The crisis pushed Romanians to sell BCR over 71 kilograms of gold in nine months

Joi, 26 noiembrie 2009, 17:29 English | Business

Romanians sold over 71 kilograms of gold to the Romanian bank BCR during the first nine months of the year, against 48 kg, the bank's gold acquisition in 2008 for the same period. It can be explained by the rise in gold price and the people's need for cash in the present economic climate. Some experts believe that the yellow metal could group to 1,200 dollars per ounce.

According to sources close to the bank, the number of monthly transactions goes over 250. Bucharest leads the top of the most active counties in this matter. The most sold items are jewelleries of 14k, the quoted sources mention.

16 county BCR county branches are buying gold, while in Bucharest, the Lipscani agency carries out this service for them. The bank can buy gold objects, like coins (without numismatic value) or fragments of coins, ingots and sticks, jewelleries, jewellery fragments and dental strips.

The client is not taxed for evaluating the item if the bank buys the items or decides that they cannot be bought, but the client has to pay 10 lei if he/she changes his/her mind.