Taiwan’s 220-kg gold brick valued at over NT$700 million

台灣之220公斤金磚 價值破7億新台幣

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Central Bank holds the heaviest gold bar owned by a central bank, now valued at over NT$700 million (US$23 million), the Gold Museum announced Saturday.

The 220-kilogram brick has been on display at the museum since 2004, when it was lent by the Central Bank. Its value has risen from NT$115 million as gold prices climbed over the past two decades, per CNA.

Encased in reinforced bulletproof glass and monitored around the clock, the brick remains interactive. Small openings on each side allow visitors to touch it, making it one of the museum’s most popular exhibits.

From January to July, the museum welcomed about 180,000 visitors, most from Taiwan. International tourists came mainly from Japan and South Korea.

Director Lin Wen-chung (林文中) said the brick was cast at the Central Mint using a vacuum technique that fuses smaller gold pieces while minimizing air bubbles.

He added it was once recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest gold brick before being surpassed in 2005 by a 250-kg brick in Japan.

The museum adjusts insurance costs yearly to match international gold prices, though exact figures remain confidential. Under the loan agreement, a portion of ticket revenue is returned to the Central Bank each year.

As of Monday, gold bars were priced at NT$328,182 per 100 grams, according to the Bank of Taiwan.