International Trade · 6 min read
Gold Export Documentation Explained
Documentation in a precious-metals transaction serves three purposes: it identifies the parties, it describes the goods, and it satisfies the authorities on both sides of the border.
The exact set varies by product, origin and destination. What follows describes the categories rather than a fixed checklist.
Counterparty documentation
Both parties are normally identified before a transaction advances: company registration details, the individuals authorised to act, and verification information appropriate to the transaction.
Product documentation
Product records describe what is being supplied: form, weight, fineness and, where applicable, assay information relating to the specific material.
For unrefined material, assay documentation carries more weight because content cannot be inferred from the stamp on a bar.
Commercial documentation
Commercial records set out the terms: the invoice, the agreed delivery terms, the payment mechanism and the packing details for the shipment.
Export, customs and destination requirements
Export formalities in the country of origin and import requirements at the destination both apply, and the destination frequently drives what the origin side must produce.
Requirements differ between countries and change over time, so they are confirmed for each transaction rather than assumed from a previous shipment.
Why documentation is exchanged privately
Transaction records contain commercially sensitive information about counterparties, pricing and routing. They are provided to prospective buyers at the appropriate stage of the due-diligence process rather than published.
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