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Russian Agents Detain Man Smuggling 25 kg of Gold Bars in Luggage

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Russian authorities have detained a man at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow on suspicion of gold smuggling. Customs officials were alerted about suspicious items and searched inside the man’s luggage.

During the search, officials say they uncovered two recently minted gold bars weighing a combined total of 24.75 kg.

The man has not been identify has not been released by authorities. However, a video circulating on social media shows what appears to be a man in custody in an office with authorities photographing two 400 troy ounce LBMA-style gold bars laying out on a desk.

The gold bars are both stamped with РОССИЯ, the hallmark of the Russian Federation.

The bar in the top part of the frame is hallmarked with the insignia for Novosibirsk Siberia. Novosibirsk is home to the headquarters of a legendary gold refinery and bar manufacturing plant that was built during the USSR period.

The second bar shows the hallmark for Krastsvetmet. Krastsvetmet was established in 1943 during World War II with a focus on platinum group metals.

The gold refinery at Kastsvetmet opened in 1959 but was updated and expanded during the 1990s and is now the largest refiner of newly mined gold in the Russian Federation.

Prior to sanctions being implemented in response to the Ukrainian War, Russia had eight refineries that were listed a Good Delivery providers having LBMA Accreditation

The Russian News service reports that the man faces 3 to 7 years in prison for smuggling.

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Fractional Gold Bars from PAMP Suisse

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PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna 10 gram gold bar

PAMP Suisse is one of the most notable and trusted names in precious metals. Since 1984, the company has been located in Castel San Pietro with a state of the art refinery operation that purifies gold and silver that is mined throughout the world.

Beginning in their first year of operation, the company include fractional the 1/2 troy ounce, 20 gram, 10 gram, 5 gram sizes that are all still minted today.

PAMP Suisse gold bars have featured the Lady Fortuna design since 1979. Other front designs have been introduced throughout the history of the company.

PAMP Suisse 2.5 gram Heart Pendant with Zebra Hologram

In the 1980s, the company expanded the fractional gold bar sizes to include 1 gram, 2.5 gram as well as 1 tola (11.7 grams).

In addition to the Goddess of Luck design, PAMP has developed and issued more than 50 unique and illustrative designs that have included flowers, birds and animals, Zodiac signs, Hindu gods, Buddha and other religious icons.

PAMP 24k Gold Bar Pendant Jewelry

In certain years, PAMP has included a line of fractional gold bars designed to be worn as pendants on a necklace. Some 24k gold pendants simply show the lady fortuna design into an oval shape on the obverse. A small hasp hole is manufactured into the top of the design with a small gold chain link attachment incorporated to make it easy to wear as jewelry on a chain.

The PAMP gold pendants are stamped on the back with their weight and purity and include the mint hallmark. They have been minted in a variety of denominations as small

PAMP Lunar Gold Bars

In 2012, PAMP launched the Lunar Calendar Series of gold bars. The series captures a unique design each year based on the 12 year cycle of the Chinese lunar calendar. The series is issued annually with three weight denominations of 100 gram, 1 troy ounce and the smaller 5 gram gold bar.

For the current year, the PAMP Suisse Lunar Series incorporates a lovely and warmly designed Rabbit. The design includes a tipped over basket as a reminder of the good that the animal brings to the world with butterflies fluttering above.

The back of the design includes the reverse of the portrait on the front, showing the back of the hare and his fluffy tail in front of the basket. The weight and purity are stamped on the back.

Newly minted 2023 Lunar 5 gram gold bars are offered sealed inside a specially designed assay card that includes a matching serial number that is laser-engraved on the bar.

All PAMP Suisse fractional gold bars are minted with .9999 fine gold.

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Gold Smuggling on the Rise throughout Asia

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Border police in India have arrested a woman attempting to smuggle gold at a border crossing. Police seized over 2 kg of gold bars from the woman as she was entering from Bangladesh.

The 34 year old woman from the Chittagong district in Bangladesh had hidden 27 different types of gold bars in cloth and secured it around her waist.

