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About the 1 oz Dragon Gold Coin
A Discontinued Coin from a Discontinued Brand
The 1 oz Credit Suisse Dragon gold coin is a .9999 fine gold piece originally produced by Valcambi SA, the LBMA-accredited Swiss refinery that manufactured all Credit Suisse branded precious metals products. Credit Suisse did not operate its own refining or minting facilities; Valcambi served as the sole manufacturer from 2003 until the brand's end. Following UBS's acquisition of Credit Suisse in 2023, production of all Credit Suisse branded bars and coins ceased permanently. Existing pieces remain fully tradeable investment-grade bullion, with their value derived entirely from gold content.
The Dragon design targets the Asian market, where dragon imagery carries deep cultural significance as a symbol of power, prosperity, and good fortune. Credit Suisse produced several specialty products alongside its standard plain-branded bars, including this dragon-motif coin and the related 1 tael Chinese Art Bar. These specialty items were limited-production runs rather than standard bullion lines, which means surviving examples are uncommon on the secondary market. Multiple dealers describe them as "not often encountered."
For buyers encountering this product, the practical consideration is straightforward: it is a 1 oz .9999 gold coin with institutional provenance (Valcambi SA manufacturing, Credit Suisse branding) that trades on its metal content. The dragon design and discontinued status may generate a modest collector premium, but the underlying value proposition is the same as any investment-grade gold coin at this weight and purity.
Credit Suisse Dragon Gold Coin Specifications
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1 troy oz (31.1 g) |
| Purity | .9999 fine gold (24 karat) |
| Manufacturer | Valcambi SA (Switzerland) |
| Brand | Credit Suisse |
| Legal Tender Status | None |
| Face Value | None |
| Production Status | Discontinued (post-UBS acquisition, 2023) |
The coin features a dragon design on the obverse, produced for the Asian collector-investor market where dragon imagery symbolises power, prosperity, and good fortune. Each coin carries an engraved serial number and was originally sold with an assay card/certificate bearing a matching serial and the Valcambi SA hallmark as manufacturer. The packaging was tamper-evident when originally sold, though secondary-market examples may no longer be in original packaging.
Credit Suisse also produced a separate dragon-themed product: the 1 tael (37.5 g / 1.206 troy oz) Chinese Art Bar in .9999 gold. The tael is a traditional Asian unit of weight with deep historical roots in Chinese, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asian gold markets. There is no single standard tael weight (the Hong Kong tael is 37.429 g, the Chinese tael is 50 g, and the metric tael is 37.5 g), and the Credit Suisse bar used the 37.5 g metric standard. Both the coin and the tael bar were specialty products rather than standard bullion items, and both are now secondary-market-only following the 2023 UBS acquisition. The dragon-themed bullion market is now dominated by PAMP Suisse products (Good Luck Yellow Dragon, Lunar Legend Azure Dragon), which remain in current production and are widely available.
Credit Suisse Dragon Tax Treatment
As a privately branded gold product with no legal tender status, the Credit Suisse Dragon gold coin follows standard investment gold tax rules in each jurisdiction.
United Kingdom
At .9999 purity, the coin qualifies as VAT-exempt investment gold. It is not CGT-exempt, as CGT exemption requires UK legal tender status. Gains above the annual allowance (currently £3,000) are taxable at the individual's marginal rate.
European Union
Gold at .995+ fineness in bar, coin, or wafer form qualifies for VAT exemption under Directive 98/80/EC across all EU member states.
United States
The .9999 purity exceeds the IRS Section 408(m) threshold for gold bars (.995+). As a bar-equivalent product from a recognised manufacturer (Valcambi SA), it may qualify for IRA inclusion, though custodian acceptance varies for branded products from discontinued lines. Capital gains are taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28% for long-term holdings. Sales tax treatment varies by state.
Singapore and Hong Kong
Singapore's Investment Precious Metals (IPM) scheme exempts gold at 99.5%+ purity from GST. Hong Kong levies no sales tax or import duty on precious metals. Given the coin's Asian market targeting, these two jurisdictions are particularly relevant for secondary-market transactions.
Canada and Australia
In Canada, the .9999 purity exceeds the 99.5% GST/HST exemption threshold. In Australia, investment-grade gold at 99.5%+ purity is GST-free.
1 oz Dragon Gold Coin: frequently asked questions
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The Dragon gold piece was produced by Credit Suisse, with all physical manufacturing handled by Valcambi SA, an LBMA-accredited Swiss refinery. The design features a dragon on one face with the Credit Suisse name and assayer inscription on the other. Dragon imagery was chosen for its cultural resonance in Asian gold markets, where dragons symbolise prosperity and good fortune.
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Yes. The Credit Suisse Dragon gold piece is 999.9 fine gold, verified by Valcambi SA as manufacturer and assayer. Investment gold at this purity is VAT-exempt in the UK and across the EU. In the US, it meets the IRS purity threshold for precious metals IRA inclusion.