Homepage / Popular Bullion Refiners: PAMP Suisse
Last Updated on 01/15/2025
"PAMP" is a acronym for "Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux." (French to English Translation: "Products Artistic Metal Precious")
PAMP is a private, family-owned, leading international precious metals refining and fabricating company and a member of the MKS Group.
In 1977, PAMP began doing business in the town of Castel San Pietro in the southern Canton of Ticino, Switzerland.
Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi was an early investor in PAMP and saw a great future for the company through its refining, bullion design, and manufacturing of small gold bars, in addition to its resourcefulness.
Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi grew up in Northern Iraq; his fascination for gold came to him as a young boy when his mother found some gold coins buried in the ground.
In 1948, his skills in mathematics and business helped Shakarchi start a currency exchange and gold trading company in Beirut, Lebanon.
In 1979, Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi founded MKS Group in Geneva, Switzerland, and started a close relationship with PAMP; the MKS Group marketed and traded PAMP bullion to international markets.
Two years after the start of the MKS Group in 1981, the company acquired a majority stake in the shares of PAMP SA; the merger made MKS Group a global financial and precious metals refining and trading company based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi passed away in 1983; his daughter Karma and his son Marwan took over their father's business and made it into the multi-faceted company it is today.
In 2008, PAMP started a joint venture with MMTC Limited, India's largest international trading company. MMTC-PAMP operates a fully integrated precious metals processing facility, which includes refining and minting, under the direct technical supervision of PAMP in Switzerland.
MMTC-PAMP is India’s first and only refinery accredited by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and Bureau of India Standards (BIS) for gold and silver. (source)
In 2021, MKS Group acquired PAMP and the two merged into one. Today, MKS PAMP Group's expertise has turned it into a diverse group of companies, becoming the world's largest, independently owned precious metals refiner, trader, and retailer.
The MKS PAMP Group of Companies include: MKS PAMP, MTB, MMTC PAMP, APMEX, GOLD AVENUE, ONE GOLD, and ENVIRO-TEK.
Since November 30th, 1977, PAMP bullion items have featured a four-die identification or hallmark. Source
The ID mark consists of the letters of PAMP atop four minting dies.
MKS PAMP is the most accredited international refiner and manufacturer of precious metals.
LBMA Good Delivery accreditation is the standard in the precious metals
industry. It measures product standards as well as industry and market
practices.
PAMP products are accredited as ‘Good Delivery’ Refiners by:
Accreditation's from leading futures markets:
Using the electrolytic anode refining method, PAMP refines and purifies gold, silver, platinum, and palladium from mines, recycling businesses, and jewelers.
Electrolytic anode: ore is converted into anodes that are then positioned in electrolytic cells where the precious metal is separated from other elements.
The electrolysis results are gold, silver, platinum, or palladium deposits on a cathode with purity ranging from 99.95% to 99.999% per cent or 999.50‰ to 999.99‰ per mille. Once the purity of the precious metal is determined, the production process begins, with the precious metal being minted or cast into a range of bullion products.
The short video below gives you many examples of how electro-refining is done.
MKS PAMP produces two types bullion bars, Cast and Minted Bars.
Poured or Cast Bullion Bars - are produced by pouring molten precious metal directly into a mold. Markings are usually stamped on the bar using a hammer or a press. The surfaces of the bar can be uneven and have some small pits and grooves. In addition, company markings on cast bars will look depressed or "sunken" into the bar. |
Minted Bullion Bars - are cut from a cast bar that has been rolled to a uniform thickness. The cutting is done with a die to create blanks that have a specified dimension and weight. All the surfaces are smooth and even. Markings are usually stamped on the bar using a minting press. In addition, company markings on minted bars will be "raised" due to this process. Minted bullion photo provided by the courtesy of Heraeus. |
from the Reputable Bullion Dealers below.
The Links below will take you directly to the page described. |
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Notice
PAMP was the first bullion brand to adopt secure assay-card packaging.
To protect each customer's investment from counterfeiters, PAMP has designed many different Assay Cards to ensure the purity and weight of their precious metal bullion.
