Custodian Fees for Silver Coins - What's Everyone Paying?

Donald Nelson

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Custodian Fees for Silver Coins - What's Everyone Paying?

donald_nelson💎Premium (500k-1m)

about 2 months ago

Key Takeaways

•I've been looking over my annual statements again, specifically the custodian fees for my silver coin holdings.
•Now, after retiring from the auto industry here in Detroit a few years back and watching my portfolio grow, I'm a bit more sensitive to every dollar.
•So, here's my question to the group: What are you all paying in custodian fees for your silver coin holdings?

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I've been looking over my annual statements again, specifically the custodian fees for my silver coin holdings. I've been with the same company for a good 15 years now, and while I haven't had any real complaints, I'm starting to wonder if I'm leaving money on the table. With a good chunk of my portfolio, probably a solid $750k to $800k, tied up in precious metals these days (mostly gold, but a decent amount of silver coins too), those fees add up.

I remember back when I first started getting serious about physical gold and silver, right around 20 years ago, custodian fees felt like a necessary evil. Now, after retiring from the auto industry here in Detroit a few years back and watching my portfolio grow, I'm a bit more sensitive to every dollar. My current custodian charges a flat annual fee, which used to feel fair, but now I'm seeing other companies advertising tiered structures or even percentage-based fees that might be better for larger holdings. The convenience of keeping all my gold and silver in one place has been nice, but if I can save a few hundred or even a thousand bucks a year, that's real money.

So, here's my question to the group: What are you all paying in custodian fees for your silver coin holdings? Are you seeing any major differences between companies for segregated vs. non-segregated storage? I'm particularly interested in fees for accounts in the $500k to $1m range. Does anyone have experience negotiating lower fees once your assets hit a certain level? I'm trying to decide if it's worth the hassle of potentially moving some of my assets or if I should just stick with what I know. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

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11 comments

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Best Answer▲ 19 upvotes

robert_thompson💰Established (100-250k)

Ngl I came here expecting the usual affiliate spam but the discussions are actually decent. Way better info than what I was getting from my old advisor.

Comments (11)

maria_campbell📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•about 2 months ago

Hey, totally understandable to want to make sure you're getting a good deal on those fees. 15 years is a long time!

You mentioned "silver coin holdings" – are these certified/graded coins (like NGC/PCGS) or more along the lines of generic silver rounds/bullion? Curious if that distinction affects the custodian's fee structure in your experience.

michelle_collins🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Totally feel this! I was in a super similar boat a few years back with a different company. Had some silver and gold coins with them for like a decade, never really thought about the fees because everything seemed fine. Then I saw a thread like this and actually sat down to compare. Turns out, I was paying pretty significantly more than a lot of people for essentially the same service. It's definitely worth doing that deeper dive!

james_wilson👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 2 months ago

Interesting. While it's always good to review fees, I actually think loyalty can pay off with custodians, especially over 15 years. They know your account, and sometimes the "new customer" deals aren't actually better long-term once you factor in potential hidden costs or the hassle of transferring everything. Have you explicitly asked them if they can do better given your tenure?

daniel_wright💎Premium (500k-1m)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 2 months ago

Hey, totally get looking at those fees, they can really add up over time! One thing to keep in mind is that some custodians charge based on a percentage of your assets under management, while others have a flat annual fee. For larger portfolios, a flat fee can often be advantageous.

You might want to check out some of the comparison sites like Investopedia or even just do a quick Google search for "Gold IRA custodian fee comparison." They often have tables breaking down what different companies charge. Good luck!

steven_mitchell🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Been looking into this myself — the fees on some of these custodians are wild. Anyone found one that doesn't gouge you?

christopher_young🌟Ultra (5m+)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

My advisor told me 10-15% in gold is the sweet spot but I went heavier. We'll see how it plays out.

patricia_miller📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Ngl I came here expecting the usual affiliate spam but the discussions are actually decent. Way better info than what I was getting from my old advisor.

jason_morgan💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

I was pretty skeptical about another gold IRA forum but the tools here on GIRAB actually surprised me — the calculator alone saved me hours of spreadsheet work.

jennifer_martinez💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Interesting take. I've heard the opposite from a few people though — would love to see some actual numbers on this.

robert_thompson💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Ngl I came here expecting the usual affiliate spam but the discussions are actually decent. Way better info than what I was getting from my old advisor.