During her arrest the woman admitted to being paid to bring the gold across the border and had been instructed to deliver them to someone whom she did not know.

She told officials that this was her first attempt at smuggling gold across the border and that she was to be paid ₹ 2,000, around $25 for the task.

Reports of gold smuggling have rising sharply in recent years along the border between India and Bangladesh. A regional jewelry association from Bangladesh estimates that more than $700,000 worth of gold bullion is illegal smuggled into the country each year.

During the three year period between 2019 and 2022, India’s Border Security Force seized over 133 kg of gold that was being smuggled through West Bengal.

Authorities believe this is just a fraction of the amount of gold that is being smuggled through the region.

Much of the smuggled gold has been traced back to illegal mining operations throughout the Middle East, Singapore and many as far away as South Africa.

Officials believe that part of the problem stem from recent increases in taxes on the importation of gold imposed by the Ministry of Finance. The duty to import gold into India was raised from 7.5% to 12.5%. Plus an additional 2.5% tax is added to support the national mining infrastructure.

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Gold & Currency Heist Reported in Canada

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Canadian authorities have reported a gold heist at Toronto Peterson Airport. Various news outlets report the amount ranging in value between $14.8 and $22 million dollars.

Al Jazeera reports a statement from the Regional Police said that a container carrying gold and other monetary items was stolen from a private warehouse after being unloaded from a plane at a nearby cargo facility.

The thieves are being compared by some media outlets to the characters in Hollywood stories based on mafia folklore such as the Henry Hill tales told through Goodfellas.

While others distract from facts by referencing other historically large gold heists in Canadian history.

The latest officially released figures estimate that 1.6 metric tons, the equivalent to 1,600 kilos of gold were included among the stolen stash.

“It did contain gold but was not exclusive to gold and contained other items of monetary value,” an RCMP Investigator told reporters.

Such a brazen burglary has authorities tight lipped about the other missing cargo. The Toronto Sun claims to have had access to confidential memos that suggest that the other cargo was a significant amount of currency bank notes as part of an intrabank transaction involving TD Bank.

There is still no word on the airline involved or the origin or final destination of the missing cargo.

In 2021, Canada was the 4th largest gold producer worldwide with roughly $21.3 billion.

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Government Mint 1 Gram Gold Bars

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The selection of government mint one gram gold bars available from online bullion dealers are minted are an excellent way to stack gold in fractional increments.

The dealer premiums for 1 gram bars can seem high when comparing them against a solid full ounce, however, they remain a practical options for incremental buying fractional gold.

Investors interested in buying quantities of 1 gram gold bars should consider the Valcambi CombiBars.

Newly minted gold bars come sealed inside a manufacturers assay card. This can provide extra assurance that you are buying an authentic and genuine product. Most gold bars can be tested with SIGMA Precious Metal Verifier while remaining encapsulated in the plastic assay case.

From a practical perspective, each 1 gram gold bar is a small store of wealth. Having even a small stack of these stored at home is a good way to be prepared for uncertainty to come.

The Britannia series of gold bars is minted by the Royal Mint and shares the design motif with other bars and coins in the series. The Britannia 1 gram gold bar is an excellent choice to complement your investment in silver Britannias.

The reverse design shows the Royal Mint hallmark along the top with the same wave and familiar maritime theme along the bottom. The center is stamped with the weight 1 gram and purity, 999.9 fine gold.

The Perth Mint of Australia is well know for meticulously designed gold bars minted to the highest levels of purity. It’s hard to go wrong when considering 1 gram Perth gold bars as a new addition to your portfolio.

The layout on the front features the Perth Swan logo at the top and shows the purity and weight very prominent. The reverse of these 24k gold bars shows a diagonally repeating bounding kangaroo design that alternates between a frosted and proof-like finish.

The Royal Canadian Mint’s 1 gram gold offering comes in the form of the MapleGram coin. The MapleGram Gold Coin is a miniature version of the larger Maple Leaf.

