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Bullion Price Scout / United States
Gold buying guides
Practical guides to gold premiums, product matching and the true cost of a bullion order.
Start with the product
GOLD BUYING GUIDEGold bar vs. gold coin: compare the same fine gold and checkout basisA bar and government coin can hold equal fine gold yet differ in product rules, condition and delivered cost.GOLD BUYING GUIDE1 g, 5 g, 10 g or 1 oz gold bar: how to compare premiumsSmall bars and ounce bars need different arithmetic. Compare fine gold, payment price, shipping and the same spot reference.GOLD BUYING GUIDE1 g vs. 5 g gold bars: compare the cost per fine gramA smaller ticket price can still mean a higher cost for each gram of gold. Compare equal order assumptions.GOLD BUYING GUIDEHow to compare 10 g gold bar pricesMatch the fine gold, payment tier, stock and shipping before calling one 10 g bar cheaper.GOLD BUYING GUIDEGold Eagle vs. Gold Maple Leaf: compare fine gold, not karat aloneA one-ounce Eagle and a one-ounce Maple Leaf have different purity and gross weight. Here is the comparison basis.
Understand the cost
GOLD BUYING GUIDEHow to calculate the premium on a gold coin or barUse fine gold weight, your spot reference, payment price and shipping to compare the full cost.GOLD BUYING GUIDEWhy a gold dealer’s lowest listed price may not be your lowest totalPayment tiers, shipping, quantity and stock can change which offer is cheapest for your order.GOLD BUYING GUIDECard vs. ACH when buying gold: compare the order subtotalThe same dealer offer may have different payment prices. Quantity and shipping can change the result again.GOLD BUYING GUIDEGold bar delivered price: why shipping can change the cheapest dealerUse the same product, quantity, payment method and destination before comparing pre-tax totals.GOLD BUYING GUIDEGold quantity discounts: when does a larger order cost less per gram?A lower unit tier can be offset by shipping, payment terms or a higher total outlay.GOLD BUYING GUIDEWhy bullion sales tax needs an exact checkout checkA ZIP can help identify a destination, but it does not by itself establish the final tax on a specific bullion order.
Check an offer
GOLD BUYING GUIDEGold price and restock alerts: what an alert can confirmSet a target for an exact product and order basis, then recheck the retailer when a match arrives.GOLD BUYING GUIDEWhat “lowest tracked price” means when dealers are missingCoverage counts tell you which current approved dealer offers qualify for a specific comparison.GOLD BUYING GUIDEBuying gold and selling it back: two different pricesA low purchase premium does not establish what a dealer will pay if you later sell.