Most Efficient Way to Buy Gold
- Buy gold in a form that comes with the smallest premium. This way you are paying primarily for the gold contained in the gold item, and less for manufacturing and marketing costs. Gold coins come with the highest premiums since they have the most intricate designs and demand the greatest collector interest. Gold bullion rounds, like American Gold Eagles, South African Krugerrands or Austrian Philharmonics, have lower premiums since their primary value is in their gold content. Gold bars have the lowest premiums of all since they have no artwork on them.
- Buy larger quantities of gold in a single transaction. This is much more efficient than purchasing smaller amounts in several transactions. Gold sellers are more willing to offer discounts for large transactions; you will save on shipping and insurance, and many states do not charge sales tax on gold purchases in excess of $1,500. If you are going to invest in gold, buy as much as possible in a single transaction.
- Research the spot price of gold so you know whether you are paying a fair price. The spot price of gold changes every day, so it is important to look it up on the day of the transaction. A link to a website with 24-hour updates on the spot price of gold is listed in the references section. The price of gold bars should be about the same as the spot price of gold. The price of gold bullion rounds should be about 5 percent over the spot price of gold.
- Buy gold from a well-established gold dealer who commonly sells large quantities of gold. These gold dealers have vast stores of gold that were purchased at a wide range of prices. While they are influenced by the spot price of gold, you might be able to negotiate a lower price if they acquired the gold you are buying for significantly less. Examples of well established gold dealers are listed in the resources section.
