10 oz Baird Cast Bar Gold Bar

The UK's Own LBMA Refinery at 10 oz

The 10 oz Baird Gold Bar is produced by Baird & Co., the only LBMA-accredited gold refinery based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1967 by Tony Baird, initially as a numismatic coin dealer, the company expanded into refining in 1979 and achieved LBMA membership in 2000. The refinery operates from a 30,000 sq ft high-security facility in Beckton, East London, with a flagship retail store in Hatton Garden, London's historic jewellery quarter.

At 999.9 fineness and 311.035 grams, the 10 oz Baird bar represents a substantial holding of four-nines gold refined on British soil. For UK investors, this domestic provenance is the bar's principal distinguishing feature. The gold is refined from raw material to finished product under one roof in London, a vertically integrated process that few other bullion producers can claim. Baird is also an Official Royal Mint Partner (since 2016) and received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2018.

The bar carries the Baird & Co. hallmark, weight, fineness, and a unique serial number for individual tracking. Minted bars come sealed in tamper-evident assay card packaging with a certificate of authenticity. Baird also produces cast bars at larger sizes, which have a traditional poured appearance and sometimes carry slightly lower premiums. The minted 10 oz bar's smooth, reflective finish and consistent design across all sizes in the range simplifies authentication and builds brand recognition in the secondary market.

10 oz Baird Gold Bar Specifications

Minted and Cast Formats

Baird & Co. produces both minted and cast gold bars. The minted format is precision-cut from a single piece of gold, then pressed and stamped to produce a smooth, reflective finish. The obverse features the Baird & Co. logo, weight in grams, "999.9" fineness, the words "FINE GOLD", and a unique serial number. Minted bars are typically sealed in tamper-evident assay card packaging that includes verification details matching the bar's serial number.

Cast bars are produced by pouring molten gold into a mould, resulting in a rougher, more organic surface texture with natural variations. They carry the same hallmark, weight, and fineness markings but have a more traditional appearance. Cast bars generally carry slightly lower premiums because the production process is simpler, though the gold content is identical. The design across all Baird bar sizes is deliberately consistent, building brand recognition and simplifying authentication in the secondary market.

The full Baird gold bar range spans from 1 gram to 1 kilogram, with silver bars from 100 grams to 100 oz. All gold bars are produced at 999.9 fineness. Assay certificates accompany each bar, certifying the refiner, weight, fineness, and serial number.

Baird Gold Bar Tax Treatment

United Kingdom

The Baird 10 oz gold bar is VAT-free under the UK's Investment Gold Exemption. Gold bars at 995+ fineness are exempt from the 20% VAT, and the Baird bar at 999.9 exceeds this comfortably. Gold bars are, however, subject to Capital Gains Tax. Gains above the annual GBP 3,000 allowance are taxable at 18% (basic rate) or 24% (higher rate). This is the key tax distinction in the UK between bars and coins: UK legal tender coins such as Britannias and Sovereigns are CGT-exempt, but no gold bar, regardless of manufacturer, carries this exemption.

For UK investors looking to shelter gold from CGT, Baird bars are eligible for SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) and SSAS investment. HMRC requires minimum 995 purity for pension gold, and Baird bars exceed this. The gold must be stored with an approved custodian. Baird & Co. operates its own vault storage at the Beckton facility, insured by Lloyd's of London, which provides a convenient custody option for SIPP holders.

Other Markets

• European Union: VAT-exempt under the EU Investment Gold Directive (gold bars at 995+ fineness). Capital gains treatment varies by country. Germany is particularly attractive: gains on gold held for more than one year are tax-free.
• United States: No federal sales tax. Approximately 35 states exempt bullion. Capital gains taxed at up to 28% as a collectible. Baird bars qualify for IRA investment at 995+ purity from an LBMA-accredited refiner.
• Canada: GST/HST exempt at 99.5%+ purity. Capital gains at 50% inclusion rate.
• Australia: GST-free for investment-grade gold (99.5%+ purity). CGT with 50% discount after 12 months.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under the Investment Precious Metals scheme. Baird & Co. has a physical branch in Singapore (established 2013), which provides direct local access.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax.

From Hatton Garden Coin Dealer to LBMA Refiner

Baird & Co.'s history begins in 1967 when Tony Baird became the first person to trade South African Krugerrands in the United Kingdom, the same year the coin was first minted. Baird reportedly began his interest in coins by bartering at school and built a numismatic dealing business before expanding into refining in 1979. The company achieved LBMA membership in 2000, establishing itself as the only UK-based LBMA-accredited gold refinery.

In 1977, Baird became the first private contributor of coin pricing to the Reuters Monitor System, maintaining the "BACO" page for over two decades. This role as a de facto pricing reference for the UK coin trade gave the firm an outsized influence on the market relative to its size. The company was also an early adopter of e-commerce, launching one of the first precious metals websites in 1996-1997, years before most competitors went online.

The refinery relocated from the Stratford area to Beckton in 2008, prompted by the London 2012 Olympics development that earmarked the original site for the Olympic Park. The new 30,000 sq ft facility in East London became the base for both refining and vault storage operations. In 2012, Baird produced the world's first commercially available rhodium investment bar, and in 2018 collaborated with the government of Tuvalu to produce the world's first legal tender rhodium coin.

Tony Baird died in 2015, and the business passed to his wife Lorena and sons Alex and Carlos, keeping it family-owned. The Hatton Garden flagship store was refurbished in 2017 and remains one of the few places in London where investors can walk in and buy gold directly over the counter. Beyond bars and coins, Baird & Co. manufactures specialist gold alloys for industrial use and provides toll refining services, making the company a full-service precious metals operation rather than just a bar producer.

Baird vs PAMP Suisse, Royal Mint, and Metalor

The Baird 10 oz gold bar competes against both Swiss-refined bars and the Royal Mint's bar range. The key differentiation points are provenance, premium, and secondary market recognition.

The 10 oz PAMP Suisse Fortuna is the design-led premium option. PAMP bars carry the iconic Lady Fortuna motif and Veriscan digital authentication technology, which justifies a higher premium. Baird bars have no digital authentication system, relying on serial numbers and assay cards for verification. For buyers who prioritise lowest cost for equivalent gold content, the Baird bar typically undercuts PAMP. Both are LBMA-accredited and 999.9 fine, so the gold itself is functionally identical.

The Royal Mint produces its own gold bar range, and both Royal Mint and Baird bars are UK-made by LBMA-accredited entities. Royal Mint bars tend to carry slightly higher premiums, partly due to brand recognition and the Crown association. Notably, Baird has been an Official Royal Mint Partner since 2016, and Baird is the actual manufacturer (they refine gold), while the Royal Mint is primarily a coin mint that sources refined gold. Neither brand's bars are CGT-exempt in the UK because CGT exemption applies only to UK legal tender coins, not bars.

The 10 oz Valcambi bar and 10 oz Argor-Heraeus Classic represent the Swiss refiner standard, with competitive premiums and near-universal dealer acceptance. The Baird bar's unique selling point is UK provenance. For British investors who value domestic production and want gold refined in London, Baird occupies a position no Swiss or Australian competitor can match.