fractional question please

[craig12]

can anyone tell me the difference between fractional gold weight and coin weight

i have 2 x 5 g johnson matthey fractional bars in assay cards  and when i say they weigh nothing i mean they weigh nothing , theyre as light as a feather even with the wafer thin assay card 

i have checked the wording on them anfd they say 5g with serial numbers  thats what it says on my invoice as well

 

in comparison i believe sovs are 8g or 7.32 fineness im not sure which one is used  , and i dont even own a sov yet but im convinced  that the 8g sov will feel a LOT more heavier than these 5 g bars  how can that be 

[morezone]

Since PMs are measured in oz, then anything smaller can be considered fractional.  Normal association would be 1/2, 1/4, 1/10, 1/20, 1/25 but anything which is less than 1oz would all into this category.

 

5g is small and allowing for the assay card then it's a small weight spread over a large area.  A sov would seem heavier as it would have a concentrated weight.

 

Using a photo as comparison is difficult since you don't actually have a perspective on size.

 

Here are a couple of photos I've just taken comparing a 2.5g Umicore with a sim card. Thickness wise, it's less than 1mm.  I would guess 0.5-0.7mm.

 

Don't forget that gold is twice as dense as silver so on a 1oz vs 1oz, the silver will be twice the size.

 

 

 

 

[silversword]

 im convinced  that the 8g sov will feel a LOT more heavier than these 5 g bars  how can that be 

 

Well I'm convinced, purely based on the fact that 8g is 60% more than 5g. If someone asked you to pick up a 50kg weight, then an 80kg weight, you would definitely feel the difference.

[Kman]

You can feel the difference in your open palm  with a 1oz 31.1g coin and 22k which I believe is 34g

 

You can tell with your eyes closed. 

[Cornishfarmer]

You can feel the difference in your open palm with a 1oz 31.1g coin and 22k which I believe is 34g

You can tell with your eyes closed.

If you send me one of each and I'll do the test to see if you're right!!!

[craig12]

anyone into fracrional coins in a big way ? on affordability there tempting  but the size of em.. hugh 

1/10th krugs around £98  fits my budget but such weeny coins  16mm on average 

they reel you in with the sub £100 purchase but sometimes we forget the size of coin, bbp have a coin at the mo its around 21.mm  at £168 or thereabouts  french i think  only 6.45g  french franc rooster

[craig12]

i have a 1 ducat very nice indeed sir , just trying different european gold stuff

[morezone]

I like fractionals and have quite a few.

It should be expected that they're tiny considering GSR is 65-70 and gold is twice as dense. You don't get much coinage for your money.

[silversword]

1/10ths are affordable and they often look good in pictures, but I remember being so disappointed with half sovereigns, which are slightly more than 1/10oz, I swore I'd never buy anything so small again. For the same money I can add (roughly, at today's prices) 25% extra in gold to my allocated account in a vault, at or below spot. I have no particular interest in collecting gold coins so there is no attraction for me to pay 15-20% premiums just to get something the size of a shirt button.

[Cornishfarmer]

I prefer 1oz coins than fractions, but it depends on who you intend to sell to, if scrap get as cheap as, but if buying a rare panda or lunar you can bay more because it should always attract a premium

[silversword]

...if buying a rare panda or lunar you can bay more because it should always attract a premium

Maybe. Possibly not. These things are never guaranteed.

[Cornishfarmer]

Maybe. Possibly not. These things are never guaranteed.

I've looked everywhere and so far not found a lunar/panda at spot or just over. I've only been collecting for a year and never seen a lunar on HGM and only pandas once

Ps I'm just trying to convince myself I didn't pay too much for a 1/10 tiger last night!!!

[silversword]

If you collect them then you paid the right amount. Whether the collector market remains the same in years to come will determine whether it made a good investment, if that's why you bought it. At least it will always be worth its weight in gold.

[craig12]

as a general rule will you get a % over spot lower on gold bars  or gold coins

[silversword]

I've generally found that bars work out cheaper per gram when comparing new vs new. PAMP bars notwithstanding, as they often carry a premium. With used it is all down to condition.

Below one ounce it's rare that the sizes are comparable directly; coins seem to be all over the place especially actual old circulating stuff in .900 or .916 so you have to do the maths sometimes.