100g Heraeus Platinum Bar

Germany's Premier 100g Platinum Bar

The 100g Heraeus Platinum Bar comes from one of the oldest precious metals refineries in Europe. Heraeus was founded in Hanau, Germany in 1851 and has operated continuously for over 170 years. The company holds LBMA accreditation and is one of the largest processors of platinum group metals globally, refining platinum for both industrial and investment applications.

At 100 grams, this bar offers improved premium efficiency compared to smaller sizes. Platinum's high fabrication costs (driven by its 1,768 degree Celsius melting point) make small bars disproportionately expensive, with 1g to 10g sizes carrying premiums of 10-40%. At 100g, the premium compresses to approximately 4-8% over spot, making it one of the more cost-efficient ways to acquire physical platinum outside of kilo bars.

Heraeus produces this bar as a minted (struck) product with a clean, precise finish. The German refiner's bars are the most commonly traded platinum bars in Continental European markets, where Heraeus has deeper dealer penetration than Swiss competitors. For buyers in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, a Heraeus bar typically offers the smoothest resale experience due to widespread dealer familiarity with the brand.

100g Heraeus Platinum Bar Specifications

Each bar is stamped with the Heraeus refiner logo, weight (100g), fineness (999.5), and a unique serial number. The bar is sealed in tamper-evident assay card packaging that includes a certificate of authenticity matching the bar's serial number. The sealed packaging is important for maintaining resale value; bars removed from their assay cards may require re-assay before some dealers will purchase them.

Heraeus does not use a digital authentication app comparable to PAMP's VeriScan. The combination of LBMA accreditation, physical hallmarks, serial number tracking, and sealed assay packaging provides the authentication framework. Heraeus's 170+ year operating history and industrial scale give the brand strong market trust independent of digital verification.

Tax Treatment for the 100g Heraeus Platinum Bar

Tax treatment is identical to other LBMA-accredited platinum bars at 999.5 fineness. The Heraeus brand name and German origin do not create any special tax position.

United Kingdom

20% VAT on purchase. Subject to Capital Gains Tax on disposal (18-24% rate above the GBP 3,000 annual allowance). No CGT exemption applies to any platinum bar regardless of manufacturer.

European Union

Platinum bars are subject to the standard VAT rate in each EU member state (19% in Germany, 20% in France, 21% in the Netherlands, up to 25% in Scandinavia). The EU Investment Gold Directive that exempts gold does not cover platinum. Germany's margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung) applies only to silver coins, not platinum bars.

United States

IRA-eligible at 99.95% purity from an LBMA-accredited refiner. Most states exempt investment platinum from sales tax. Capital gains at 28% collectibles rate.

Canada

GST/HST exempt for platinum bars at 99.5%+ purity.

Australia and New Zealand

GST-exempt in both jurisdictions (platinum threshold: 99% purity in investment form). CGT applies in Australia with 50% discount after 12 months; no CGT in New Zealand.

Singapore and Hong Kong

Singapore: GST-exempt under IPM (99% purity, LBMA refiner). Hong Kong: no tax of any kind.

South Africa

Standard 15% VAT on platinum bullion. No exemption exists for platinum in South Africa.

Heraeus 100g Platinum Bar vs Competitors

Heraeus competes at the mid-premium point in the 100g platinum bar market. It is neither the cheapest option nor the most expensive, but offers the strongest balance of brand recognition, dealer liquidity, and cost.

The 100g PAMP Suisse Platinum Bar commands a higher premium due to PAMP's Lady Fortuna design and VeriScan digital authentication. In Asian markets (Singapore, Hong Kong), PAMP's brand premium translates into better resale liquidity. In European markets, the premium difference is harder to recover on resale because Heraeus has equal or better dealer recognition domestically.

The 100g Baird and Co. Platinum Bar is the main UK-refined alternative. Baird bars sometimes trade at slightly lower premiums than Heraeus in the UK market. For UK buyers, the choice between Baird and Heraeus is largely one of domestic preference versus Continental liquidity.

The 100g Royal Canadian Mint Platinum Bar carries sovereign mint backing (Government of Canada). This provides an additional layer of assurance for buyers who weight government-guaranteed products over private refiner LBMA accreditation. The RCM bar is particularly liquid in North American markets.

For buyers focused purely on minimising premium over spot at 100g, generic or lesser-known refiner bars may trade 1-2% cheaper. The trade-off is reduced resale liquidity and potentially more friction when selling to dealers who prioritise recognised LBMA brands.