BI_10_Unusual Bars_29Jan - Gold Bars Worldwide

UNUSUAL BARSThis section illustrates bars with unusual shapes or other features thatare manufactured around the world.Most have a strong investment dimension, bought and sold back atprices close to the prevailing value of their fine gold content. Many arebought as gold investment gifts.INTERNATIONALPENDANT BARSIn 1984, PAMP (Switzerland) pioneered the production of standard mintedbars in several unusual shapes that incorporated hooks or hangers so thebars could be worn.Pendant bars are now widely available, notably in the following shapes:round, oval, lozenge and heart. Most have a decorative design on thereverse side.Weights range from 1 g to 1 oz or more.Lozenge pendant bar.PAMPSwitzerlandThe bars are particularly popular in the Middle East. Over the past10 years, tonnes of pendant bars have been manufactured.FINE GOLD CARDSIn the late 1980s, Mitsubishi Materials (Japan) pioneered fine gold cardsto enable multi-coloured decorative designs to be printed on their smoothsurfaces.Although fine gold cards up to 1000 g are available, the 1 g card is themost popular. While most manufacturers are located in Japan, and themain market is Japan, customized cards are produced for othercountries.Heart pendant bar.PAMPSwitzerlandNATIONALDOUGHNUT BARSThe "doughnut" shape is a traditional Chinese shape for coinage. Thehole enables many bars to be securely stacked on wooden rods or boundtogether with string.Manufactured in Thailand and Hong Kong.Weights: 1 and 2 baht (Thailand) and 1 tael (Hong Kong).TWIN-COIN BARSYoo Long Kim Kee (Thailand) has issued unusual twin-coin cast barssince 1991. The bars incorporate two round components that resembleancient Chinese coinage. In 4 weights: 1 and 2 baht (since 1991), 4 and5 baht (since 1994).Doughnut bar - 2.5 baht.Lang HongThailand

Unusual Barswww.goldbarsworldwide.comBOAT BARSThe traditional "boat" shape, which resembles the hull of a Chinese junk,is known to have been used for silver and other Chinese coinage as farback as the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD).Manufactured in Thailand. Until the 1990s, the bars were also producedby several manufacturers in Hong Kong.Weights: 2 baht – 20 baht (Thailand). Historically, 1 tael - 10 tael (HongKong).Boat bar - 5 baht.Hua Seng HengThailandOVAL CAST BARSYoo Long Kim Kee (Thailand) issued unusual oval cast bars in 2000. In3 weights: 1, 2 and 3 baht.MODEL BARSIn South Korea, a traditional range of "model bars" in the shape ofpigs (symbol of wealth), toads (good fortune) and turtles (longevity) arewidely manufactured as gold investment gifts. The bars use cast andbeaten gold. Denominated in Korean dons, their weights can range from1 don to 100 don or more.HONEYCOMB BARSTraditional "honeycomb" cast bars are still occasionally manufactured inThailand. The bars, widely traded in irregular weights until the 1970s,have a cracked top surface, which enables the purchaser to ensure thatthe bar is made entirely from gold.Oval bar - 2 baht.Yoo Long Kim KeeThailandThe bars usually weigh more than 25 baht.TEZABI BARSTezabi bars are small cast bars manufactured by "backyard" smelters inPakistan. The bars are not made to a precise weight, dependent on theamount of gold, usually old jewellery, melted in the crucible.Twin-coin bar - 5 baht.Yoo Long Kim KeeThailandHoneycomb bar - 28.87 baht.Loo Chang HuatThailandTezabi bar - 10.9 g.Saleh MohamadPakistanModel “pig” bar - 5 don.LG MetalsSouth Korea2

Unusual Barswww.goldbarsworldwide.comTECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONBar Category Refiner or Country Weight Type Fineness Dimensions FirstManufacturer mm IssuedPendant PAMP Switzerland Lozenge – 10 g Minted 999.9 38 x 24 x 1.06 1985Pendant PAMP Switzerland Heart – 10 g Minted 999.9 26 x 27 x 1.095 1995Pendant Emirates Gold Dubai Oval – 5 g Minted 999.9 26 x 15 1990sFine gold card Mitsubishi Japan 1 g Minted 999.9 78 x 48 1988Doughnut Lang Hong Thailand 2.5 baht Cast 965 24 x 24 x 4 1970Boat Hua Seng Heng Thailand 5 baht Cast 965 Length: 37 1947Tezabi Saleh Mohamad Pakistan 10.9 g Cast 999 16 x 16 n.a.Oval Yoo Long Kim Kee Thailand 2 baht Cast 999.9 27 x 16 x 4 2000Twin-Coin Yoo Long Kim Kee Thailand 5 baht Cast 965 38 x 22 x 9 1994Honeycomb Loo Chang Huat Thailand 28.87 baht Cast 965 97 x 19 x 18 1955Model LG Metals South Korea 5 don “Pig” Cast 998 Length: 38 1991Source: Refiners and manufacturers. The table records information on the unusual bars illustrated in this section. Most aremanufactured in a variety of weights and by other manufacturers.1 g fine gold card.MitsubishiJapanOval pendant bar.Emirates GoldUnited Arab EmiratesRefer to disclaimer on website: www.goldbarsworldwide.com© Grendon International Research Pty Ltd 2008. All rights reserved.3