Argor-Heraeus 50 g Year of the Goat 2027 gold bar — the new, largest size in the Lunar series
The Argor-Heraeus 50 g Year of the Goat 2027 gold bar contains 50 g of 999.9 fine gold (1.60754 troy oz). It is new to the series: for the Dragon 2024, Snake 2025 and Horse 2026 issues, Argor-Heraeus struck its Lunar bars in four sizes from 1 g to 1 oz. The Year of the Goat 2027 adds 50 g for the first time.
At 50 × 28.5 × 2.35 mm it carries the largest relief in the series: the three goats on rocks, the 三羊开泰 inscription and the meander frame appear at full scale. As with the other sizes, mintage is limited to 18,888 bars.
Technical specification
| Parameter |
Value |
| Manufacturer |
Argor-Heraeus SA, Mendrisio (Switzerland) |
| Series |
Lunar — Year of the Goat 2027 |
| Gold weight |
50 g |
| Troy ounces |
1.60754 |
| Fineness |
999.9 |
| Dimensions |
50 × 28.5 × 2.35 mm |
| Production |
minted, polished |
| Mintage |
18,888 bars per size |
| Reverse |
three goats, 三羊开泰 inscription, meander frame |
| Obverse |
AH mark, Switzerland, weight, fineness, Melter Assayer, serial number |
| Packaging |
blister that serves as the assay card |
| VAT |
exempt — Art. 346 of Council Directive 2006/112/EC |
Why this bar
- 50 g of 999.9 gold — the first 50 g bar in the Argor-Heraeus Lunar series
- the largest format of the year: 50 × 28.5 × 2.35 mm
- mintage of 18,888, serial number on the obverse
- Argor-Heraeus refinery on the LBMA Good Delivery list
- three-goat 三羊开泰 design — a Chinese blessing for a prosperous new year
Reverse: three goats and the 三羊开泰 inscription
The 50 g format shows the composition at the largest scale available in this issue. 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.
The issue corresponds to the year of the Fire Goat (丁未), which begins on 6 February 2027 under the lunar calendar. The previous goat year was 2015.
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 50 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.
| Size |
Dimensions (mm) |
Troy oz |
Fineness |
Mintage |
| 1 g |
15 × 8.7 × 0.5 |
0.03215 |
999.9 |
18,888 |
| 5 g |
23 × 14 × 0.9 |
0.16075 |
999.9 |
18,888 |
| 10 g |
31.5 × 18.5 × 1.0 |
0.32151 |
999.9 |
18,888 |
| 1 oz (31.1035 g) |
40.4 × 23.3 × 1.9 |
1.00000 |
999.9 |
18,888 |
| 50 g |
50 × 28.5 × 2.35 |
1.60754 |
999.9 |
18,888 |
Dimensions as published by the manufacturer's distributor.
What to consider
As this is the first year with a 50 g size, there are no earlier Argor-Heraeus Lunar 50 g bars to pair it with. If you are collecting the series from the Dragon 2024, the largest size in previous years is the 1 oz bar.
Of the five Year of the Goat sizes, 50 g has the lowest premium per gram. By weight it matches the classic Argor-Heraeus 50 g minted gold bar; the difference lies in the annual design, the mintage cap and the decorated blister.
Other bars of this size and earlier years: 50 g Argor-Heraeus minted gold bar, 50 g Kinebar, 1 oz Year of the Horse gold bar 2026, 1 oz Year of the Snake gold bar 2025.
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 50 g gold bars, all gold bars and the current gold price.
Frequently asked questions
Did earlier Argor-Heraeus Lunar issues include a 50 g bar?
No. According to the manufacturer's overview, the Dragon 2024, Snake 2025 and Horse 2026 issues covered 1 g, 5 g, 10 g and 1 oz. The 50 g size first appears in the Goat 2027 issue.
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.
How many troy ounces are in a 50 g bar?
50 g is 1.60754 troy oz — just over one and a half ounces of gold in a single bar.
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.