Each 24k 1 gram gold coin comes encapsulated in a sealed assay that includes the all of the important details. MapleGram coins are also available in sheets of twenty-five 1 gram coins that are perforated for easy separation.

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Largest Swiss Gold Refiners

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Switzerland has long been a mecca for finance, banking and precious metals. Although all of the country’s native metal deposits were mined long ago, some of the most renowned and legendary refiners continue to operate there.

The World Gold Council estimates that to date, approximately 200,000 tons of gold has been extracted from the earth’s crust and miners are extracting roughly 2,600 tons of new gold each year.

Much of the newly mined gold ore is sent for processing at various private mints and refineries in Switzerland.

Valcambi-Suisse, Balerna, Ticino

Valcambi was founded in 1957. The company is headquarters is nestled along the Swiss-Italian border just 35 miles from Milan. The refinery processes more than 2,000 tons of precious metals each year and is owned by Global Gold Refineries Ltd.

Valcambi bars, ingots and rounds are produced from gold, silver, platinum and palladium. That are also a certified Good Delivery provider for the London Bullion Market (LMBA).

Valcambi manufacturers some of the most unique, practical and popular products for investors and stackers with their CombiBar series.

Valcambi CombiBars come in a variety of industry-standard weights. The thickness of each bar is similar to that of a credit card and they are uniquely minted with scored lines making them easy to break apart into smaller fractional bars if the need to sell, barter or trade arises.

The most popular weight variation is the 100 gram gold CombiBar, which is minted from 99.99% pure gold and often has the lowest dealer premiums when compared to others in the series.

Argor-Heraeus, Mendrisio, Ticino

Argor was in 1961 in Chiasso. In 1986, Argor merged with Heraeus and become the Argor-Heraeus we known today. Now headquartered in Hanau, Germany, the refinery in Mendrisio produces many different weights of gold, silver and platinum bullion bars for investors.

The Argor-Heraeus Gold KineBar is minted to incorporate a unique holographic image that adds an additional level of anti-counterfeiting protection to give investors further confidence in the authenticity of their gold stack.

Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux (PAMP), Castel San Pietro, Ticino

PAMP-Suisse is one of the most well-known Swiss-based refineries to many investors. The Lady Fortuna series features the ancient Roman and Greek goddess of luck and fortune in the obverse design which is instantly recognizable.

PAMP processes more than 450 tons of gold annually. In addition to supplying jewelry manufacturers with industry standard 400 troy ounce ingots, the company is a leading provider of investment bullion bars ranging in size from 1 kilogram to as small as 1 gram.

Metalor Technologies, Neuchâtel

Founded in 1852, Metalor is one of the oldest continuously operating refineries in the country. The company began supplying refined fine gold to watchmakers for the creation of Swiss watches.

The company was acquired by the Japanese based Tanaka Kikinzoku Group in 2016 and continues to refine silver and gold into a variety of bullion bars for investors.

Metalor kilogram silver bars and poured from .999 fine silver and can often be found with low premiums from various online bullion dealers.

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Brazil & China to Start Trading in Renminbi, Japan Buys Russian Oil Above Price Caps

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The dollar is quickly losing ground in the global south as BRICS countries initiate trade deals in local currencies.

China and Brazil announced this week a new trade deal that will be settled in their own currencies. The news comes amid reports that the Chinese RMB has surpassed the Euro to become the currency with the second largest reserves held by Brazil.

Yet, the dollar still represents more than 80% of the countries foreign reserves.

The central bank report also shows that the value of Brazil’s international reserves lost over $37.5 billion in 2021 and 2022, due in large part to lower returns amid the US Federal Reserve’s rate hikes and dollar manipulation.

China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner, overtaking the United States in 2009. China has pledged to continue making significant investments in the largest economy in South America, with major spending across energy, mining, agriculture and information-and-communication technology.

