10g Ka `Bah. Mecca Gold Bar

PAMP Suisse's Islamic Faith Bar in 10 Grams

The 10g Ka'Bah Mecca gold bar is one of five designs in PAMP Suisse's Faith series, each representing a major world religion. The Ka'Bah design depicts the cuboid structure at the centre of Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Islam's holiest site and the direction of prayer for Muslims worldwide. PAMP consulted with religious scholars during the design process to ensure respectful representation across all five Faith series designs.

The bar is struck to .9999 fine gold (four nines) at PAMP's LBMA-accredited refinery in Castel San Pietro, Ticino, Switzerland. It ships in a CertiPAMP tamper-evident assay card with an individual serial number, purity certification, and assayer's mark. The sealed packaging is integral to the product's authentication chain and resale value.

For Muslim investors, the Ka'Bah bar holds particular appeal. Physical gold bullion is widely considered permissible under Islamic finance principles as a tangible, real asset. The bar combines Shariah-compatible wealth storage with a design that carries personal and cultural significance. At 10g (approximately $1,000), it sits at an accessible price point for regular purchases or gifting, particularly around Eid and other occasions.

The Faith series occupies a niche that no other major LBMA refiner has attempted. Competitors in the minted bar space, from Valcambi to Argor-Heraeus, produce plain or brand-themed designs. The Ka'Bah bar's premium over a standard 10g PAMP Fortuna bar reflects this specialty positioning and potentially lower production volumes.

10g Ka'Bah Mecca Gold Bar Specifications

Faith Series Range

The Ka'Bah Mecca design is available in gold at 1g, 5g, 10g, 20g, 50g, and 1 oz weights, all at .9999 purity. Silver variants at .999 fine are produced in 1 oz and 50g. The other four Faith series designs are the Romanesque Cross (Christianity), the Buddha (Buddhism), the Lotus flower (Hinduism), and the Menorah (Judaism).

Design Details

The obverse features the Ka'Bah structure rendered in fine relief against the bar surface, with no additional text or markings on the design face. The reverse carries the PAMP Suisse logo, weight designation, purity (999.9), "FINE GOLD" inscription, assayer's mark, and the individual serial number.

Tax Status of the 10g Ka'Bah Mecca Gold Bar

As a .9999 fine gold bar from an LBMA-accredited refiner, the Ka'Bah Mecca bar qualifies for investment gold tax exemptions worldwide. It is not legal tender in any jurisdiction.

• United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment gold (995+ fineness under HMRC rules). Subject to Capital Gains Tax at 18% or 24% on disposal, with a £3,000 annual CGT allowance. Not CGT-exempt, as that applies only to UK legal tender coins. SIPP-eligible for pension investment.
• United States: No federal sales tax. Most states exempt precious metals from sales tax. Capital gains taxed at the 28% collectibles rate for long-term holdings. IRA-eligible at .9999 purity from an LBMA refiner; must be stored at an IRS-approved depository.
• Canada: GST/HST-exempt for gold at 99.5%+ purity. Capital gains at 50% inclusion rate.
• European Union: VAT-exempt under Directive 98/80/EC for gold bars of 995+ fineness. CGT varies by country; Germany exempts after one year.
• Australia: GST-free for investment-grade gold at 99.5%+ purity. 50% CGT discount for holdings over 12 months.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under the IPM scheme for gold at 99.5%+ purity. No capital gains tax.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax.
• UAE: Investment gold bullion is VAT-exempt (0%). No capital gains tax. The Ka'Bah design has strong cultural relevance in Gulf markets.
• South Africa: Gold bars from private refiners carry 15% VAT (only gold Krugerrands are zero-rated).
• Switzerland: Investment gold is VAT-exempt. As a Swiss-manufactured product, the Ka'Bah bar has strong domestic dealer recognition.

Ka'Bah Mecca vs Other PAMP Designs at 10g

The most relevant comparison is against other PAMP Suisse 10g gold bars, since all share the same purity, refiner, assay card packaging, and base manufacturing quality. The differences are aesthetic, in production volume, and in secondary-market liquidity.

The 10g PAMP Fortuna is PAMP's flagship product and the most widely traded minted bar in the world. It features the Lady Fortuna (Roman goddess of fortune) design and, critically, includes Veriscan anti-counterfeiting technology, which the Ka'Bah bar does not have. Veriscan maps each bar's microscopic surface topography and stores it in a database, allowing verification through a smartphone app. For secondary-market resale, the Fortuna's higher production volume and Veriscan authentication give it a liquidity advantage. The Ka'Bah bar's appeal is its cultural and religious significance, which the Fortuna cannot replicate.

The 10g PAMP Rosa bar is the aesthetic alternative, featuring a detailed rose design. Like the Ka'Bah, the Rosa does not include Veriscan. Both bars are positioned for the gift and specialty market rather than pure bullion stacking. The Rosa has broader appeal for occasions such as Valentine's Day and anniversaries, while the Ka'Bah serves a more defined cultural audience.

The 10g PAMP Lunar bar changes its design annually with Chinese zodiac animals and includes Veriscan. The Lunar series appeals to buyers interested in the Chinese calendar and carries both investment and mild collectible value. Its annual rotation means specific years may become harder to source, a factor the Ka'Bah (which has a fixed design) avoids.

Outside the PAMP range, no other major LBMA refiner produces a comparable religious-themed bar series. The Ka'Bah Mecca bar occupies a genuinely unique niche in the bullion market. The trade-off is a higher premium over spot compared to generic or flagship designs, and narrower resale liquidity than the Fortuna or a plain Valcambi 10g bar.