Plain-English answers to the most common questions about buying, selling, storing and paying tax on gold and silver in the UK. Live prices are in our UK dealer comparison.
Buying
Buying1g, 10g or 1oz gold bar: which size is best value?Compare 1g, 10g and 1oz gold bars in the UK: premiums, price per gram, buy-back spreads, VAT and CGT, and when a smaller bar still makes sense.Read guide →- BuyingBest value gold coins for UK investors: Sovereign vs BritanniaWhich gold coins are best value for UK investors? Sovereign vs Britannia compared on gold content, premium per gram, CGT exemption, VAT and buy-back.Read guide →
- BuyingBuying gold in instalments: monthly saving and pound-cost averagingHow buying gold with a fixed sum every month works in the UK: a worked example, premiums on small items, savings plans, Sovereigns, CGT and what to check.Read guide →
- BuyingGold bar or coin: which to choose in the UKGold bar or coin in the UK? Compare premiums per gram, VAT and Capital Gains Tax rules, Sovereign and Britannia, flexibility when selling and authenticity.Read guide →
- BuyingGold or silver: differences, risks and costs in the UKGold or silver in the UK: why gold is VAT-free and silver carries 20% VAT, CGT rules, price swings, storage and dealer spreads compared side by side.Read guide →
- BuyingHow to buy investment gold in the UK: step by stepHow to buy investment gold in the UK step by step: bars or coins, VAT and CGT rules, comparing dealer prices and spreads, paying safely and storage.Read guide →
- BuyingHow to choose a trustworthy bullion dealer in the UKChecks before buying gold in the UK: Companies House, HMRC registration, buy-back prices, LBMA bars, certificates, reviews and common scam red flags.Read guide →
- BuyingOnline or in person: where is it better to buy gold in the UK?Buying gold online vs in a UK shop: prices, delivery and insurance, payment, cancellation rights, safety, and when each option tends to be more practical.Read guide →
- BuyingSpot price, premium and spread: what you really pay for goldWhat the gold spot price, premium and spread mean, how to calculate them in pounds, worked examples for bars and Sovereigns, and how to compare dealers.Read guide →
Selling
- SellingBuyback price: why the dealer pays less and how to get moreWhy the gold buyback price is below the selling price, what the spread is and how to get more when selling coins and bars to UK dealers.Read guide →
- SellingHow to sell gold for the best price in the UKHow to get the best price when selling gold in the UK: comparing buy-back prices, bullion vs jewellery, where to sell, documents, CGT and common pitfalls.Read guide →
- SellingHow to sell gold jewellery and scrap goldHow to work out what your gold jewellery is worth from weight and hallmark, what deductions to expect and where to sell scrap gold in the UK.Read guide →
Tax and the law
- Tax and the lawDo I have to declare my gold? UK rulesWhen gold must be declared in the UK: owning it, Capital Gains Tax reporting limits, cash rules for dealers and customs declarations when travelling.Read guide →
- Tax and the lawGold in a pension: SIPP rules for bullionCan you hold gold in a UK pension? SIPP and SSAS rules for investment-grade bullion bars, why coins and silver are taxed, and the costs to compare.Read guide →
- Tax and the lawTax on gold and silver in the UK: VAT and Capital Gains TaxVAT on investment gold and silver in the UK, Capital Gains Tax rates and allowance, and why Sovereigns and Britannias are free of CGT.Read guide →
Purity, quality and fakes
- Purity, quality and fakesCertificate, packaging, assay card: what a gold bar should come withWhat should be stamped on a gold bar, what an assay card shows, which paperwork to keep for VAT and CGT, and whether to open the sealed pack.Read guide →
- Purity, quality and fakesGold purity and carats: how much gold is in jewellery and coinsWhat 9ct, 18ct and 22ct mean, how to read a UK hallmark and how to work out the pure gold in your jewellery or coins, with worked examples.Read guide →
- Purity, quality and fakesHow to spot fake gold: tests at home and by an expertHow to tell if gold is real: weight, size, magnet and loupe checks at home, plus XRF, ultrasound and assay tests used by UK dealers.Read guide →
- Purity, quality and fakesWhat is a troy ounce and why gold is weighed in itA troy ounce is 31.1035 g. Learn where it comes from, why gold is priced per ounce, its status in UK law and how to convert ounces to grams.Read guide →
Storage and security
- Storage and securityHow to Insure Gold and Silver at Home and in a VaultUK contents policies cap valuables and single items. How to insure gold and silver at home, in a safe deposit box or in a vault.Read guide →
- Storage and securityWhere to keep your gold: at home, safe deposit box or vaultWhere to keep physical gold in the UK: at home, in a safe deposit box or a vault. Costs, access, insurance, FSCS limits and allocated storage.Read guide →
Markets and strategy
- Markets and strategyGold ETFs and mining shares vs physical gold: what is the difference?Physical gold, gold ETCs and mining shares compared for UK investors: costs, risks, leverage, ISA eligibility and how CGT and VAT apply to each.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyGold vs Bitcoin: Key Differences in Risk, Supply and TaxGold vs Bitcoin for UK investors: supply, volatility, crashes of up to 76%, FCA warnings, and how Capital Gains Tax applies to each.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyGold vs Inflation: What 50 Years of Data ShowGold has outpaced UK and US inflation since the 1970s, but it lost most of its real value from 1980 to 1999. What the long-run data show.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyHistory of the gold price: the big peaks and crashesThe gold price from $35 to above $5,000: the 1980 peak, the 1999 low and UK gold sales, the 2011 and 2020 records, and the 2026 peak and crash.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyHow Much Gold to Hold in a Portfolio: Common ApproachesFrom a 2–10% slice to 25% in the Permanent Portfolio: how gold allocation approaches work, how to rebalance and the UK tax points.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyThe gold/silver ratio: what it is and how investors use itWhat the gold/silver ratio is, how to calculate it, historical levels from 15 to above 120, and what switching between metals really costs in the UK.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyWhat Moves the Gold Price: Rates, the Dollar, Central Banks and CrisesReal interest rates, the dollar, the pound, central bank buying and crises drive gold. How each works, with examples from 1980 to 2026.Read guide →
Silver and other metals
- Silver and other metalsPlatinum and palladium: are they worth it?Platinum and palladium as investments in the UK: industrial uses, concentrated supply, price peaks and crashes, 20% VAT, spreads and CGT rules.Read guide →
- Silver and other metalsSilver as an investment: pros, cons and taxesSilver as an investment in the UK: what drives the price, pros and cons, 20% VAT, spreads, CGT-free Britannias and a worked break-even example.Read guide →
