Definition

1. Noun:
   • Gold or silver in the form of bars or ingots: "Bullion" refers to precious metals, primarily gold or silver, that have been refined and cast into a standardized shape, such as bars or ingots, for storage, trade, or investment. It is valued by its mass and purity rather than as a coin with a face value.
   • A mass of precious metal: More generally, "bullion" can refer to any bulk quantity of precious metal in a pure or nearly pure form.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The central bank stores vast reserves of gold bullion in its vaults.
  • Investors often buy silver bullion as a hedge against inflation.
  • The recovered treasure included several bars of bullion.

Advanced Usage

• "Bullion market": The global marketplace for trading gold and silver bullion.

  • Prices on the bullion market fluctuate daily based on global demand.

• "Bullion coin": A legal-tender coin minted from precious metal, valued primarily for its metal content rather than its face value. (Note: This is a compound term where "bullion" specifies the type of coin).

  • The South African Krugerrand is a famous gold bullion coin.

Variants and Related Words

• Bullionist (noun, historical): A person who advocated for a currency system based on the value of gold or silver bullion.

Synonyms

• Ingot: A block of cast metal, especially gold, silver, or steel.
• Bar: A more general term for a solid, rectangular piece of material, often used interchangeably with "ingot" for precious metals.

Related Phrases

• "Bullion dealer": A person or company that buys and sells precious metal bullion.
  • You should only buy from a reputable bullion dealer.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "bullion" is almost exclusively used for gold and silver. While other precious metals like platinum or palladium may be traded in bar form, they are less commonly referred to as "bullion" in everyday financial contexts.
• "Bullion" is distinct from jewelry or numismatic coins, which carry value from craftsmanship, artistry, or collectibility beyond their raw metal content.

Noun

1. gold or silver in bars or ingots
2. a mass of precious metal