Gold Bar Sizes Explained: 2g to 1kg

Big Bullion · Published 16 August 2026 · Updated 16 August 2026 · 6 min read

Reviewed by the Big Bullion team, 16 August 2026

Gold bars are made in a standard ladder of sizes. Choosing between them is mostly a trade-off between cost efficiency and divisibility. Larger bars cost less per gram. Smaller bars are easier to sell a piece at a time. This is what each size is actually for.

Common gold bar sizes
Size	Grams	Typically	Suits
2 g	2	Minted	Gifts, first purchases, gradual accumulation
5 g	5	Minted	Small regular buying
10 g	10	Minted	The most common entry size
20 g	20	Minted	A step up while staying divisible
1 oz	31.1035	Minted	The global benchmark unit, most liquid worldwide
50 g	50	Minted or cast	Where cast bars start to make sense
100 g	100	Minted or cast	The usual balance of value and divisibility
1 kg	1,000	Cast	Lowest premium per gram, sold whole

Our range runs from 2 g up to 1 kg, with the price on every size.

Compare our gold bar sizes

Why small bars cost more per gram

Producing a bar involves refining, assaying, stamping, sealing and packaging. Most of that cost barely changes with size. A 2 g bar takes almost as much handling as a 100 g bar. Spread across 2 g, that fixed cost is a large share of the price. Spread across 1 kg it nearly disappears.

Say your goal is to hold a given value of gold. Buying it in the largest bar you are comfortable with gets you meaningfully more metal. The same value in small bars gets you less. If your goal is flexibility, you are paying that difference for the ability to sell in pieces.

Minted vs cast

Minted bars are cut from rolled sheet and struck, giving sharp edges, a mirror finish and a sealed assay card. Cast bars are poured directly into a mould, so each one has a slightly different surface. Expect visible pour lines, rounded edges and small imperfections. That variation is normal and not a defect.

Because casting is a simpler process, cast bars carry a lower premium for the same weight. Below about 50 g almost everything is minted. At 100 g and above you usually have a choice. Cast is the cheaper way to hold the same gold.

The 1 oz question

One troy ounce, 31.1035 g, is the unit the world quotes gold in. That makes 1 oz bars unusually liquid, because any dealer anywhere recognises and prices them instantly. 1 oz is a strong default if you expect to sell outside Singapore, or want the least friction on exit. That holds even though 50 g and 100 g bars are cheaper per gram.

Which size should you buy?

Buying regularly in small amounts: 5 g or 10 g minted bars.
One meaningful purchase, want easy resale anywhere: 1 oz.
Building a position and comfortable selling in larger units: 100 g, cast where available.
Holding long term, lowest cost per gram, no need to divide: 1 kg cast.
Buying a gift: 2 g or 5 g minted, which come presentation-packaged.

Whatever the size, keep the assay card and original seal intact. A sealed bar with its card is quicker to verify and easier to sell than the same bar loose.

Questions we are asked about this

What is the most popular gold bar size?

10 g and 1 oz bars are the most common entry points. 10 g is affordable enough to buy regularly. 1 oz is the unit gold is quoted in worldwide, so it is the easiest size to resell anywhere.

How much does a 1kg gold bar weigh in ounces?

A 1 kg gold bar contains 32.15 troy ounces. Gold is measured in troy ounces of 31.1035 g each. A troy ounce is about 10% heavier than the ounce used for everyday weight.

Are cast gold bars worth less than minted bars?

No. The gold content is identical and worth the same. Cast bars are cheaper to produce, so they carry a lower premium over spot. You pay less for the same weight of gold. The rougher finish is a normal characteristic of casting, not a defect.

Is it better to buy one large gold bar or several small ones?

One large bar costs less per gram. Several small bars cost more but let you sell part of your holding without liquidating all of it. Choose based on whether you value cost efficiency or divisibility more.