Comparing Custodian Fees - Is My Gold IRA Getting Gouged?

• •As a retired teacher here in Phoenix, every penny counts, and I've been pretty diligent about checking my statements.
• •My portfolio is sitting comfortably between $150k and $200k in various gold coins – mostly American Eagles and a few Canadian Maples.
• •I'm generally happy with my custodian, but lately, I've been wondering if I'm leaving too much on the table with their annual fees.

I've been holding physical gold in my IRA since around 2009, after the whole '08 mess really hammered home for me that paper assets just weren't cutting it. As a retired teacher here in Phoenix, every penny counts, and I've been pretty diligent about checking my statements. My portfolio is sitting comfortably between $150k and $200k in various gold coins – mostly American Eagles and a few Canadian Maples. I'm generally happy with my custodian, but lately, I've been wondering if I'm leaving too much on the table with their annual fees.

My current custodian charges a flat annual fee for storage and administration, which seemed reasonable when I first started, especially with my portfolio being smaller. But now that it's grown a fair bit, I'm starting to eyeball those percentages and wonder if a tiered fee structure or perhaps a different custodian altogether would be more cost-effective. Does anyone have experience switching custodians primarily due to fees? What kind of flat fees or percentage points are you all seeing out there, particularly for portfolios in this range?

I've been poking around online, and it's a bit of a rabbit hole trying to get clear, comparative info. It seems like some companies are really opaque about their fee structures until you're deep into the process. I even tried using that Gold IRA Calculator I found online to guesstimate potential returns with lower fees, and even a small difference adds up over time. I'm also curious about any hidden fees I should be looking out for – are there transaction fees for buying/selling, or charges for account statements that aren't immediately obvious?

I'm primarily interested in feedback from other folks who hold physical gold coins in their IRA, as I know the storage requirements can sometimes impact fees. Any recommendations for custodians with transparent and competitive fee structures for a gold IRA of my size? I'm not looking to move heaven and earth, but if there's a significant saving to be had without sacrificing security or service, I'm all ears. TIA for any insights!