Four Precious Metals Compared

Short answer: gold and silver are the most widely held as bullion, while platinum and palladium are used heavily in industry, especially in vehicle catalysts. Platinum is the densest of the four, silver the lightest, and each behaves differently as an investment. This is general information, not advice.

The physical differences

• Gold: density about 19.32 g/cm³, melts at about 1,064 °C
• Silver: density about 10.49 g/cm³, melts at about 962 °C
• Platinum: density about 21.45 g/cm³, melts at about 1,768 °C
• Palladium: density about 12.02 g/cm³, melts at about 1,555 °C

Density matters for storage, because the same weight takes up different space. See how much space a silver stack needs.

What each is used for

Gold is used for jewelry, electronics and as a store of value. Silver has many industrial uses as well as jewelry and investment. Platinum and palladium are used mainly in catalytic converters and other industrial processes, which ties their demand to manufacturing. See platinum group metals.

How they are held as bullion

Gold and silver come in a wide range of coins and bars. Platinum and palladium are available too, but the choice of products and dealers is narrower, and the market is smaller, so premiums and resale can differ.

What this means for you

Each metal needs its own record of weight, purity and cost. Track them separately, and use melt value and cost per gram to compare. The allocation guide helps you decide how to split them.