If you’ve shopped for gold bars in any size from one gram to one kilogram, you’ve seen the Valcambi logo on a sealed assay card. The Swiss refiner shows up everywhere — dealer cases, bank vaults, home safes — and their premiums tend to run lower than PAMP Suisse, the other big Swiss name. Their CombiBar system is also unlike anything else on the market.
The Company
Valcambi was founded in 1961 as “Valori & Cambi” (Italian for “exchange of valuables”) by private Swiss investors in Mendrisio. The name shortened to Valcambi in 1967, and the refinery earned LBMA Good Delivery accreditation the following year — meaning Valcambi bars are accepted for settlement on the London bullion market and major exchanges worldwide.
The refinery sits in Balerna, Canton Ticino, processing roughly 2,000 metric tonnes of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium per year. That makes it one of the largest single-site precious metals refineries on earth.
In 2015, Rajesh Exports (India) acquired Valcambi through its subsidiary Global Gold Refineries AG. Same facility, same workforce, same LBMA accreditation, same product line. Bars produced today come from the same Balerna refinery that earned Good Delivery status in 1968.
Gold Bars (.9999 Fine)
Valcambi’s gold lineup runs from 1 gram to 1 kilogram:
| Size | Type | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | Minted | Gift, starter, fractional stacking |
| 2.5 gram | Minted | Low-cost entry point |
| 5 gram | Minted | Popular fractional size |
| 10 gram | Minted | Sweet spot for gram buyers |
| 20 gram | Minted | Mid-weight fractional |
| 1 oz | Minted | Standard investment unit |
| 50 gram | Poured | Collector/investor crossover |
| 100 gram | Minted | Lower premium per gram |
| 250 gram | Cast | Institutional/high-value |
| 500 gram | Cast | Institutional/high-value |
| 1 kilo | Minted | Lowest premium per oz |
Every minted bar ships sealed in a tamper-evident assay card with serial number, weight, and purity certification. Don’t break the seal — a bar in its original packaging commands higher buyback prices than a loose one.
Silver, Platinum, and Palladium
Valcambi’s silver range covers 1 oz minted, 10 oz cast, kilo cast, and 100 oz cast — all .999 fine.
They’re also one of the few refiners producing a full platinum bar lineup from 1 gram through 1 oz and up to 100 grams, plus palladium bars (thinner availability).
Browse the full Valcambi lineup →
The CombiBar
This is Valcambi’s best idea. A single bar with precision-cut score lines that snaps apart by hand into individual pieces — each piece stamped with its own weight, purity, and Valcambi branding. No tools. Each segment trades independently at metal value.
| Metal | Total Weight | Segments | FBP Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 20g | 20 × 1g | Compare prices |
| Gold | 50g | 50 × 1g | Compare prices |
| Gold | 100g | 100 × 1g | Compare prices |
| Gold | 1 oz | 10 × 1/10 oz | Compare prices |
| Silver | 100g | 100 × 1g | Compare prices |
| Silver | 100g | 10 × 10g | Compare prices |
| Platinum | 50g | 50 × 1g | Compare prices |
| Palladium | 50g | 50 × 1g | Compare prices |
There’s also a 5g gold star-shaped CombiBar — five 1g stars that break apart. Better gift than a plain rectangle.
When a CombiBar Makes Sense
CombiBar premiums per gram run higher than a solid bar of the same total weight. You’re paying for divisibility. That pays off if you plan to sell in pieces over time (try selling 3 grams out of a solid 50g bar), if you want small-denomination metal for barter or emergency liquidity, or if you’re giving someone their first gram of gold.
If you’re buying purely for investment and plan to sell the full position at once, a solid bar is cheaper and simpler to resell.
Valcambi vs. PAMP Suisse
Both refine in Switzerland, both hold LBMA Good Delivery, both produce .9999 fine gold. They serve different buyers:
| Valcambi | PAMP Suisse | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Lower — cost-conscious stackers | Higher by ~1–2% on smaller bars |
| Design | Clean, minimalist | Artistic — Lady Fortuna is iconic |
| Verification | Sealed CertiCard, serial number | CertiPAMP, VeriScan phone authentication |
| Unique product | CombiBar (divisible) | Lady Fortuna design, VeriScan anti-counterfeit |
| Best for | Maximizing metal per dollar | Collectors, gift-givers, brand-prestige buyers |
The gap narrows at larger sizes. On a kilo bar, Valcambi and PAMP are within a fraction of a percent. On gram bars, the difference is real money.
If design matters, PAMP is hard to beat. If you want the most gold for your money from a Swiss LBMA refiner, Valcambi wins.
Compare gold bar prices across dealers →
Buying Tips
Check the assay card. Every Valcambi minted bar should arrive sealed in original packaging with a matching serial number. A “Valcambi bar” sold loose outside its card should be priced accordingly — or avoided.
Verify purity markings. Valcambi gold bullion bars are .9999 fine (four nines). If you see .999 (three nines) on what claims to be a Valcambi gold bar, something is wrong.
Buy from a vetted dealer. Valcambi is heavily counterfeited, especially at the 1 oz and 10 oz sizes. The Valcambi gold bars collection on FindBullionPrices compares prices across authenticated dealers — you can see exactly who has the best price on each size.
Certifications. Valcambi carries LBMA and LPPM Responsible Sourcing accreditation, Responsible Jewellery Council certification, and World Gold Council Conflict-Free Gold compliance. If supply chain provenance matters to you or your institution, the paperwork is there.
If PAMP is the gold bar you display, Valcambi is the gold bar you stack.