As of February 2023, the Central Bank of Brazil reported gold holdings worth $7.602 billion, down slightly from $8.103 billion in March of 2022. It’s probable that some of the gold that China has been stockpiling was exchanged for yuan.

China continues pushing trade in the southern hemisphere moving bilateral trade agreements away from the dollar as part of the overall “One Belt One Road” initiative.

The Bank of International Settlements (BIS), the driving force pushing for global CBDC adoption and the organization that controls the SWIFT banking network lists gold bullion as a Tier 1 asset alongside United States Treasury Bills.

Rio-based Banco BOCOM BBM, a subsidiary of China’s fifth largest bank will be connected to the Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), bypassing the SWIFT network to support trade settlements directly in renminbi.

BRICS countries have been buying gold and stocking up their reserves in anticipation for more than a decade establishing stronger trade ties among the emerging economies. Over the last decade, Russia alone has quintupled their central bank gold holdings affirming its strong leadership role with the emerging Moscow World Standard for clearing commodities outside of Western manipulated markets.

Central Banks will continue to buy gold in large amounts to provide scaffolding for larger bilateral trade deals in local currency in preparation for the announcement of a BRICS basket currency that is expected to come during the BRICS Summit in South Africa in August of this year.

The price of gold has been trending higher this year as mainstream and retail investors continue to hedge riskier portfolio holdings due to tremendous uncertainty in the dollar’s global dominance.

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Budget Friendly Fractional Gold Bars

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Gold is the oldest form of money that is generally recognized everywhere in the world. It is also traded as a futures market commodity and daily trading activity around the world effects the price.

The global trading activity can cause the gold spot price to change every minute around the clock six days per week.

Today’s gold spot price is based on buying a futures contract that contains a 10, 50 or 100 troy ounces of gold. Beyond the price of the metal, there are additional costs that can stack up for fulfillment and delivery.

Some of the gold bars moving out of the COMEX vaults in recent months make their way to both government and private mints for pressing, pouring, machining and casting into smaller and more affordable weight denominations.

Today, there are thousands of available products when shopping for a gold investment. Investors that are considering fractional gold bars have many to choose from.

Fractional gold bars are ones that are minted with a weight of less than 1 troy ounce. In some cases they are measured in fractions of an ounce in increments that are similar to coins, such as 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/2 oz.

Most of the newly minted gold bullion in the marketplace today are produced by refineries and mints in Europe and Asian where measuring with the metric system is standard. It’s becoming much more common to find gold bars for sale are measured on a gram scale than in fractions of an ounce.

Gold gram bars are an excellent choice to add to your investment stack. They are extremely liquid and easy to convert to fiat if needed. They are also a lot friendly on the wallet than buying a full ounce at time.

And having an assortment of different size gold gram bars may be a practical way to be prepared if you ever need to barter. There are even some options available to buy half gram gold bars from various manufacturers.

When it comes to pricing, smaller gold bars are typically in a price range that is affordable to a wider range of investors. It is also important to remember that smaller bars will frequently have a higher dealer premium than larger sizes.

Less than $100

One Gram Gold Bars

Fractional one gram gold bars are a practical and popular investment option. They are perfect for stacking and can be purchased affordably.

Online bullion dealers offer newly minted 1 gram gold bars in their factory sealed assay card which helps assure that you’re buying an authentic product. Many local coin shops that carry products from Valcambi will often break off gold Combibars into the 1 gram increments. A variety of online dealers do this as well and will sell them as secondary market 1 gram gold bars.

Less than $500

2 Gram Gold Bars & 2.5 gram gold bars

Various refineries manufacture 2 gram bars and 2.5 gram gold bars for investors to capture some savings on the premiums. Both of these sizes are convenient, interesting and unique size denominations.

Sometimes you can find these in the bargain bin at local coin stores as there are only a few refineries making newly minted bars in these sizes.

5 gram gold bars

Five gram gold bars offer a significant savings in premiums over smaller sizes. You will find that premiums will be lower on Random 5 gram gold bar than smaller size fractional gold bars.

