Until recently, it was thought that gold outperforms all other precious metals in terms of costs, nobility, attractiveness. But this is not entirely true, there are other materials with excellent qualities. An example is Platinum. It became popular not so long ago, but it has already managed to occupy a stable position on the market of precious metals. But it is still important to understand what is more expensive: gold or platinum. This will allow you to determine which instrument investing better choice.
The eternal value of gold. Platinum - the undervalued queen of precious metals
Gold has been used since ancient times. This metal has properties that distinguish it from others valuable metals:
- unusual characteristics: softness, high thermal and electrical conductivity, resistance to corrosion, conditional inertness;
- separability: in many cases, materials lose value when small parts are separated from the whole, gold is superior to them, because it does not become cheaper if its mass decreases;
- price stability: over the centuries, the metal has only increased in value;
- reliability of capital.
Today the yellow metal is mined with high intensity - the annual volume of world gold is more than 2.7 thousand tons. The amount of platinum in the world is not so large, it is found in nature not everywhere as Au, but on the territory of some countries: Russia, China, USA, Canada, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Annual volume of mined platinum is only 200 tons. This material has no less noble appearance than gold. It is characterized by its properties:
- The color is grayish, many believe that the metal resembles silver, but this is not quite true, Argentum is lighter;
- extreme resistance to high temperatures, which affects fusibility;
- The high density makes platinum weigh more than gold;
- average hardness value (3.5 Mohs);
- moderate resistance to chemical attack.
Its excellent physical and chemical properties make platinum a more valuable precious metal than any other. But the complexity of the production technology and the relative rarity in nature do not allow Pt to officially occupy the first position in the ranking of the best, despite the fact that technically this material has already obtained this status.
The melting point of platinum is 1768.3°C, which for a long time was a barrier to the softening of this metal. Only at the end of the 18th century did Antoine Laurent Lavoisier do the impossible. He melted down a small part of the material, which marked the beginning of the platinum age: today Pt is used in many industries (industry, jewelry, etc.).
Table: Comparison of gold and platinum
Base metals have advantages and disadvantages. Comparing them, it is difficult to answer unequivocally what is better: platinum or gold. Each option is superior to its competitors in one way or another.
To determine for yourself which metal is more suitable for a particular purpose, you need to make a comparison:
| Gold | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Density, g/cm3 | 19,32 | 21,45 |
| Thermal conductivity, W/(m*K) | 318 | 71,6 |
| Mohs hardness | 2,5 | 3,5 |
| Melting temperature, °C | 1064,43 | 1768,3 |
| Resistant to mechanical damage | Low | High |
| Length of service | Short | Virtually limitless |
| Color | Yellow, green, purple, black, red, pink, blue, blue - the shades depend on the composition, which often and fairly easily change | Gray and White |
| Compatibility | Natural, artificial stones | Only natural most valuable stones (diamonds, etc.) |
| Annual volume of mined metal, tons | 2700 | 200 |
| Composition | A large number of impurities, which are non-precious metals | Virtually no ligatures, and those that are used are also highly valued (ruthenium, iridium, palladium) |
| Complexity of production | Moderate | High |
| Samples | A large number of samples are counted: 375, 500, 583, 585, 750, 958, 999 | There are 4 types of stamps: 850, 900, 950, 990 |
| The situation in the economic market | Stable | Unstable |
| Price, rubles. | 4195 | 2447 |
| Resources used to produce valuable metal, tons of ore | 3 | 10 |
Gold and platinum price formation in the world market
Au makes up the country's foreign exchange and gold reserve, which is due to its excellent properties as a valuable metal and its stability, which has not been compromised in many centuries. The value of this and other precious materials is shaped by factors:
- the amount of metal in nature;
- The complexity of the technology of production: for example, gold most often needs to be extracted from ore, while platinum also requires additional costs to create special conditions to melt the metal;
- the volume of by-product ore that rises to the surface with the precious metal (gold requires less);
- demand in jewelry and other industries: both metals are in the same position because they are in demand and used for different purposes;
- physical properties: density, fluidity, hardness, which affects the processing of metal;
- Gold retains its value even in times of crisis, while platinum has fallen in value nearly twofold over the past decades.
Rating of metals for investment
Considering how the value of precious metals is formed (see above), it becomes clear that the market price is not always influenced by the properties of the material alone. Many banks (Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank, etc.) offer several investment options. Metals available for investment by level of popularity:
- silver - It is a cheap metal, but due to its high volatility, it is in demand, because the price is constantly changing, sometimes quite sharply, the material is lighter and softer than platinum;
- gold is another popular type of precious metal, but it cannot be compared with silver in value and stability (Au is more valuable), in many qualities gold alloy is on the same level as Pt, bypasses this material in popularity due to the fact that it has long been known, depositors give it more credibility;
- platinum - is in third place in the ranking precious metals for investment, but it is unlikely to catch up with gold, because in some properties it does not reach the material that should make up the gold reserve;
- palladium: found in large quantities in nature, although it was discovered relatively recently, it has already become widely known.
Platinum is often used for counterfeiting, which negatively affects the reputation of the metal and its rating as a precious metal. This is due to the fact that Pt resembles steel because of its gray color.
Ways to invest in metal
Both materials (gold, its white counterpart - platinum) may be of interest when choosing an investment instrument. To decide which method is appropriate, you must first explore all available options:
- purchase of physical precious metal;
- MLA;
- shares of companies that produce gold or platinum.
Buying bullion and coins, jewelry
Existing ways to invest in physical precious metal:
- ingots;
- coins;
- jewelry.
Of all ways The first option is preferable, because it allows you to save money and, with the right approach, to multiply it. But not everyone is ready to wait for the right moment to make money on exchange rate changes when selling such items. Coins are more difficult to sell, and demand for used jewelry is even lower. For this reason, money should be invested in bank gold or platinum - everyone decides for themselves.
