Silver Bar Sizes: From 1 oz to 1,000 oz, and Which Sizes Make Sense
Quick answer 10 oz and 100 oz are the premium sweet spots; 1,000 oz bars are wholesale objects most private buyers should…
Read guide ›Buying Bullion guides
Buying physical gold or silver comes down to three decisions: what form (coins, bars or rounds), where to buy it (a local shop or an online dealer), and how much above the metal price you are willing to pay. That last number, the premium, varies by product and by seller, and learning to compare total landed cost is the single most useful skill a bullion buyer can have.
These guides cover formats and premiums, verifying dealers before you pay, storage and insurance at home or in a vault, and the paperwork that protects you later. Start with how to buy gold or how to buy silver, verify authenticity with is your gold real, and compare local options in the gold dealer and coin dealer directories, where every listing carries verified customer reviews.
All Buying Bullion guides (61)
Should You Grade Your Bullion Coins? An Honest Cost-Benefit Answer
Quick answer For most modern bullion coins, grading is not worth the cost For common-date modern American Eagles, Maple Leafs, and similar…
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Shipping Gold and Silver by USPS Registered Mail: Step-by-Step Guide
Quick answer USPS Registered Mail insures bullion shipments up to $50,000 with a documented chain of custody at every step FedEx and…
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Refiner vs. Dealer vs. Pawn Shop: Which Buyer Fits Your Gold?
Quick answer Match the buyer to the gold type, not the advertisement Refiners pay best on scrap, broken jewelry, and large mixed…
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Pre-1933 US Gold Coins vs Modern Bullion: History, Premiums, and the Sales Pitch to Understand
✦ Quick Answer Pre-1933 US gold coins are legitimate collectibles with wide premium swings by date, mint, and grade. The “confiscation-proof” pitch…
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Negotiating With Coin Dealers: What Actually Moves the Price
Quick answer On bullion, negotiating room is thin. On numismatic and mixed lots, the first offer usually leaves real money on the…
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Taking Gold Abroad: Moving Internationally with Bullion
Quick answer US export is unrestricted by quantity, but destination import rules and capital gains math usually determine whether you ship or…
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Which Bullion Sales Trigger a 1099-B: The IRS Reportable Items List Explained
★ Quick answer Dealers file Form 1099-B only on specific bullion types above set quantity thresholds; American Eagles are exempt regardless of…
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Home Safe for Gold and Silver Bullion: A Buyer’s Guide
✓ Quick answer For bullion, burglary resistance matters far more than a fire rating Consumer fire safes are engineered to protect paper,…
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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Gold at Home? Sublimits and Real Options
Quick answer A standard home policy caps bullion coverage at a small sublimit for theft; three real options exist to close that…
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Dividing Gold and Silver in a Divorce: Valuation, Disclosure, and Taxes
Quick answer Divorce transfers of bullion are generally not taxable events, but the receiving spouse inherits the original cost basis, not current…
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Dealer Monthly Accumulation Programs: Silver Subscriptions Reviewed Honestly
Quick answer Silver subscription programs automate saving but rarely deliver the lowest cost per ounce Monthly silver accumulation programs enforce a dollar-cost…
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Scratched, Dented, or Damaged Bullion: How Much Does Condition Really Matter?
Quick answer A scratched gold bar still contains every ounce of gold it was minted with. For standard investment-grade bullion (common gold…
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Graded Coins vs. Raw Bullion: When Grading Is Worth It (and When It Is a Tax)
Quick answer Grading adds real value on scarce numismatic coins. On modern bullion, the premium rarely survives resale. Third-party grading by PCGS…
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Buying Gold With Cash: Form 8300, the $10,000 Rule, and Structuring
✓ Quick answer Buying gold with cash is legal at any dollar amount. The dealer files the paperwork, not you. Federal law…
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Buying Gold for a Child or Newborn: Gifts That Actually Grow Up Well
✓ Quick answer Low-premium bullion from a reputable dealer, bought with the paperwork thought through, makes a gold gift that actually grows…
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Buying Gold at Pawn Shops: Real Bargains, Real Risks, and How to Test
Quick answer Pawn shops can price gold jewelry and pre-owned coins below dealer retail, but authentication is entirely on you. Because pawn…
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Keeping Your Gold Ownership Private: Legal Privacy Basics for Bullion Owners
Quick answer The US has no gold ownership registry. Most bullion purchases stay private by default. No federal or state agency tracks…
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Bank Safe Deposit Boxes for Gold: 5 Myths vs. Reality
Quick answer A bank safe deposit box protects your gold from burglars but leaves it uninsured and conditionally accessible The FDIC explicitly…
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Tungsten Fake Gold Bars: Documented Cases and Detection
🔍 Quick answer Tungsten fakes exist but are rare, and any reputable buyer runs the tests that catch them. Tungsten and gold…
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How to Verify a Bullion Dealer Before Buying
Quick answer Verify a bullion dealer by confirming state business registration, at least three years of continuous operation, membership in a recognized…
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How to Read a Bullion Dealer Invoice and Spot Quote
$ Quick answer Your invoice must reconcile to the spot quote locked at order confirmation, plus a clearly itemized premium, payment surcharge,…
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Sales Tax on Bullion in Texas: What Buyers, Sellers and Dealers Owe
Quick answer Gold, silver and platinum bullion are sales-tax-exempt in Texas; jewelry and palladium are not. Texas Tax Code Section 151.336 exempts…
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Sales Tax on Bullion in California: Rules and Exemption Threshold
Quick answer California exempts a single-transaction bulk sale of coins and gold or silver bullion of $2,000 or more from sales tax;…
Read guide ›Other topics
Buying Guides 224 guides Coins and Collecting 45 guides Comparisons 112 guides Compliance & Scams 75 guides Eligibility 152 guides Fees & Costs 81 guides Jewelry and Watches 26 guides Laws and Taxes 35 guides Pawn and Loans 18 guides Prices and Data 38 guides Rollover & Tax 173 guides Selling Gold 48 guides Silver, Platinum and Palladium 46 guides