivered an increase in value over the last 30 years.
Depending on your preference and appetite for risk, you may choose to invest in physical gold, mining shares or gold-based funds and ETFs. However, it is important that any investment in gold forms part of a diversified portfolio.
