Since I do not own any business, have no customers, what he said implicates some truth in my case. If I would sell any refined gold, even it would be plenty of 9's, I would only get the price for unrefined gold. Though with one exception: one medium big jeweler offered me to pay higher price than usual, if my gold really tested to industry standard or more (depending on the amount), after we talked a little back and forth.
I would never buy official gold bars. In my eyes the premium is a bad joke, since I would not get the full premium back, when I sell the gold again at the same spot price. With some patience I can buy gold jewelry even on ebay a little under the refinery's price for unrefined gold, - why should I pay more for work that I can and love to do myself if necessary of whatever reason?!
With the help of the forum especially the thread about highest purity, I feel sure everyone more experienced of us would be able to obtain higher purity than that offered as official bars and coins, if this were a must.