Costco is now selling Platinum Bars. Here's what to know, from pricing to availability.

Costco is expanding its precious metal offerings, building on last year's rollout of gold bars, which often Sold out within hours. The retailer is now adding 1-ounce platinum bars to its lineup.

Described as 999.5 pure platinum, the new bar is Swiss-made by a refiner that has achieved Good Delivery accreditation from the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), an international trade association for the precious metals industry.

Costco's gold bars were such a hit with customers that the retailer had trouble keeping them in stock After the retailer added Silver Coin to its lineup, Wells Fargo estimated that the chain was selling as much as $200 million in gold and silver to its members every month.

How much does Costco's platinum bar cost?

The Platinum Bar retails for $1,089.99 — if you can get it.

The bar is only sold online, and Costco says delivery is unavailable in Nevada, Louisiana and Puerto Rico. But the Costco site also noted Thursday that the platinum bar was unavailable for delivery to other locations throughout the United States, including New York and Utah.

Costco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Is there a purchase limit?

Yes, Costco says it is limiting members to one purchase, a maximum of five Platinum Bars per transaction.

Is platinum a good investment?

The precious metal, which is used to make jewelry as well as industrial goods such as catalytic converters, has not had the same recent performance as gold, which investors have long viewed as a hedge against inflation as well as a source. Financial Stability When stock and bond markets are volatile.

Over the past year, the spot price of platinum has risen about 16%, compared to a 42% rise for gold, FactSet data shows.

The current spot price of platinum is $1,004 an ounce, according to financial services firm FactSet, which means that Costco's price is about 8% above market value.