Which specific CME contract specifications list the exact product descriptions and minimum weights for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium?
Executive summary
The exact product descriptions and minimum weights for CME’s physically deliverable precious‑metals futures are published in the exchange’s contract specification and delivery documentation for each market — notably the COMEX Gold and Silver product pages and the NYMEX Platinum and Palladium product pages — and are referenced in CME’s delivery/process and rule‑filing notices (CME product pages: gold, silver; CME delivery process; rule filings) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. The contemporary press coverage that focuses on margin changes and percentage‑based collateral references the same contract identifiers (COMEX 100 Gold, COMEX 5000 Silver, NYMEX Platinum, NYMEX Palladium) that point readers back to those specification documents for precise weight and assay requirements [6] [7] [8].
1. Which CME documents contain the "exact" product descriptions and minimum weights
CME Group publishes the governing contract specifications and delivery rules on its market pages and in formal rule‑filing or clearing notices: the Gold market overview and product page, the Silver market overview and product page, the Precious Metals hub that links Platinum and Palladium product pages, the “What is the Precious Metals Delivery Process?” guidance, and formal CFTC rule‑filing PDFs where amendments to contract specifications (including warrant/grade/delivery language) are lodged [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Journalistic accounts about margin methodology changes repeatedly cite those same product identifiers (for example “COMEX 100 Gold” and “COMEX 5000 Silver”) that are the keys to finding the contract spec pages with the exact unit sizes and delivery standards [6] [8].
2. Gold — the COMEX 100‑ounce contract and where its minimum weight is specified
CME’s public Gold market materials identify the standard COMEX gold futures contract and its notional scale (commonly referred to by the exchange and market reporting as the “COMEX 100 Gold” contract), and the contract specification page is the authoritative source for the exact product description and the minimum deliverable weight and assay requirements; the exchange’s Gold overview and delivery documentation explain the deliverable process and link to the contract specs that define physical delivery requirements [1] [4]. Press reporting on margin resets uses the COMEX 100 label when describing margin changes, which corroborates that that contract page is the correct reference for precise ounce‑size and delivery criteria [6] [8].
3. Silver — the COMEX 5,000‑ounce reference and where to confirm details
Silver futures are marketed through CME’s Silver product page and educational materials, and reporting refers to the standard COMEX silver contract commonly denominated as a 5,000‑ounce contract (the “COMEX 5000 Silver” identifier appears in exchange notices and media stories about margin and contract sizing); the Silver product specification on CME’s site contains the exact product description, the nominal contract weight, and delivery/assay requirements [2] [6] [8]. The exchange’s delivery process guidance treats silver alongside the other precious metals for physical delivery rules and therefore is another primary reference for minimum weight and acceptable form on delivery [4].
4. Platinum and Palladium — NYMEX contract specs and recent rule filings
Platinum and Palladium futures are listed under CME’s Precious Metals offering and are commonly referenced in market notices as NYMEX Platinum and NYMEX Palladium contracts; their product pages and the CME rule‑filing documents (which recently included amendments to contract specification language and the “Contract Specifications — Warrant” sections) are the formal sources for exact product descriptions, minimum weights, acceptable bars/ingots, and any grade or delivery point differentials [3] [5]. Media summaries of margin methodology changes cite the NYMEX platinum and palladium contract identifiers and point back to those product specifications for the granular delivery and weight language [7] [6].
5. Caveats, practical next steps and limits of the reporting
The reporting assembled here confirms which CME product pages and rule filings to consult — COMEX 100 Gold, COMEX 5000 Silver, NYMEX Platinum and NYMEX Palladium — and shows that exact product descriptions and minimum weights live in those contract specification and delivery documents [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]; however, the news excerpts provided summarize margin and market moves and do not reproduce the full, line‑by‑line contract specification text, so the definitive ounce counts, allowable fineness and delivery bar sizes must be read directly on CME’s contract specification pages or in the official rule‑filing PDFs [5] [4]. For anyone needing a legally binding statement of minimum weights and delivery form, the CME product specification pages and the CFTC rule‑filing documents are the authoritative primary sources cited above [1] [2] [5] [4].