1 g Year of the Goat Gold Bar 2027 | Argor-Heraeus

Argor-Heraeus 1 g Year of the Goat 2027 gold bar — the smallest size in the Lunar series

The Argor-Heraeus 1 g Year of the Goat 2027 gold bar holds 1 g of 999.9 fine gold, minted at the Swiss refinery in Mendrisio. The reverse shows three goats on rocky peaks with the Chinese inscription 三羊开泰; the obverse carries the Argor-Heraeus mark, weight, fineness and serial number. Mintage for this size is limited to 18,888 bars.

At 15 × 8.7 mm it is the smallest bar of the 2027 Lunar issue. It fits inside a greeting card, which is why many buyers choose it as a gift for Chinese New Year, falling on 6 February in 2027.

Technical specification

Why this bar

• 1 g of 999.9 gold from a refinery on the LBMA Good Delivery list
• mintage limited to 18,888 bars of this size
• three goats and 三羊开泰 — a traditional Chinese New Year blessing
• blister that doubles as the assay card, with serial number
• the lowest entry point into the 2027 Year of the Goat issue

Reverse: three goats and the 三羊开泰 inscription

On an area of about 1.3 cm² the engravers fit a complete scene with three animals. The central goat, with spiralling horns, stands on top of a rock, while two smaller animals stand lower on neighbouring ridges to the left and right. Mountain peaks rise in the background, stylised clouds fill the upper right corner, and a frame with a geometric meander — typical of Chinese ornament — encloses the scene.

The vertical inscription 三羊开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài) in the upper left is a traditional New Year blessing. It comes from the Book of Changes (I Ching): in old Chinese the character 羊 (goat) sounded the same as 阳 (yang, the bright principle), so three goats stand for the three yang lines of the Tai hexagram — the start of a new year and of good fortune. The motif appears in Chinese folk art, on porcelain and in New Year decorations.

In the Chinese calendar 2027 is the year of the Fire Goat (丁未), the eighth sign of the zodiac. It begins on 6 February 2027.

Minting and security features

The bar is minted: a blank cut from rolled gold strip is struck with a die, the edges are rounded and the surface polished. The obverse carries the round refinery mark with the letters AH and ARGOR HERAEUS SA, the word Switzerland, the marking 1 g Fine Gold 999.9, the AH Melter Assayer hallmark and a serial number.

• Serial number — the bar's own number together with 18888, the mintage cap for this size.
• Blister — a clear, heat-sealed PET pack that also serves as the assay card. A broken seal is visible.
• 999.9 fineness — confirmed by the Melter Assayer hallmark of the refinery that melted and tested the metal.

Argor-Heraeus SA has been based in Mendrisio, in the Swiss canton of Ticino, since 1951 and is on the LBMA Good Delivery list for gold. This series has no KineGram hologram — that feature is reserved for bars in the Kinebar line.

Sizes in the Year of the Goat 2027 issue

The Year of the Goat issue comes in five sizes. Each has its own mintage of 18,888 bars and the same reverse design, and 50 g appears in the Argor-Heraeus Lunar series for the first time.

Dimensions as published by the manufacturer's distributor.

What to consider

At 1 g the premium over the metal value is the highest in the series in percentage terms, because minting, design and packaging are spread over the smallest weight. If gold weight is all that matters, the larger sizes work out cheaper per gram.

The bar is only 0.5 mm thick. Keep it in its blister: scratches and fingerprints show clearly on a mirror surface this small, and an intact blister with serial number makes resale easier.

Other bars of this size and earlier years: 1 g Year of the Horse gold bar 2026, 1 g Year of the Snake gold bar 2025, classic 1 g Argor-Heraeus gold bar, 1 g Kinebar with KineGram hologram.

VAT

Gold bars of 999.9 fineness are exempt from VAT throughout the European Union under Art. 346 of Council Directive 2006/112/EC. In Poland, where GoldInvest24 is based, the rule is implemented by Art. 122 of the VAT Act.

Why GoldInvest24

GoldInvest24 offers bars from LBMA-accredited refiners, including minted, cast and Kinebar bars by Argor-Heraeus. Shipments are insured and discreetly packed. See also 1 g gold bars, all gold bars and the current gold price.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 1 g gold bar a good Chinese New Year gift?

In Chinese culture, gold and the zodiac animal of the coming year are a traditional gift. The 1 g bar with three goats and the 三羊开泰 inscription combines both at the smallest weight in the series.

What does the 三羊开泰 inscription on the bar mean?

It is a Chinese New Year blessing that literally means three goats bring prosperity. The character 羊 (goat) was once a homophone of 阳 (yang), so three goats stand for the three yang lines of the Tai hexagram and the start of a fortunate year.

Goat, sheep or ram — which sign is it?

The same one. The Chinese character 羊 covers goat, sheep and ram, which is why sources use different names. The Argor-Heraeus bar shows goats with spiralling horns.

What are the dimensions of the 1 g Year of the Goat bar?

The bar measures 15 × 8.7 × 0.5 mm and is sealed in a clear blister that serves as its assay card.

Is VAT charged on the Year of the Goat gold bar?

No. Gold bars of 999.9 fineness are VAT-exempt throughout the EU under Council Directive 2006/112/EC, implemented in Poland by Art. 122 of the VAT Act.