How to sell gold bars
To sell a gold bar, check its weight, fineness and serial number, work out its gold value at spot, and get quotes from dealers that publish buyback prices. On 11 October 2026, one London dealer paid 4.27% below spot per gram for bars from 1 gram to 1 kilo. Keep assay cards sealed: verified bars sell faster.
A gold bar is priced on one thing: its pure gold. That makes bars easy to value but also means there is no collector premium to rescue a weak offer. The margin the buyer keeps is the only thing you can negotiate.
Where can you sell gold bars?
| Buyer | Good for | Points to check |
|---|---|---|
| Bullion dealer with published buyback prices | 1g to 1kg bars from known refiners | Rate per gram, insured postage, payment time |
| The dealer you bought from | Convenience; it knows the product | Compare with one other published price |
| Mint or refiner buyback | Bars of that brand, larger sizes | Often in person only; ID and account needed |
| Vault service | Gold already held in its vault | Selling commission and any withdrawal fee |
| Local jeweller or pawn shop | Very small bars when you need cash now | Usually lower offers; ask for the spot price used |
The Perth Mint, for example, buys "gold and silver bars and ingots" in person at its East Perth trading room, pays into your bank account after two business days, and requires 100 points of ID to open an account. For local options, see our country guides: sell gold in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia.
Buyback prices we found
Hatton Garden Metals publishes a daily price list for every bar size it buys. We captured it on 11 October 2026 and set each offer against the value of the gold in the bar.
| Bar | Buyback price | Gold value at spot | vs gold value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | £97.61 | £101.96 | -4.27% |
| 10 gram | £976.06 | £1,019.64 | -4.27% |
| 1 ounce | £3,035.53 | £3,171.45 | -4.29% |
| 50 gram | £4,880.28 | £5,098.22 | -4.27% |
| 100 gram | £9,760.56 | £10,196.45 | -4.27% |
| 250 gram | £24,401.40 | £25,491.12 | -4.27% |
| 1 kilo | £97,605.58 | £101,964.49 | -4.27% |
| Metalor 50g cast bar (product page) | £4,931.12 | £5,098.22 | -3.28% |
GoldVetted automated price check, 11 October 2026: generic bar prices from Hatton Garden Metals' daily buyback list; the Metalor 50g figure is the "buyback price today" on that bar's own product page. Spot from gold-api.com, captured on a Sunday when the market was closed. Gold value assumes 999.9 bars priced on full weight.
Two things stand out. First, the rate per gram is flat from 1 gram to 1 kilo, so size does not hurt you when you sell. Second, a specific branded bar from an LBMA-accredited refiner was offered almost a percentage point more than the generic rate. If you hold a branded bar, ask for the price for that exact product.
What is the round-trip cost of a bar?
On the same day, the same dealer sold a certified 1oz Metalor bar for £3,328.74 (4.96% above spot) and would buy a 1oz bar back for £3,035.53 (4.29% below spot). That round trip of roughly 9% before any price change is larger than for a popular coin (about 6.8% on a Britannia at this dealer), because 1oz bars carried a higher single-unit premium here. It shows why holding period matters; see gold dealer spreads.
Check Hatton Garden Metals' buyback prices
What affects the price you get for a bar?
- Brand. Bars from well-known, LBMA-accredited refiners are the easiest to resell. In our check, a branded Metalor bar was offered about one percentage point more than the dealer's generic bar rate.
- Condition and packaging. A sealed minted bar or a cast bar with a matching certificate needs no further checks. Scratches on a cast bar are normal and do not matter; a damaged or opened assay card can slow things down.
- Size. Per gram, the rate at the dealer we checked did not change with size. But a single 1 kilo bar cannot be split, and some buyers want extra checks on large bars, so ask first.
- Timing. Offers track the live spot price. A quote given at the weekend, when the market is closed, may be refreshed when trading reopens.
- How you are paid. Bank transfer is standard. Large cash payments trigger extra checks under anti-money laundering rules in all four countries.
How to sell a gold bar, step by step
Check what you have
Read the refiner's name, weight, fineness and serial number on the bar. For carded bars, check the serial on the card matches. Our guides on assay cards and cast vs minted bars explain the markings.
Find your paperwork
Original receipt, any separate certificate, and the sealed card. They speed up checks and prove your cost for tax.
Calculate the gold value
Weight in grams x fineness x spot price per gram. A 100g bar at 999.9 holds 99.99 g of gold. Use our gold value calculator.