But this choice is usually made if none of the other options (stocks, futures, MLA) is suitable.
Cost of gold and platinum bars
At the stage of choosing a way to invest, you need to understand why platinum is cheaper than gold (in its pure form). The cost of precious metals should also be compared:
| Material | Price of 1 kg ingot, rubles. |
|---|---|
| Gold | 4 200 000 |
| Platinum | 2 500 000 |
Opening an MLA account
Depositors give preference to the gold alloy when they consider options for investing in the precious metal. But a small number still choose Pt. Opening an MLA account gives you the opportunity to become the owner of the precious material, but only on paper - when you sign an agreement with the bank, you are given one copy to hand. However, the depositor does not get platinum, but if necessary he can sell the precious metal (if the price changes drastically), which gives him a profit. There is no other way to make money on such operations.
Precious metals yield calculator
When choosing which valuable materials to purchase when opening an MLA account, it is necessary to determine a number of parameters:
- type of precious metal: gold, silver, platinum or palladium;
- the amount of funds - the value of the contribution;
- period length: from 1 month, you can choose a standard period or determine its duration by yourself.
Acquisition of shares in mining companies
There are several options:
- independent participation in trading (it is required to obtain a special status, as physical persons cannot play on the exchange);
- You will have to pay a broker's fee for his services;
- buying units of investment or management companies, which will allow you to receive dividends, without experience and special knowledge in the selection and purchase of shares of mining companies.
Ranking of gold and platinum producers
Quantity companiesThere are hundreds of Au mines, only some of which produce the largest amounts of the precious metal:
- Newmont Goldcorp;
- Barrick Gold
- Kinross Gold;
- Newcrest Mining;
- "Polyus Gold.
Platinum is mined mainly in African countries, but there are also other major companies:
- Stillwater Mining Company;
- Impala Platinum;
- Anglo American platinum.
The paradox of platinum prices
The value of platinum is a settled issue. If earlier nobody knew what to do with it: the metal was thrown away, drowned in reservoirs by order of the authorities or ignored as valuable, today Pt has already gained its deserved status and is used in different industries. But the cost of this material is still unstable: the exchange rate is constantly changing, there are sharp jumps, and quite often the price goes down.
Why platinum is cheaper than gold on the exchange
The lower cost of Pt is due to a number of parameters. The position of the precious metal in the market is determined by extraction rates, the complexity of production technology, demand and properties. By most of these parameters platinum is insignificantly or, on the contrary, considerably inferior to gold (it depends on which of the factors is considered). The instability of the cost also contributes to the decline in the value of the material.
Why platinum is more expensive and valuable than gold in a jewelry store and by how much
The determining factor in shaping prices The gold jewelry loses out to platinum jewelry. Gold jewelry loses out to platinum jewelry. If a harder metal did not exist, Au could become the leader in this industry as well. But this material is soft, so additives are used for its manufacture. And a cheap ligature (non-precious metals) is introduced into the composition.
It becomes obvious why platinum is more expensive than gold: the Pt metal is stronger, heavier, and the products are more durable.
The minimal amount of impurities is used in the production of the jewelry, which preserves the purity of platinum, and this contributes to the appreciation of jewelry.
Gold and platinum grades according to GOST
The metric system defines the allowable amount of ligature and precious metal. According to GOST 30649-99 the standard are gold articles:
| Sample | Supplements |
|---|---|
| 375 | Ag, Cu (62.5%) |
| 500 | Ag, Cu (50%) |
| 585 | There are different variants: Ag; Ag, Cu; Ag, Pd, etc. (41.5%) |
| 750 | Existing ligature combinations: Ag; Ag, Cu; Ag, Pd, etc. (25%) |
| 958 | Ag, Cu (4,2%) |
| 999 | Minimum fractions of various additives that are problematic to remove completely (0.1%) |
According to the same GOST, platinum samples:
| Samples | Composition |
|---|---|
| 850 | Iridium, palladium or rhodium (15%) |
| 900 | Iridium, palladium or rhodium (10%) |
| 950 | Iridium, palladium or rhodium (5%) |
| 990 | Minimum impurity content (1%) |
Ratio of prices for popular samples
To be able to immediately decide which alloy is better to buy, you need to compare the price of certain metals samples:
| Price, rubles. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sample | Au | Pt |
| 585 | 2457 | - |
| 950 | - | 2375 |
| 958 | 4023 | - |
| 999 | 4200 | - |
If we compare the cost of jewelry of the most popular samples of Pt and Au (950 and 585), it will be about the same due to the high content of admixtures of more expensive gold and the initially low price of pure platinum.
Video: The most expensive metal in the world. TOP 5
Reviews
I had a deposit in platinum, I thought the price would rise to the sky soon. But no, the cheaper metal is already worthless, because I invested a lot more in it than it is worth now.
Platinum seems to be an expensive metal, but if I ever buy my wife jewelry made of it, it should be rhodium-plated - it looks better. The metal itself is only valuable according to its characteristics, but it looks like steel.
I don't take gold jewelry, it's easy to ruin the look. I like the way platinum is worn - you can hit it with a brick, nothing happens. Platinum design is simple because of its high hardness, that's why I don't buy much jewelry; there is no sense to spend money on it because it is difficult to sell later.
Jeweler's comment
Broker's opinion
The result of long-term investing is more difficult to predict. For example, if we compare the price with the maximum of 2008, the price has fallen many times. But there are also advantages, for example, in recent months there has been an increase in the volume of Pt mined. This makes it possible to consider such material as an option to invest in shares of management companies. Gold surpasses platinum in all the criteria that have been considered, so it is the leader in the market of precious metals.
