Account and custody charges
Ask whether there are setup, administration, annual maintenance, transaction or termination fees. Confirm whether charges are fixed or tied to account value.
Source: Investor.gov investor alert
Storage and insurance
Ask where the metal is held, how storage is charged, whether insurance is included, and how holdings are documented.
Source: IRS guidance
Dealer spreads and selling
Compare the purchase price with the prevailing metal price, then ask what the dealer would pay to buy the same item back. Avoid assuming a buyback is guaranteed.
Source: Investor.gov investor alert
Continue your research
Separate the metal price from account charges
The spot price is a reference for wholesale metal trading, not necessarily the price an individual pays for a specific coin or bar. A dealer's retail quote may include a premium, while the dealer's repurchase bid may be lower. That difference can be a substantial immediate hurdle even if the quoted annual account fee looks modest.
Ask for the exact metal, weight, quantity, spot reference and timestamp on every quote. Compare the all-in acquisition cost against a same-day written repurchase quote, not against a promotional percentage or a different product.
Build a full-year cost worksheet
An IRA can involve setup, annual administration, storage, insurance, transaction, shipping, wire and account-closure charges. Some fees are flat and others depend on assets or storage type. The actual schedule varies by provider, so no generic fee table should be treated as a Noble Gold quote.
For illustration only, if a hypothetical purchase costs $10,000 and a same-day dealer bid is $9,000, the initial buy/sell difference is $1,000 before recurring fees. This is arithmetic, not a forecast or a statement about any merchant's pricing.
Questions that reveal hidden costs
Request a written fee schedule from the custodian and a separate purchase invoice from the dealer. Ask whether quoted storage is segregated, whether insurance is included, whether fees can change and whether an exit or transfer incurs charges.
A claim that an account has 'no fees' may refer only to one category of fees or a temporary promotion. Obtain the duration, qualification requirements and who ultimately pays each charge in writing.
Questions to take into your research
- Can I get the exact terms and all fees in writing?
- What could cause a loss or an unexpected tax bill?
- How would I exit this position if I needed cash?
Separate the metal price from account charges
The spot price is a reference for wholesale metal trading, not necessarily the price an individual pays for a specific coin or bar. A dealer's retail quote may include a premium, while the dealer's repurchase bid may be lower. That difference can be a substantial immediate hurdle even if the quoted annual account fee looks modest.
Ask for the exact metal, weight, quantity, spot reference and timestamp on every quote. Compare the all-in acquisition cost against a same-day written repurchase quote, not against a promotional percentage or a different product.
Build a full-year cost worksheet
An IRA can involve setup, annual administration, storage, insurance, transaction, shipping, wire and account-closure charges. Some fees are flat and others depend on assets or storage type. The actual schedule varies by provider, so no generic fee table should be treated as a Noble Gold quote.
For illustration only, if a hypothetical purchase costs $10,000 and a same-day dealer bid is $9,000, the initial buy/sell difference is $1,000 before recurring fees. This is arithmetic, not a forecast or a statement about any merchant's pricing.
Questions that reveal hidden costs
Request a written fee schedule from the custodian and a separate purchase invoice from the dealer. Ask whether quoted storage is segregated, whether insurance is included, whether fees can change and whether an exit or transfer incurs charges.
A claim that an account has 'no fees' may refer only to one category of fees or a temporary promotion. Obtain the duration, qualification requirements and who ultimately pays each charge in writing.
Questions to take into your research
- Can I get the exact terms and all fees in writing?
- What could cause a loss or an unexpected tax bill?
- How would I exit this position if I needed cash?
How to compare two proposals
Make both dealers quote the same eligible metal, weight and date. Add the total purchase price, one year of known account and storage fees, and the quoted proceeds if you sold immediately. The resulting comparison exposes differences that an annual-fee headline hides.
Do not treat a hypothetical example or an old online fee table as a current offer. Obtain dated, written documents from the dealer, custodian and depository.
Common question
Is a 'free' setup the same as a low-cost investment?
No. Setup is only one cost. A purchase premium, annual storage and administration, and the eventual resale spread may be more consequential.