Do you guys actually care about coin grading for Gold IRA?

David Brown

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Do you guys actually care about coin grading for Gold IRA?

david_brown💎Premium (500k-1m)

about 16 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Mostly Eagles and some Canadian Maples, bought over the past 5-ish years.
•Suddenly I was seeing discussions about MS69 vs.
•MS70 and how it affects premiums by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars.

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Okay, so I've been mulling over something I encountered recently, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially from anyone with a decent chunk in their Gold IRA. I'm a doctor up here in Boston, and while my portfolio is pretty diversified, I've got a solid 10-15% of my 800k or so invested in physical gold through a Gold IRA. Mostly Eagles and some Canadian Maples, bought over the past 5-ish years.

I was looking into potentially selling some of my non-IRA gold coins (just some old family stuff, not related to the IRA) and the whole world of coin grading really hit me. Suddenly I was seeing discussions about MS69 vs. MS70 and how it affects premiums by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. For my IRA holdings, I've always just focused on ensuring they're genuine and meet the fineness requirements – 0.995+ for bars/rounds, 0.9167 for Eagles. I mean, the custodian holds them, I don't ever see them in person, and the point for me is the gold content as a hedge against inflation and market volatility.

So, my core question is this: Do any of you actively pay for independently graded coins for your Gold IRA? Or does your custodian handle that process if it's even a thing? I remember checking out resources like the Learning Center at https://learn.goldirablueprint.com/?forum when I first set up my account, and I don't recall grading being a huge emphasis for IRA-eligible bullion. Is it something I should be thinking about for future contributions, or is it just unnecessary extra cost for something meant to be bulk wealth preservation?

Part of me thinks it's a rabbit hole for collectors, not investors primarily interested in the commodity itself. But then, if it impacts resale value down the line, even for bullion coins, maybe it's worth considering? Just thinking out loud here and trying to make sure I'm not overlooking anything crucial. Appreciate any insights you seasoned folks can offer!

4 comments

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Best Answer▲ 8 upvotes

steven_mitchell🏆Advanced (250-500k)

Totally get where you're coming from. I had a similar thought process when I first started looking into a Gold IRA. I was super focused on getting the "best" graded coins for my portfolio, thinking it'd translate to higher value down the line. Ended up with a mix of MS69s and a few MS70s for some premium, but honestly, it was more for my own peace of mind initially. Now, years later, I mostly just care that they're legitimate and meet the purity requirements. The grading felt more like a "collectible" mindset than a "retirement asset" mindset after a while.

Comments (4)

steven_mitchell🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 5 hours ago

catherine_bell🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 5 hours ago

Interesting question! So, as a doctor with a substantial chunk in physical gold, are we talking about bullion or more numismatic coins for your Gold IRA? Does the grading then matter more or less depending on what you're holding?

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

Interesting question! I hear you on the practicality, especially for something you're primarily holding for an IRA. For *pure* investment purposes within an IRA, the melt value and purity are definitely the big dogs.

However, I do think there's a nuanced argument for at least *some* consideration of grading, even if it's not top priority. If you ever have to liquidate sooner than expected, or if there's a niche market boom for specific, well-preserved coins, that NGC/PCGS slab could potentially make the sale smoother and fetch a slightly better premium than just a generic bullion piece, even if it's not a monster coin. It's not about making a profit on the grade, but potentially reducing friction and maximizing return on exit. Just a thought!

michael_anderson🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 5 hours ago

This is a great question that comes up a lot! For a Gold IRA, the grading isn't typically as critical as it would be for a collectible coin going into a personal (non-IRA) collection. The key is usually just that it meets the IRS fineness requirements (e.g., .995 pure for gold).

That said, some folks still prefer coins from reputable mints with good strike quality for peace of mind or easier resale down the line. If you're looking for exact IRS specs, I found this IRS page pretty helpful. It lists out the specific purity standards for what qualifies in an IRA.

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