Gold bars are commonly produced in one of two styles: cast or minted ingots. A cast gold bar is typically quite modest in terms of its design appeal. The bars are made by melting gold and pouring it into prefabricated casts, where it is left to cool or dropped into a cooling tub to set. Engravings are stamped in later and the bars have a rough finish.
Most 1 oz Johnson Matthey Gold Bars are minted ingots. These bars start out as cast bars, but are struck in long, thin bars which are fed into stamping presses that use computer guidance to stamp out precisely molded bars which are then engraved by computers as well. The overall finish is much more refined.
On the obverse of these Johnson Matthey Gold Bars you’ll find the standard design products of the refinery. At the top of the bar is the “JM” logo complete with the crossed hammers. Below that is an engraving of the full name of the refinery, as well as the metal content, purity, and weight of the bar. Each one has an individual serial number engraved as well.
The reverse of 1 oz Johnson Matthey Gold Bars varies. Most have a design field that consists of the corporate logo in full. This rectangular design field features the aforementioned “JM” on the left and the crossed hammers on the right. This image is set at a 45-degree angle and repeats across the reverse face of the bar.