bullion
metallurgy
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Gold bars.
Courtesy of the United States Mint
bullion, the name applied to gold, silver, and platinum considered solely as metal without regard to any value arising from its form as coins or ornaments. The bullion value of a coin is determined by its weight, fineness (proportion of precious metal to total weight), and the current price of the metal.
Platinum bars.
© Paul Fleet/Fotolia
When most countries dropped the silver standard for currency in the early 20th century, the silver bullion in subsidiary coins became worth considerably less than face value. The exception to this rule occurred when an issuing government inflated its paper currency and reduced its purchasing power to the point that it became profitable to melt coins for their bullion value. In the United States, the rising price of silver in the mid-1960s made it necessary to reduce the silver content of subsidiary coins to prevent their being melted down for their bullion value. Gold coins enjoy a value established by world markets for their bullion content.
The bulk of the worldâs monetary gold is held in bars rather than coins, and it is kept as a reserve by countries and banks even though the era of the gold standard has passed. Individuals hoard gold when they fear either monetary or political instability. In doing so they lose any profit they might gain by investing the money and they incur storage costs. They also risk confiscation by the government of any profits resulting from currency devaluation, such as occurred during the Great Depression of the early 1930s. Nevertheless, the tangibility and ease of convertability of bullion made it an attractive option for some investors.
