100g CombiBar Gold Bar

The 100g Valcambi CombiBar: Divisible Gold

The 100g Valcambi CombiBar is a single gold bar scored with precision grooves that allow it to be separated into 100 individual 1g segments by hand. Produced by Valcambi SA in Balerna, Switzerland, it contains 100 grams (3.215 troy ounces) of 999.9 fine gold in a flat, credit-card-plus-sized format arranged as a 10 x 10 grid. Each segment is individually stamped with the Valcambi name, the CHI Essayeur Fondeur mark (Swiss assay office), and its weight and purity.

The CombiBar was first introduced in April 2011 as a 50g version and was Valcambi's most innovative product launch, receiving widespread coverage for solving a fundamental tension in bullion investing: the tradeoff between premium efficiency (buy large) and divisibility (hold small). A standard 100g gold bar offers 2-4% premiums but can only be sold whole. Individual 1g bars offer maximum flexibility but carry premiums of 15-25%. The CombiBar splits the difference, packaging 100 individually usable segments in a single assay at a per-gram premium significantly lower than buying 100 separate 1g bars.

The patented groove-and-snap design means segments can be broken off without tools. At current gold prices, each 1g segment is worth approximately $100-110, making the CombiBar practical for small-scale liquidation, gifting, or barter scenarios. The product has found an audience among survivalist and preparedness communities for exactly this reason, though its primary market remains conventional investors who value optionality.

100g CombiBar Specifications

The tamper-evident PETG blister packaging is integral to the CombiBar's value proposition. The sealed package contains the assay certificate that certifies the entire 100g bar as a unit. Once a segment is broken off, the remaining bar and the separated piece lose their original assay certification. Individual segments can still be verified by weight, dimensions, and the stamped Valcambi hallmark, but they carry less formal provenance than the intact sealed CombiBar.

The 100g format is roughly credit-card-plus-sized and thin enough to fit in a wallet (the 50g version is approximately 0.85mm thick). Valcambi, the world's largest precious metals refinery by capacity at over 2,000 metric tonnes annually, also produces CombiBars in silver (100 x 1g at 999 fineness), platinum (50 x 1g at 999.5 fineness), and palladium (50 x 1g at 999.5 fineness).

Tax Treatment of the 100g Gold CombiBar

The CombiBar's tax treatment is identical to any other 999.9 fine gold bar from an LBMA-accredited refinery. The divisible format does not affect its classification as investment gold in any major jurisdiction.

United Kingdom

Gold bars at 995+ fineness are VAT-exempt. The CombiBar qualifies. Bars are not CGT-exempt in the UK (not legal tender). Gains above £3,000 are taxed at 18-24%.

United States

The 999.9 purity and Valcambi's LBMA accreditation satisfy IRS requirements for IRA eligibility. However, some IRA custodians may have specific policies about divisible bars, so confirmation with the custodian is advisable before purchasing a CombiBar specifically for IRA inclusion. Bars must remain with an approved custodian. Capital gains are taxed at up to 28% (collectibles rate).

European Union

Gold bars at 995+ fineness are VAT-exempt under Directive 98/80/EC. The CombiBar qualifies in all EU member states. Germany's one-year holding period exemption from capital gains tax applies, making the CombiBar particularly tax-efficient for German investors.

Switzerland

Valcambi's home country levies no VAT on investment gold and has no capital gains tax on private assets for individual investors, making it one of the most favourable jurisdictions for holding gold of any format.

Australia, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong

Australia and Canada exempt gold at 99.5%+ purity from GST and GST/HST respectively. Singapore classifies it as GST-exempt Investment Precious Metals. Hong Kong levies no tax of any kind on gold.

CombiBar vs Standard Bars and Fractional Products

The CombiBar occupies a niche between bulk bars and fractional products. Understanding the tradeoffs against each alternative clarifies when the CombiBar makes sense and when it does not.

A standard 100g Valcambi gold bar from the same manufacturer costs less per gram, since it lacks the precision groove-cutting and individual segment stamping. Buyers who do not anticipate needing to sell in 1g increments will get more gold for their money with a solid bar. The premium difference is typically 5-15%, meaning a CombiBar buyer pays a meaningful surcharge for the divisibility option.

Against individual 1g bars from PAMP Suisse or other refineries, the CombiBar is significantly cheaper per gram. Buying 100 separately packaged and assayed 1g bars would carry premiums of 15-25% per gram. The CombiBar achieves its lower per-gram cost by packaging all 100 segments under a single assay, which is also the source of its main limitation: once you break the seal, individual segments lack their own assay certificate.

For investors seeking fractional gold for flexibility, sovereign mint coins in fractional sizes (1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz) offer an alternative. These coins carry higher premiums per ounce of gold than the CombiBar per gram, but each coin is individually recognisable, carries a face value, and has legal tender status. A separated 1g CombiBar segment is a tiny square with minimal identifying features compared to a recognisable coin.

The PAMP Multigram is the closest competing product concept: a card of individually sealed small bars that can be popped out. The PAMP version maintains individual bar provenance for each piece, since each bar has its own seal and assay mark. The CombiBar's advantage is a lower per-gram cost; the Multigram's advantage is that separated pieces retain full individual certification.