1 Gram 1985 "Liberty" Valcambi Suisse 24 Karat Gold Bar in Assay Card and Sleeve

Description

T
his 1 gram Valcambi Suisse Mint 24 karat pure gold bar was struck to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. Designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the colossal neo-classical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor was a gift to the American people from the citizens of France and was dedicated on October 28, 1886. The Statue ["Liberty Enlightening the World" or in French
La
Liberte e
clairant le monde
] is made of copper with a metal framework built by Gustave Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame. The Valcambi Credit Suisse Mint was originally established in 1856 to construct and expand an international railway from Switzerland to Europe. Renamed "Valori & Cambi" and located in the southeastern city of Balerna, close to the Italian border, in 1968 it became part of the Credit Suisse Company. In 2015 it was bought by the European Gold Refineries. For over 50 years Valcambi has supplied central banks and international organizations with gold bars and blank rounds. Aside from minting precious metal bullion, Valcambi Suisse Mint produces gold watch cases and collectible ingots. The 1 gram bar pictured is NOT from a CambiBar multiple bar plate but is instead a genuine individual gold bar. What is distinctive about this Valcambi Liberty Gold Bar is its age. While the bar itself is well enough struck with sharp lines, the Assay Case is colorless, industrial looking and about as unflashy as Assay Cards get. Without the company's usual logo [a double triangle configuration], this piece is an aged curiosity but certainly lacks the flash of current Assayed Tamper Evident Packaging. Early security measures on this bar include unique matching ID serial numbers both on the bar and on the Assay Card. The bar comes in a Golden Life Card with a "mini-bio" [see photo] reminding folks down the line what the bar represents. The bar is secured in the Assay Card and is attached to the Golden Life Card in a protective cellophane sleeve. [The first, second and fourth pictures above are Stock Photos, but I guarantee the Liberty Gold Bar a buyer receives matches the quality of the one photographed.]