Newly minted bars are manufactured by notable private mints such as PAMP Suisse and Valcambi. There are also various 5 gram gold bars that are backed by government mints such as Perth and the Royal Mint.

Less than $1,000

10 gram gold bars

The next option for those with a slightly higher budget is the 10 gram gold bar. These bars contain .3215 troy ounces of gold, just slightly less than 1/3 of an ounce.

The denseness of these bars can be felt in your hand. Newly minted bar will come sealed in a sealed plastic assay card holder, while secondary market 10 gram gold bars will most likely be shipped in a plastic coin flip.

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Banking Crisis Excites Investor Demand for Silver and Gold

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Gold is money. Period. The fiat paper currency that we use for daily transactions is little more than an IOU from the government. Except with inflation, the value of fiat keep getting lower and lower.

The start of the latest banking crisis began with the failure of SVB that was quickly followed by Signature Bank. Regulators attempting to prevent bank runs put up ‘backstop’ to ensure depositors that their funds will be safe and accessible.

The current Orwellian doublespeak flaunted by the mainstream press is driven by regulators trying to convince customers that this time is different. It’s essentially a bank bailout.

The big global banks like JP Morgan and Bank of America have seen an influx in deposits as smaller regional banks continue to request emergency funds from the Fed.

Hot on the heals of this banking crisis, the Federal Reserve has announced that it will rolling out its FedNow instant payment service in July which many see as a precursor to CBDC rollout.

As the stock market continues to tumble, the latest news about Credit Suisse and from the Bank of Japan may be sending the Western world into a recession as some analyst are predicting that Russia, China and Iran are on the cusp of launching of a BRICS gold-backed currency that will unseat the dollar’s hegemony.

Over the past few weeks investor uncertainty has returned to the stock markets as retail investors pile into precious metals in volume unseen since the start of the pandemic.

Estimates of precious metals sales based on inventory data from APMEX shows record sales of both gold and silver.

Gold sales at APMEX topped 27,000 troy ounces in the past seven days. While sales of silver bullion exceeding over 1 million troy ounces in the same seven day period.

FindBullionPrices.com tracks prices from dozens on online bullion dealers, including APMEX. APMEX is one of the largest and most popular bullion dealers in the country.

As precious metals prices remain relatively low many other online dealers are reporting delays in shipping as order volume continues to rise.

Retail investors looking for deals to add to their stack can often find the best prices when buying random year or secondary market coins.

The secondary market is where previous year gold bullion coins are traded between investors and dealers. These coins may have been stored since the year they were minted or may have traded hands dozens of times. Regardless, these gold coins maintain their intrinsic value and will continue to be a store of wealth for future generations.

Stacking physical gold and silver bullion a one way to help protect the financial security of your family in ways far beyond that of trading crypto or ETFs.

First time precious metals buyers are invited to checkout the current Spot Deals page for offers from online dealers to buy silver for spot price. Gold buyers also have the opportunity to buy 1 oz gold bar at spot price.

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1 oz Gold Bar at Spot Price

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Interest in precious metals continues to spread far and wide as the turmoil in the economy begins to take hold. New investors often have a lot of uncertainty when first learning about precious metals and dealer premiums can raise questions for some.

Many new investors discovered precious metals through spot price deals that were once promoted by numerous dealers prior to the start of the pandemic. Those offers allowed precious metals buyers the chance to buy silver with no dealer markup.

Mining shutdowns, supply chain issue and strong investor demand for silver put an temporary end to those offers until recently.

SD Bullion was the first online bullion dealer to return with a silver at spot price deal earlier this year. New investors can buy one 5 oz silver bar at spot price.

JM Bullion has recently returned with a special offer for those interested in gold.

The Gold Starter Kit from JM Bullion is now available and offers new investors the opportunity to buy a 1 oz gold bar at spot price.

Gold is long considered one of the best investment options when looking for a long term store of value to be a hedge against inflation.

Owning physical gold and silver are one of the few asset options that has no counter-party risk.