Heraeus Precious Metals Refinery

They also produce a large range of investment-grade gold and silver bullion bars which are highly regarded around the world for their purity and craftsmanship. As well as being an integral part of the German gold market, Heraeus also stands out in the Swiss gold market for its partial ownership of the Argor-Heraeus mint.

History of Heraeus Mint

The origins of the Heraeus Mint go back to 1660 in Hanau, Germany, when Isaac Heraeus took over a pharmacy in 1660. A few years later, he opened his own pharmacy which went on to become legendary in Hanau, making Isaac Heraeus one of Germany's oldest pharmacists and entrepreneurs. It was Isaac's son, Franz, who first introduced precious metals to the family business. In 1694, he began to supply fine gold to the French church in Hanau for the gilding of letters, knobs, and cockerels.

Many generations later, Wilhelm Carl Heraeus took over the pharmacy and transformed it into one of the most important family businesses in the world at the time. Wilhelm was aware that platinum was in high demand for jewelry, but there was a lack of the precious metals for industrial uses. At the time, platinum could only be forged and pressed in a white-hot state due to its high melting point. Wilhelm Carl Heraeus developed an innovative solution for melting platinum and thus became the 'first German platinum smelter'.

His new company, W. C. Heraeus drew in customers from all over the world seeking platinum, including jewelry and dental factories as well as chemical labs. Between 1870 and 1888, Heraeus went from producing 20-50 kg of platinum per year to more than 900 kg. Throughout that period, he continued experimenting with new ways to use platinum. Wilhelm Carl's sons took over the Heraeus company and continued its expansion into the United States and other fields of precious metals.

In 1902, Heraeus had become the world's largest platinum smelter and after World War I, began to expand into a multi-product group. In 1985, Heraeus Holding GmbH was set up to manage the company's five divisions: precious metals, sensors, quartz glass, specialty light sources, and dental and medical products. In 2001, Heraeus Group was split again into two businesses: Heraeus Precious Metals and Heraeus Materials Technology. In 2022, BASF and Heraeus formed a joint venture to recover precious metals from spent automotive catalysts. This new company is named BASF Heraeus Metal Resource Co. Ltd and showcases the refinery's dedication to sustainability.

Today, Heraeus Precious Metals produce some of the world's most popular bullion investment products, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars.

Bullion products from Heraeus

Heraeus bullion products are renowned worldwide for their exceptional quality, purity, and craftsmanship. Their range of investment-grade precious metals includes:

• Gold Bars: Heraeus produces gold cast and minted bars in various sizes and weights, ranging from small fractional bars such as the 1g Heraeus Gold Bar to larger investment-grade bars like the 1kg Heraeus Gold Bar. Every gold bar is minted with high levels of purity, typically .9999 fine gold, exceptional German craftsmanship, and features the mint's logo, weight, and purity inscriptions.
• Silver Bars: Heraeus silver bars are minted or cast depending on their size. Their silver bars always have 999.9 purity. Smaller silver bars, between 1oz and 100g are minted bars and come in blister packaging.
• Platinum Bars: Platinum bars by Heraeus are minted and available in four denominations: 1 oz, 100g, 500g, and 1 kg, all with 999.5 purity.
• MultiCard: Heraeus Multicards, like the 5x1g Multicard, can easily be split into smaller 1g gold bars as required, providing more flexibility with investments. Each Multicard Heraeus bar includes several 1g 24 carat gold bars with purity of 999.9.
• CombiBar®: Heraeus CombiBars®, like the 20x1g CombiBar, feature multiple 1g minted gold bars joined together to form one large bar. Each 1g piece can be easily separated, offering greater flexibility just like with the Multicard.
• Kinebar®: Heraeus Kinebars®, like the 20g Heraeus gold Kinebar, feature unique Kinegram hologram technology as an additional security feature. This hologram is known for its use in passports and bank notes and offers a striking visual shimmering effect as well as extra security.
• Multidisc: The Heraeus Multidisc is an evolved version of the Multicard, offering 10 individually numbered bars of 24 carat, 999.9 purity gold in a rotating dispenser that allows you to remove one bar at a time without any damage. The Multidisc is an excellent choice for investors as it allows you to purchase ten individual gold bars at a lower price than buying them one at a time.

Heraeus bullion products design

Heraeus precious metals bars are recognized for their elegant designs and careful craftsmanship. Each bullion bar features the mint's name, 'Heraeus' in large font across the top, followed by the words 'Feingold' and the item's purity. Underneath is the company's logo featuring a bouquet of roses encircled by the words 'Heraeus Edelmetalle Hanau' above the product's weight and serial number. The Heraeus logo differs from the Argor-Heraeus logo and bullion bar designs change for special products like the CombiBar, Kinebar, and Multidisc.

The mint's commitment to design excellence extends to its packaging, which is designed to protect the integrity and condition of the bullion products. Minted Heraeus bullion bars are packaged in secure, tamper-evident packaging, ensuring that they arrive in pristine condition to investors and collectors worldwide.

Heraeus mint reputation

It goes without saying that Heraeus Precious Metals have a solid reputation for their unwavering dedication to quality, reliability, and sustainability. As one of the largest precious metals refiners in the world, Heraeus adheres to high standards of purity and ethical sourcing practices.

The mint’s gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are deemed Good Delivery and the refinery is an associate member of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). Their refineries in Germany and Hong Kong are also on the platinum and palladium good delivery lists maintained by the London Platinum and Palladium Market (LPPM), of which Heraeus Germany is an ordinary member.

Buy Heraeus bullion products from StoneX Bullion

Heraeus is renowned worldwide for its impeccable reputation, diverse range of bullion products, and high-quality craftsmanship. Whether you’re an investor or collector, Heraeus bullion products offer a tangible and reliable entry into the precious metals market. We’re proud to offer a wide variety of Heraeus gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion products here at StoneX Bullion, as well as Argor-Heraeus gold and silver bullion bars.

As a trusted distributor for many of the world’s leading mints and refiners, we buy in larger amounts so we can bring our clients the gold coins and investment bars they want at the best possible prices. Our prices are updated daily to ensure our customers never have to pay more, and all orders are shipped quickly in secure, discreet packaging. Browse our collection of bullion products by Heraeus and other renowned mints and enjoy an enduring and valuable investment that stands the test of time.