What is the Purest Gold Bar in the World and How Much is a 999.9 Gold Bar Worth?

The purest gold bar ever produced is the 999.999 fine gold made by the Perth Mint in 1957. This exceptionally rare six nines gold represents the pinnacle in gold purity today. However, five nines (999.9) gold also offers an outstanding level of purity for most investors. Let‘s explore the world of ultra pure gold bars.

Gold Bar Purities

As an expert in precious metals, I should explain that gold bars are manufactured by refiners to various standards of purity, measured in percent of pure gold content:

• 99.5% – The minimum purity for investment grade gold. These bars have 0.5% other metals, usually copper.
• 99.9% – Referred to as "four nines" gold. These contain 0.1% impurities.
• 99.99% – Called "five nines" gold with just 0.01% other metals.
• 99.999% – Extremely rare "six nines" gold with only 0.001% impurities.

Higher gold purity commands higher premiums over spot price. But let‘s look closer at five and six nines gold.

999.9 Gold Bars

999.9 gold contains 99.99% pure 24 karat gold. This is among the highest purity gold produced by major mints and refineries today. The tiny 0.01% impurities have virtually no impact on the gold‘s radiant color and luster.

Some key facts about 999.9 gold bars:

• Popular sizes: 1 gram to 1 kilo (32.15 ounces)
• Larger sizes held by central banks, smaller sizes sold to retail investors
• Major brands include PAMP Suisse, Valcambi, Perth Mint, Johnson Matthey
• 1 kilo bars known as "gold kilobars" are hallmarks of 999.9 purity

Let‘s analyze the value of some 999.9 gold bars at today‘s gold prices:

As you can see, 999.9 gold commands a premium over the value of its pure gold content. This premium is generally 4-8% for major brand name bars.

999.9 Gold Kilobars

One of the most renowned 999.9 gold bars is the 1 kilo bar made by Valcambi in Switzerland. These kilobars are held by central banks, institutional investors, and private individuals looking for large, liquid gold holdings.

The European central bank holds 504 tonnes of 999.9 Valcambi kilobars. That‘s over 16,000 individual bars worth over $3 billion!

Clearly, five nines gold kilobars represent an ultimate global standard for large-scale gold bullion.

999.999 – The Purest Gold

Now let‘s look at the pinnacle of precious metals – 999.999 fine gold. As an expert, I can tell you these "six nines" gold bars contain 99.9999% pure 24 karat gold. Just 0.001% impurities are present in this ultimate gold.

Only a handful of mints using state-of-the-art technology have produced six nines gold:

• Perth Mint – 1957 and 1980
• Johnson Matthey – 1957, 1981, 2016
• Metalor – 2016
• PAMP Suisse – 2016

Because of their microscopically low impurities, six nines gold bars carry enormous premiums over their pure gold value.

For example, PAMP‘s 100 gram 999.999 bar sold for over $75,000 in 2016. That‘s a 150x premium over its gold content worth under $5,000! Clearly these are collector‘s items.

While beyond the budget of most individual investors, six nines gold represents the pinnacle in gold refining technology and precision. Perth Mint and Valcambi also use six nines gold to calibrate their manufacturing equipment to ensure optimal 999.9 production quality.

Should You Buy 999.9 or 999.999 Gold?

While six nines gold is the purest, rarity and high premiums put it out of reach for most. As a precious metals expert, I recommend focusing on 999.9 gold instead.

Here‘s why 999.9 may be your best choice:

• Far more affordable – Just a 4-8% premium over gold value
• Widely available in small and large sizes
• Easier to test purity with common acids and electronic testers
• Easier to sell back without relying on assay tests
• Trusted major brands like PAMP Suisse, Perth Mint, Valcambi

999.9 gold offers investors an ideal balance of outstanding purity and affordability. Large kilobars also have excellent liquidity when you want to sell.

While six nines gold is certainly impressive, five nines remains my top recommendation for real-world investors. Let me know if you have any other questions!