100g Degussa Gold Bar

One of Gold's Most Recognised Names

The 100g Degussa gold bar carries one of the most historically significant brand names in precious metals. The Degussa name traces back to 1843, when Friedrich Ernst Roessler, Keeper of the Frankfurt Mint, was authorised to operate the Mint's refinery as a private enterprise. The full original name, Deutsche Gold- und Silber-Scheideanstalt (German Gold and Silver Separation Works), was shortened to Degussa in the 1920s, and the company received LBMA accreditation in 1930.

Today's Degussa gold bars come from the revived retail brand, relaunched in 2010 by the von Finck family and operating since November 2011 as Europe's largest gold retailer. This is a separate entity from the original Degussa refinery, whose precious metals operations were sold to Umicore in 2003. The modern Degussa is a retailer and dealer, not a refiner; its bars are manufactured by partner LBMA-accredited refineries. The distinction matters for resale: a modern Degussa bar carries the brand's recognition but its underlying manufacturing pedigree comes from the unnamed partner refinery.

At 100 grams of 999.9 fine gold, this bar competes in the most premium-efficient segment of the metric gold bar range. The 100g gold bar weight class typically carries premiums of 2-4% over spot, a meaningful reduction from the 3-6% range on 50g bars. The Degussa brand carries strong recognition in the German-speaking markets, where the company operates 12 retail stores alongside locations in Geneva, Zurich, Madrid, and London.

Degussa 100g Gold Bar Specifications

The modern Degussa bar carries the distinctive sun-moon-diamond logo that has been the company's trademark for decades. Bars are available in both minted and cast formats at the 100g weight. Minted bars feature a smooth, polished finish; cast bars have the traditional poured appearance. Each bar is sealed in tamper-evident packaging with a serial number for traceability.

The 100g weight is offered in both the modern Degussa retail range and appears as vintage Degussa AG bars on the secondary market. Vintage bars from the original Degussa refinery (pre-2006) are identifiable by their die markings, which vary by production period and location (Frankfurt, Hanau, or Pforzheim).

Tax Treatment by Country

The 100g Degussa bar qualifies as investment gold in all major jurisdictions where gold bullion exemptions exist.

• United Kingdom: VAT-exempt on purchase. Subject to CGT on disposal at 18-24%, with a 3,000 GBP annual exemption. No CGT exemption is available for gold bars.
• Germany: VAT-exempt as investment gold. Capital gains are tax-free if the bar is held for more than one year, making Germany particularly attractive for gold bar investment. Degussa's 12 German retail stores provide convenient access for domestic buyers.
• European Union: VAT-exempt under EU Directive 98/80/EC for gold at 995+ fineness.
• United States: State sales tax varies by state. Federal capital gains taxed at the 28% collectibles rate. IRA-eligible at 999.9 purity.
• Canada: GST/HST-exempt at 99.5%+ purity.
• Australia: GST-free for investment-grade gold.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under IPM rules. No capital gains tax.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no duties, no capital gains tax.

From Frankfurt's Imperial Mint to Europe's Largest Gold Retailer

The Degussa story begins in 1843 at the Frankfurt Mint, where Friedrich Ernst Roessler received authorisation to operate the refinery privately. After the Franco-Prussian War of 1871, Germany needed to convert from a silver-backed to a gold-backed currency, and the old Frankfurt Mint was chosen for the task. This gave Degussa its foundational role in German monetary history.

The company was incorporated as a joint-stock company in 1873 under the unwieldy name Deutsche Gold- und Silber-Scheideanstalt vormals Roessler. By the 1920s, the abbreviated Degussa had become the standard usage. LBMA accreditation followed in 1930. The Frankfurt refinery operated until 1975, when production moved to Hanau and Pforzheim. At its peak, Degussa AG maintained LBMA-accredited subsidiaries in the Netherlands (Schone Edelmetaal), Brazil, Singapore, and Canada.

The fragmentation began in 2001 when the precious metals division was sold to OM Group, then acquired by Umicore in 2003. Umicore continued stamping bars with the Degussa name until the end of 2005, after which they bore the Umicore mark instead. The parent company renamed itself Evonik in 2005, severing the last corporate link to the Degussa name.

In 2010, the von Finck family acquired the Degussa brand and launched a retail precious metals business in November 2011. By 2016, the revived Degussa had become Europe's largest gold retailer and one of the world's top five, selling 42.5 tonnes of physical gold that year alone, roughly a quarter through online channels. The company now offers over 1,500 products across its retail network.

There are, in effect, two Degussas in the bullion world: the historic Degussa AG bars produced between 1843 and 2005, which carry collector premiums on the secondary market, and the modern Degussa-branded bars from the revived retail company. They share a name and a logo but are completely separate enterprises.

Modern Degussa vs Heraeus, Umicore, and PAMP

The modern 100g Degussa Goldbars bar (from the branded retail series) and this generic 100g Degussa bar both compete against the established European refinery brands at this weight.

Heraeus is the most natural comparison. Also German, also LBMA-accredited (as a refiner, not just a retailer), Heraeus produces its own bars in-house. A 100g Heraeus bar has a more straightforward provenance story: Heraeus made it. The modern Degussa bar was made by an unnamed LBMA partner refinery and branded by Degussa. For resale purposes, both are readily accepted by European dealers.

Umicore inherited the actual refining operations of the original Degussa AG. A 100g Umicore bar is, in a sense, the direct descendant of the original Degussa production line. The irony is that Umicore's bars carry less brand recognition among retail investors than the Degussa name, despite Umicore being the operational successor.

PAMP Suisse and Valcambi offer the Swiss alternative. 100g Fortuna bars carry higher premiums but broader global liquidity. 100g Valcambi bars typically offer the lowest premiums among major LBMA brands. The Degussa brand's strength is concentrated in Germany and German-speaking Europe, where the name recognition among retail investors is exceptionally strong.