Red Dead Redemption 2 Gold Bar Locations and Where to Sell Them

Gold bars are the cleanest money in Red Dead Redemption 2: each one sells for around $500, they take no effort to carry, and unlike pelts they do not degrade or get ruined by a bad shot. The catch is that there are far fewer fixed gold bar locations than the internet implies — the real supply comes from treasure maps.

The free bar in Limpany

Limpany is the burned-out town on the west bank of the Dakota River, south of Horseshoe Overlook. Ride in, find the sheriff's office — the building still has its cell — and check behind the desk. There is a lockbox on the floor with a gold bar inside, plus a few other pickups scattered through the ruins.

This is the single most useful early-game item in the game. Five hundred dollars in chapter 2 is transformative when everything else you own is worth twenty, and nothing stops you from collecting it within the first hour of open world access.

See also: Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay — the closest RDR2 answer to this one.

Treasure maps are the actual source

Every multi-stage treasure hunt in the game ends in gold, usually several bars at once. The chains follow the same pattern: a first map leads to a second, the second to a third, and the last one to the payout.

• Jack Hall Gang — the earliest chain, started by buying the first map from a stranger. Its final site pays in bars and is reachable well before the story ends.
• Poisonous Trail — a longer chain that ends deep in the west, behind a hidden path rather than a dig site.
• High Stakes Treasure — the chain with the largest single payout, and the one worth saving for last.
• Le Trésor des Morts and the other named hunts — each ends in gold, jewellery, or both.

Finish a chain and you are carrying more than the Limpany bar was worth several times over. This is the honest answer to "where are the gold bars": they are at the end of puzzles, not lying in the world.

See also: Red Dead Redemption 2 Gamestop — the closest RDR2 answer to this one.

Where to sell them

Only fences buy gold bars. General stores, butchers and trappers will not, which is the most common reason players end up carrying bars around for hours convinced the game is broken.

The fences are in fixed places — the one at Emerald Ranch is the first most players meet, and there are others in Saint Denis and along the eastern side of the map. They all pay the same, so sell wherever you happen to be rather than riding across the map for a better price.

See also: Baldurs Gate 3 Act 1 Map — the same question, but for Baldur's Gate 3.

About the old Limpany trick

For a long time there was a widely shared exploit that made the Limpany bar repeatable by reloading a save at the right moment. It worked on early versions and has not been reliable for years. It is mentioned here only so you know why half the guides you find describe a method that no longer does anything.

What to spend it on

Early money in this game buys two things worth having: a better horse and better weapons. A horse with real stamina changes every hour of play that follows, and it is the purchase most players delay far too long. Camp upgrades are the other defensible option — the ones that improve fast travel and supplies pay for themselves.

Red Dead Redemption 2 FAQ

How much is a gold bar worth?

Around $500 at any fence. The price does not vary meaningfully between them.

Can I get the Limpany gold bar in chapter 1?

No. The open world is not available until chapter 2, and Limpany is one of the first places worth riding to once it is.

Do gold bars respawn?

No. Each fixed bar can be collected once per playthrough.

Is there gold in the epilogue?

Yes — any treasure chain you have not finished remains available, and the epilogue is a comfortable time to clear them.

Grab Limpany first, then work through the treasure chains at your own pace. That is the whole gold economy of the game, and it is far shorter than its reputation suggests.