Plain-English answers to the most common questions about buying, selling, storing and paying tax on gold and silver in the US. Live prices are in our US dealer comparison.
Buying
Buying1g, 10g or 1 oz gold bar: which size is the best value?Compare 1g, 10g and 1 oz gold bars in the US: premiums over spot, price per gram, buyback spreads, taxes, and when a smaller bar still makes sense.Read guide →- BuyingBest value gold coins for US investors: Eagle, Buffalo, Maple LeafWhich gold coins are best value for US investors? Gold Eagle, Buffalo and Maple Leaf compared on fineness, premium, buy-back, IRA rules and 1099-B.Read guide →
- BuyingBuying gold in installments: monthly saving and dollar-cost averagingHow buying gold with a fixed dollar sum each month works: a worked example, premiums on small pieces, savings programs, gold IRAs, taxes and checks.Read guide →
- BuyingGold bar or coin: which to choose in the USGold bars vs gold coins in the US: premiums per ounce, Eagle vs Buffalo vs Maple Leaf, IRS collectibles tax, 1099-B reporting, liquidity and IRAs.Read guide →
- BuyingGold or silver: differences, risks and costs in the USGold or silver in the US: premiums and spreads, IRS collectibles tax, state sales tax, 1099-B reporting, price swings and storage compared side by side.Read guide →
- BuyingHow to buy investment gold in the US: step by stepHow to buy investment gold in the US step by step: bars vs coins, sales tax and IRS rules, comparing dealer prices per ounce, safe payment and storage.Read guide →
- BuyingHow to choose a trustworthy bullion dealer in the USChecks before buying gold in the US: business records, bid and ask prices, LBMA bars, assay cards, reviews, gold IRA pitches and scam red flags.Read guide →
- BuyingOnline or in person: where is it better to buy gold in the US?Buying gold online vs at a local coin shop in the US: prices, shipping, payment methods, sales tax, cash reporting, safety, and when each fits better.Read guide →
- BuyingSpot price, premium and spread: what you really pay for goldWhat the gold spot price, dealer premium and bid-ask spread mean, how to calculate them, examples for bars, Eagles and silver, 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 US dealers.Read guide →
- SellingHow to sell gold for the best price in the USHow to get the best price when selling gold in the US: comparing bids, bullion vs jewelry, where to sell, shipping, ID, IRS reporting and collectibles tax.Read guide →
- SellingHow to sell gold jewelry and scrap goldHow to work out what your gold jewelry is worth from weight and karat, what deductions to expect and where to sell scrap gold in the US.Read guide →
Tax and the law
- Tax and the lawDo I have to declare my gold? US rulesWhen gold must be reported in the US: owning it, Form 8300 and 1099-B, capital gains reporting and declaring gold to CBP when you travel.Read guide →
- Tax and the lawGold IRA rules: what you can hold and how it is taxedGold IRA rules explained: which coins and bars are IRS-eligible, why home storage is not allowed, 2026 contribution limits, fees and withdrawal taxes.Read guide →
- Tax and the lawTax on gold and silver in the US: sales tax and capital gainsState sales tax on gold and silver, the 28% collectibles capital gains rate, the 3.8% NIIT and how to report bullion sales to the IRS.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 your cost basis, and whether to open the sealed pack.Read guide →
- Purity, quality and fakesGold purity and karats: how much gold is in jewelry and coinsWhat 10K, 14K and 18K mean, how US gold stamps work and how to calculate the pure gold in your jewelry 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 the XRF, ultrasound and assay tests US dealers use.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 and how to convert ounces, grams and pennyweights.Read guide →
Storage and security
- Storage and securityHow to Insure Gold and Silver at Home and in StorageHomeowners policies often cap bullion and coins at about $200. How scheduled cover, valuables policies, bank boxes and vault storage compare.Read guide →
- Storage and securityWhere to keep your gold: at home, safe deposit box or vaultWhere to keep physical gold in the US: at home, in a bank safe deposit box or a depository. Costs, access, insurance, FDIC limits and IRA rules.Read guide →
Markets and strategy
- Markets and strategyGold ETFs and mining stocks vs physical gold: what is the difference?Physical gold, gold ETFs and mining stocks compared for US investors: costs, risks, leverage to the gold price and how the IRS taxes each route.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyGold vs Bitcoin: Key Differences in Risk, Supply and TaxGold vs Bitcoin compared: supply, volatility, crashes of up to 76%, custody risks, central bank demand and how the IRS taxes each one.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyGold vs Inflation: What 50 Years of Data ShowGold rose from $35 in 1971 to over $4,000 while US prices rose about eightfold, but it lost over 80% in real terms from 1980 to 1999.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyHistory of the gold price: the big peaks and crashesThe gold price from $35 to above $5,000: the 1971 end of convertibility, the 1980 peak, the 1999 low, the 2011 and 2020 records and the 2026 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 common gold allocation approaches work, how to rebalance and what US tax rules apply.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 US.Read guide →
- Markets and strategyWhat Moves the Gold Price: Rates, the Dollar, Central Banks and CrisesReal interest rates, the US dollar, central bank buying and crises drive gold. How each factor 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 US: industrial uses, concentrated supply, price peaks and crashes, premiums, collectibles tax and IRAs.Read guide →
- Silver and other metalsSilver as an investment: pros, cons and taxesSilver as an investment in the US: what drives the price, pros and cons, dealer premiums, the 28% collectibles tax, sales tax and IRA rules.Read guide →