All the assayer cards created by PAMP are part of the CertiPAMP™ system of ensuring the authenticity of the bullion within. Every Bullion bar sealed inside a CertiPAMP™ assayer card goes through the manufacturing process without being touched by an unprotected human hand. The plastic assay cards pictured on this page are tamper-proof and come directly from the refiner. Each CertiPAMP™ bar is factory-sealed and bears PAMP's four-die hallmark, the assayer's signature, the bar's unique serial number, the foundry stamp, and an assay of the bar's weight and purity. This high standard in tamper resistance assures quality and authenticity and has made MKS PAMP the world's Largest Manufacturer of "Minted" Bullion bars. PAMP has consistently tried to add more features to their CertiPAMP™ assay cards; one of the newest additions is a thin, removable transparent film designed to protect the card's reverse side. The film lifts off easily by gently pulling it off. |
Certi-Pamp Assayer Card
(New Version) |
Obverse |
Reverse |
In 2015, PAMP launched VERISCAN™, a proprietary scanning system aimed at the authentication of PAMP bullion products.
VERISCAN™ offers immediate authentication for the PAMP assay card holder, reducing the risk of it being a counterfeit copy.
PAMP has developed the VERISCAN™ system to recognize its bullion products' unique fingerprint; its technology scans and analyzes the VERISCAN bullion in the assay card with PAMP's in-house product imaging record to certify its authenticity.
Note: Only Pamp products with the VERISCAN™ logo / QR Code can use this App.
PAMP's expertise is in its name: "Products Artistic Metal Precious."
PAMP was the first precious metals refiner to decorate the reverse of their bullion bars with artistic designs as part of their extensive product line.
As an industry first, they have aimed to emphasize the intrinsic beauty and value of precious metals bullion; their collection of decorative motifs opened new doors for precious metals bullion in every market.
PAMP's most recognized art design is the Lady Fortuna, which has become synonymous with its brand name.
PAMP developed the VERI-SCAN assay card to combat counterfeiters, particularly due to the popularity of the Lady Fortuna bullion bar, which features a highly polished finish resembling frosted or proof-like qualities.
MKS PAMP has a wide range of designs, from mythological and astrological themes to religious icons. Their designs also include historic monuments and botanical renderings.
PAMP offers these designs in all the precious metals and offers a wide variety of sizes and styles. Here are some you may like.
You can also make a custom order to PAMP. Proprietary designs are encouraged, and client specifications are followed with precise detail. PAMP's creative staff can also suggest a variety of exclusive design concepts, of any shape or gram weight, from which to choose.
(oz. = troy ounces)
Note: PAMP small gold bullion bars account for more than half of the world market for bullion bars weighing less than 50 grams.
As stated on the Engelhard page: "It is common practice for refiners to put serial numbers on bullion to help individual investors keep track of the bars they own."
The following information about PAMP's serial numbers was previously on their website:
A serial numbering system was applied as standard practice only on 400 oz and 100 oz bars since 1984. Serial numbers on other bar weights were only applied on request.
Since 2012, almost all smaller cast and minted bars are now stamped with a letter and serial number.
The respective certificate or Certi-PAMP packaging always bears the serial number. Currently, all PAMP bars are delivered to the international markets bearing individual serial numbers.
The following offers a more in-depth serial number information concerning LBMA 400oz. "Good Delivery" PAMP Gold Bullion Bars.
Serial numbering systems: 400 oz. Letter plus 8 numbers. The serial number comprises 4 different codes.
Source: GoldBarsWorldWide's PAMP page,
Since the late 1970s, the only rounds that PAMP has been known to produce have been gold rounds produced by MMTC-PAMP in India.
PAMP has recently changed that by releasing three new silver bullion rounds that offer attractive designs with anti-counterfeiting micro-engraving.
The obverse of each round has the same design and inscriptions.
Additionally, each round's obverse features an anti-counterfeiting micro-engraving of "PAMP" around the perimeter, along with a special USA mint mark (stars & stripes in a circle).
Relief:
Inscriptions:
Note: To view micro-engraving better - Click images to enlarge
Relief:
Design:
Relief:
Design:
Inscriptions:
Relief:
Inscription:
Note: The PAMP American Buffalo round only has micro-engraving on its obverse side.
Since 2020, PAMP has offered an extensive range of collectible coins and products with distinctive designs and limited mintages.
PAMP collectibles consist of 999.9 fine silver and, in some cases, 925 sterling silver. They feature officially licensed uniquely shaped designs from popular brands such as Fender guitars, PEZ, Hot Wheels, Barbie, and Coca-Cola.
PAMP collectibles are available in legal tender coins that do not resemble coins and in non-coinage items. In some cases, the legal tender coins are two unique coins that combine to form one unit, as seen here.
The legal tender coins are
issued by the South Pacific nations of the Solomon Islands and the island of Niue,
These reputable dealers offer PAMP Collectables, the bullion dealers offer the widest selections.
PAMP - Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux
Gold Bars World Wide - Pamp Page (pdf.)
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