THE SHORT ANSWER
Packaging, certificate and assay result are related but not interchangeable
A retail assay card may protect a bar and carry issuer, weight, fineness and serial data. A certificate may be that packaging, a separate document or a formal analysis record. Use the exact issuer's description, match identifiers and preserve condition; never treat a generic card as proof of composition or ownership.
EVIDENCE TYPES
Ask what document you actually have
| Evidence | Useful for | Critical limit |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed card | Issuer packaging and matching-serial evidence where specified | Not a universal composition test or ownership record |
| Certificate of analysis | Defined analytical fields, signature and dispatch context | Meaning depends on standard, sample and issuer |
| Laboratory report | Recorded method, instrument, result and tested sample | Only covers the sample or observation region and custody stated |
| Invoice | Seller, product, price, date and transaction trail | Does not independently prove composition |
ROYAL MINT EXAMPLE
One issuer explicitly makes the package part of certification
Royal Mint says certain bars are presented in serialized security packaging whose unique number matches the number on the bar. It also says opening that sealed packaging voids the certification and the package cannot be resealed. That statement should not be generalized to every refiner or every product.
CONDITION DECISION
Opening can change resale friction without changing fine gold
An opened or damaged package may prompt a buyer to inspect or test the bar differently, charge an assay fee or quote a different bid. Before opening, ask the likely resale counterparty what it accepts. If testing is required, use a reputable professional process that records the bar before and after custody transfer.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Rules, issuer records and consumer safeguards
- LBMA Good Delivery technical specifications for wholesale-bar weight, fineness, marks, date and dimensional fields.
- LBMA Gold Current List for a dated refiner and current-bar-mark check. GoldObserve links to the list rather than reproducing its proprietary contents.
- LBMA proactive monitoring procedures for continuing assay capability and quality-assurance context.
- Royal Mint serialized packaging FAQ for one issuer's matching-serial and opened-package boundary.
- U.S. Mint bullion consumer awareness for seller, specification, premium and third-party certification checks.
- CFTC precious-metals fraud advisory for delivery, storage, financing and missing-document warning signs.
Reviewed August 12, 2026. List status, bar marks, packaging and product specifications can change; record the exact source and check date.
FAQ
Assay card and certificate questions
Is an assay card the same as a laboratory assay?
Not necessarily. In retail bullion, the card can be issuer packaging and certification. A laboratory assay is a test result produced under a stated method and chain of custody.
Can I remove a bar from sealed packaging?
That depends on the product. Royal Mint says opening its serialized sealed packaging voids that certification and the package cannot be resealed.
Does damaged packaging mean the gold is fake?
No. It changes one evidence and resale condition. The metal may still be genuine, but the buyer may require additional testing or apply different terms.
Should package and bar serials match?
Where the issuer says they should match, a mismatch is a conflict that should stop the transaction until resolved.