Gold can be kept in a variety of forms. Gold of high purity is often kept in the form of bars, but may also be found as ingots and coins. Gold that is officially recognized as being at least 99.5% pure is referred to as bullion, which can be cast into any of these shapes, making it convenient to carry, transfer, or even stack.
When gold ore is mined from the earth, it is a mix of gold and mineralized rock. Using extreme heat or chemicals, the gold is extracted from the ore, creating the bullion. Bullion is often held as reserves by governments and central banks or held by institutionalized investors.
A mint is a company that will mint, pour, or cast precious metals, including gold. Some will say that gold is gold, regardless of where it originates or where it is minted, but for some collectors, the mint does hold importance and, sometimes, it can be quite significant.
Here are some of the mints and manufacturers who produce investment-grade bullion:
