Glossary
999 gold (24 carat)
999 gold is fine gold with a gold content of 99.9 per cent, which is 24 carat, and the fineness of investment bars and many gold coins.
999 gold contains 999 parts of pure gold in 1000. It counts as fine gold and corresponds to 24 carat, the highest gold content. Purer still is 999.9, known in the trade as four nines: the usual investment bars and many bullion coins such as the Maple Leaf and the Vienna Philharmonic have this fineness.
Fine gold is very soft. With a Mohs hardness of 2.5 it scratches easily, which is why jewellery is usually alloyed, for example to 585 or 750. For the same reason the Krugerrand contains copper: it is 22 carat and still holds a full troy ounce of fine gold.
24 carat jewellery is common above all in China. In a World Gold Council survey for 2024, around three quarters of Chinese jewellers' sales came from gold jewellery, mostly 24 carat, and from investment products. When we buy, 999 pieces are mostly bars, bullion coins or jewellery from Asia.
As of 22/10/2026: 1 gram of 999 gold has a material value of €117.05.
Gold bar buying price todayWhat is fine gold?
Gold stamped 999 or 999.9, which is 24 carat, counts as fine gold. German VAT has its own threshold: bars count as investment gold from 995 thousandths and certain gold coins from 900 (section 25c of Germany's Value Added Tax Act). A 22 carat Krugerrand is therefore investment gold but not fine gold.
Germany's gold collector coins are also made of fine gold: the 20, 50, 100 and 200 euro coins are 999.9 fine and weigh an eighth, a quarter, a half and a whole troy ounce.
What is the difference between 999, 916 and 750 gold?
All three are high-carat, but their gold content differs clearly: 999 contains 99.9 per cent gold, 916 (22 carat) 91.6 per cent and 750 (18 carat) 75 per cent. The table shows all common gold hallmarks with their material value per gram.
| Hallmark (stamp) | Carat | Fine gold content | Value per gramAs of 22/10/2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 333 | 8 | 33.3% | €39.02 |
| 375 | 9 | 37.5% | €43.94 |
| 417 | 10 | 41.7% | €48.86 |
| 585 | 14 | 58.5% | €68.54 |
| 750 | 18 | 75.0% | €87.88 |
| 916 | 22 | 91.6% | €107.33 |
| 999 | 24 | 99.9% | €117.05 |
The value of a piece depends only on the fine gold it contains. A troy ounce of fine gold is worth the same whether it is in a 999.9 bar or in a 22 carat coin; the coin simply weighs more.
999 gold: material value over the last 30 days
High and low over the last 30 days: the material value of 1 gram of 999 gold ranged from €116.70 on 30/09/2026 to €121.75 on 24/09/2026.
1 gram of 999 gold
23/09/2026 to 22/10/2026 · EUR per gram
€116.71 /g
One price per day from 23/09/2026 to 22/10/2026, recorded each morning. Source: Swissquote, fine metal price 999, converted to 999 gold. The chart shows the material value per gram, not our buying price.
