What Is A Troy Ounce? | Insight into Gold Bar Measurement

Have you heard the term but wondered what is a troy ounce? It's a unit of measurement that dates back to the Middle Ages. 

It's an essential weighting system for measuring precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. The Troy ounce is crucial for those wanting to grow their wealth with precious metal investments.

It helps investors make an accurate assessment of a precious metal based on its weight and market value.

Here's a guide to the Troy ounce weighing system.

What Is a Troy Ounce?

Importance of the Troy Ounce

The Troy ounce offers accuracy, standardization, and convenience for investors and dealers of precious metals. It simplifies comparability and value assessment for the various precious metals on the market.

When all parties know the weight and value of the metal in question, it simplifies the buying and selling process.

Standardization

The Troy ounce as a standard unit of measurement provides many benefits for precious metal investors. It's an internationally accepted standardized measurement system.

This weighting system simplifies the buying and selling process for precious metals. When you understand the true value of a precious metal, you have a better understanding of your investment.

The standardization of the Troy ounce ensures consistent pricing around the world for precious metals. No matter your location, you'll know you're receiving fair value for your investments.

Accuracy

The Troy ounce is considered a more accurate measurement for precious metals than other weight units, including the avoirdupois ounce. This unit of measurement is designed to measure the weight of precious metals.

Many people trade precious metals in small quantities, so precise measurements are necessary. The standardized Troy ounce measurement allows for consistency in the precious metals market.

This helps prevent major discrepancies in the price and trade values of precious metals.

Comparability

The Troy ounce is an essential unit of measurement for precious metals. It allows investors to accurately compare the value and weight of these valuable commodities.

Investors can understand the value of their investment in a certain precious metal relative to another metal. The value of precious metals fluctuates constantly.

A standard weighting system allows for a clear understanding of a metal's current value so investors can make the best decision at the time.

Convenience

The Troy ounce is the standard unit of measurement for coins and bars of silver, gold, and platinum. Measuring bars and coins in Troy ounces is simple and allows investors to make informed decisions.

Investors can easily determine the worth of a particular coin or bar, which makes it easier to evaluate investments, choose wisely, and grow your wealth.

Standardization allows for transparency and consistency in the precious metals market, giving investors the ability to buy and sell with greater confidence.

Investing in Precious Metals

Gold is often thought of as the ultimate safe haven. Investors view gold as a hedge against inflation and a tangible asset for a diversified portfolio.

Although buying gold and silver is still popular, two other precious metals are popular investments these days as well.

Platinum

Platinum is a relative newcomer to the international precious metal trading market. Europeans first discovered platinum in South America in the early eighteenth century.

Platinum is silvery-white and is often used in high-end jewelry pieces. Its main use is for catalytic converters for automobiles. It's also used in the chemical industry.

Palladium 

It's rare to find palladium in nature, but it can be extracted from other metals, such as copper, platinum, and zinc.

It's popular for commercial use and has many of the same industrial uses as platinum. Palladium is a useful component in dental, medical, and electronic equipment.

Ways to Invest in Precious Metals

There are many ways to buy precious metals besides buying them by the troy ounce and storing them at home. Some modern ways to invest in precious metals include:

Commodity Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

ETFs and mutual funds make it easy to invest in precious metals. You don't take possession of the metals you own through the fund, but you can buy and sell them.

Common Stock Shares

Purchasing common stock shares of metals and mining companies is a direct way to gain a stake in the precious metals market. This type of investing carries some risk since you're betting on a company successfully locating and mining precious metals.

Futures and Options Market

The Internet has opened up the futures and options market for investors. However, these markets are dominated by institutional investors and professional traders.

Gold Certificates

Gold certificates were once a form of usable currency. You can still buy them from some investment companies and banks.

They are considered portable gold equivalents but are no longer backed by the government. Instead, they are backed by the company you purchase them from and carry some risk.

What Is a Troy Pound?

The standard pound is 16 standard ounces. In comparison, a Troy pound is 12 Troy ounces. A single Troy pound equals 0.823 pounds.

Investing in Precious Metals

Have you heard the term but wondered what is a troy ounce? Troy ounces are used for measuring precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. 

It's the standard unit of measurement in the precious metals market and helps ensure purity standards. If you're interested in learning more about investing in precious metals, we're here to assist you.

At the United States Gold Bureau, we're passionate about precious metals and the role they play in today's economic market. We strive to provide the highest level of service and professionalism to our valued customers.

Contact the U.S. Gold Bureau today to sign up for our free investor guide.