Selling a gold bar comes down to weight times purity, valued against the public daily spot price, then paid at whatever buyback rate the dealer offers. Because bars are pure and easy to authenticate, offers sit close to spot, so the dealer's undisclosed margin is what really separates a good price from a poor one.
A gold bar's value is set by its weight multiplied by its purity, benchmarked against the daily spot price of gold. Investment bars are almost always 24-carat (999.9 fineness), meaning nearly the entire weight is pure gold, so there is little dispute about content. The variables that matter are simple: the stated weight (from 1 gram up to 1 kilogram), the fineness stamped on the bar, and whether the bar is LBMA-certified with an intact assay card and serial number. A sealed bar with its original certificate is easier to authenticate and typically commands a cleaner offer than a loose or damaged one. Unlike jewellery, a bar carries no design or scrap discount, so the calculation is unusually direct.
The spot price is public and identical for every buyer; what varies is the buyback rate, the percentage of spot a dealer actually pays you. A gold bar is the most liquid form of physical gold, so competitive buyers pay a rate very close to spot. The gap between dealers comes from their margin, handling fees, and whether they charge for assay or re-certification. Because that margin is not something anyone is obliged to publish, two shops quoting the same public gold price can hand you meaningfully different amounts. This is why comparing offers is worth the effort. Compare gold buyers in your city before committing, and ask each one directly what percentage of spot they pay on a certified bar.
In France, selling a gold bar to a professional is regulated: payment must be traceable and your identity is recorded. The buyer cannot pay you in cash, transactions above the legal threshold must be settled by bank transfer or cheque. You must present valid photo ID, and the dealer is required to log the sale in a police register with a description of the item. Keep any purchase invoice or certificate: it lets you choose between the flat tax on precious metals, applied to the sale price, and the capital-gains regime, which requires documented proof of your original purchase. Bring the bar's assay card, as it speeds authentication and supports whichever tax option you elect.
Arrive with documentation and never clean or alter the bar. Gather the original assay certificate, the invoice showing where and when you bought it, and your ID. Do not attempt to polish, scratch-test, or break the seal on a packaged bar, as an intact seal is part of its value and its authentication. Note the current public spot price yourself so you can judge each quote against it. Then ask each buyer the one question that separates a fair offer from a poor one: what percentage of the day's spot price will you receive, and what fees, if any, are deducted before payment.
No. French law requires the transaction to be traceable, so payment must be made by bank transfer or cheque, never in cash. You will also need to show ID, and the sale is recorded in a mandatory police register.
You can sell without it, but the original assay card and serial number make authentication faster and support a cleaner offer. The purchase invoice is also useful, as it lets you opt for the capital-gains tax regime instead of the flat tax on precious metals.
You choose between two regimes: a flat tax on precious metals applied to the total sale price, or the capital-gains regime, which taxes only the profit but requires documented proof of your original purchase price and date.
The spot price is public and identical for all, but each dealer sets its own buyback rate, the percentage of spot it pays, plus any handling or assay fees. That margin is not required to be published, which is why offers differ.