The investment world took notice of palladium some 20 years ago and the result was a steady increase in value that often far outstripped the growth of more traditional metals like silver, gold and platinum. Ruthenium, a much less well known member of the so-called platinum group of metals, has in the last few years has been quietly but steadily rising in price despite pretty much zero attention from investors. If palladium’s rise in price was at least in great part due to new demand coming from the bullion markets how is this metal doing it while “flying under the radar”?

One likely answer is that the traditional uses for platinum, and then palladium, was from automakers who used significant quantities of these precious metals in the making of catalytic converters. As the prices of these rose over the years these automakers have switched to ruthenium as a cheaper alternative and are perhaps stocking up in expectation of future shortages.

While there are no accurate figures, the best estimates peg annual production at around 30 tons or less. That’s a paltry figure compared to the 200 tons or so of platinum and palladium. So what happens when the investment world does take notice of ruthenium given that it’s nearly 10 times rarer but still somehow priced at half the price of the others? Just a mere blip from a hedge fund manager is all it will take to send the price skyward.

We’re happy to bring to the public the first handful of one gram bars of this very promising metal. Whether you’re an investor, an element collector or just interested in unusual offerings we’re convinced that there will never be a better opportunity to own this rare a commodity at this low a price.