Get two or three quotes
Ask for the price for your exact bar, how long it is held, and the payment method. Express each as a percentage below the gold value.
Lock, ship or visit
Accept the quote to lock it. Use the buyer's insured shipping process, or deliver in person. Large bars are worth delivering by appointment.
Verify identity and get paid
Expect ID checks under anti-money laundering rules. Take payment by bank transfer and keep the sale paperwork.
How to avoid low offers on bars
- Don't open sealed bars. A minted bar out of its card may need testing.
- Don't sell an unknown brand to the first buyer. Bars from refiners the buyer does not recognise may be tested or discounted more; shop around.
- Don't drill, stamp or engrave bars. Damage can mean the bar is treated as scrap.
- Consider selling part, not all. If you own several small bars, you can sell only what you need. A single 1kg bar cannot be split.
- Treat unexpected buyers with suspicion. See gold scams.
Tax when you sell gold bars
| Country | Rule | Bar-specific point |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Capital Gains Tax on gains above £3,000 a year, at 18% or 24% | Bars are chargeable assets, unlike CGT-free Sovereigns and Britannias (HMRC CG78305) |
| US | Collectibles rate of up to 28% on gains from bars held over a year (IRS Topic 409) | Dealers file Form 1099-B when you sell .995+ gold bars totalling 1 kilo (32.15 oz) or more at once |
| Canada | Usually a capital gain, half of which is included in income | Regular trading may be business income |
| Australia | Capital Gains Tax; 50% discount for individuals who held the bar at least 12 months (ATO) | Keep purchase records |
General information only, not tax advice. Check the official sources or a tax adviser for your circumstances.
Buying again later?
If you plan to buy gold again, compare current premiums before you do: where to buy gold in the US, where to buy gold in the UK, where to buy gold in Canada and where to buy gold in Australia. Our guide on how to buy gold explains why bar size and payment method matter. Selling coins instead? Read how to sell gold coins, or browse the selling hub.
Frequently asked questions
How much will a dealer pay for a gold bar?
Usually a few percent below the value of the gold. On 11 October 2026, Hatton Garden Metals' published buyback list paid 4.27% below spot per gram for generic bars from 1 gram to 1 kilo, while a branded Metalor 50g bar's own product page showed 3.28% below. Prices move with spot, so always get a live quote.
Do small gold bars sell for less than big ones?
Per gram, not always. At the UK dealer we checked, the buyback rate per gram was the same for a 1g bar as for a 1kg bar. The real cost of small bars is on the way in: you pay a much higher premium when you buy them, so your round trip is bigger.
Do I need the certificate or assay card to sell a gold bar?
It helps a lot. A bar in its sealed assay card, or a cast bar with a matching certificate and serial number, is quick to verify. Without them, the buyer may test the bar first, which takes longer and may lead to a cautious offer. The gold content is the same either way.
Are gold bars reported to the IRS when sold?
Dealers file Form 1099-B when you sell gold bars of at least .995 fineness totalling 1 kilo (32.15 troy oz) or more in one transaction, according to the reporting guidelines APMEX publishes. Smaller sales are not reported by the dealer, but any gain is still taxable as a collectible.
Is it better to sell gold bars or gold coins?
At the UK dealer we checked, popular 1oz coins fetched slightly more (about 3.3% below spot) than 1oz bars (4.3% below). In the UK, Sovereigns and Britannias are also free of Capital Gains Tax, while bars are not. Elsewhere the difference is smaller.
Can I sell a 400 oz Good Delivery bar?
Only through the professional market, usually while it stays in an approved vault. Once a Good Delivery bar leaves the vault system, it may need re-assaying before it can be sold back into the market. Most individuals own a share of such bars through a vault service and sell online.
Sources
We checked these primary and official sources when writing and fact-checking this page.
- Hatton Garden Metals: Daily buyback prices for bars and coins (captured 11 Oct 2026)
- Hatton Garden Metals: Certified 1oz gold bar Metalor (buy and buyback price, 11 Oct 2026)
- Hatton Garden Metals: Metalor Singapore 50g cast bar (buy and buyback price, 11 Oct 2026)
- The Perth Mint: Sell bullion in person (bars and ingots accepted)
- APMEX: Tax reporting FAQ (gold bars totalling 1 kilo are 1099-B reportable)
- LBMA: Good Delivery technical specifications
- HMRC Capital Gains Manual CG78305
- IRS Topic 409: Capital gains and losses
- Australian Taxation Office: CGT discount
- Canada Revenue Agency: Calculating and reporting capital gains
Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.