Eagles vs. Buffalos - What's the play for long-term hold?

Richard Garcia

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Eagles vs. Buffalos - What's the play for long-term hold?

richard_garcia👑Elite (1m-5m)

about 3 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Alright, so I’ve been stacking gold for a good couple of decades now, especially since I retired from BP a few years back.
•My precious metals allocation is sitting comfortably as a decent chunk of my 2.5 million portfolio, and I'm always looking to optimize.
•It’s not a huge debate in the grand scheme, but every little bit counts when you’re talking about locking up wealth for the long haul.

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Alright, so I’ve been stacking gold for a good couple of decades now, especially since I retired from BP a few years back. My precious metals allocation is sitting comfortably as a decent chunk of my 2.5 million portfolio, and I'm always looking to optimize. I've got a mix of both American Gold Eagles and American Gold Buffalos in my Gold IRA, but I’ve been doing some thinking lately about which one I should lean into more for future purchases. It’s not a huge debate in the grand scheme, but every little bit counts when you’re talking about locking up wealth for the long haul.

I know the Eagles have that 22k durability going for them with the copper/silver alloy, which makes them a bit more resistant to dings and scratches. On the other hand, the Buffalos are pure 24k gold, which is undeniably attractive. For me, the purity aspect of the Buffalo feels a little more... well, pure. Like, if I'm holding gold, I want it to be all gold. I'm not planning on carrying these around in my pocket, they're sitting in a vault in Houston, so the durability argument isn't as critical for me as it might be for someone else.

My concern with the Buffalo is whether that 24k purity comes with any practical downsides I'm not considering. Is the softness really that much of an issue for storage? And when it comes to resale, does the premium on one tend to hold better than the other over time, or is it mostly negligible once you're talking about substantial amounts? I'm not actively trading these, this is generational wealth I'm building, so I'm thinking 10, 20, 30+ years down the line.

I'm curious to hear from others who've been in the game for a while. What's your personal preference and why? Have you noticed any trends in premiums or liquidity that favor one over the other for long-term holds? My current holdings are about 60/40 Eagles to Buffalos, and I’m trying to decide if I should start flipping that ratio.

3 comments

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Best Answer▲ 7 upvotes

michelle_collins🏆Advanced (250-500k)

This is a great question! I've been wrestling with something similar myself. I inherited a pretty decent collection of Eagles from my grandfather, but I've been buying Buffalos when I add to my stack. Haven't really noticed a huge difference in premiums myself, but I'm curious what others think about long-term potential. Always hear about the purity difference but not sure how much that actually plays into resale.

Comments (3)

michelle_collins🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

janet_cook📊Growing (50-100k)•less than a minute ago

Interesting, you've been in the game for a while! When you say you're looking to "optimize," are you primarily thinking about maximizing appreciation, or is there a specific aspect of your allocation you're hoping to fine-tune (like liquidity or premium over spot)?

thomas_walker🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

Interesting comparison! While Eagles and Buffalos are both solid choices for long-term hold, I'd gently push back on the idea of one being definitively "better" than the other for pure investment. The premium differences can fluctuate, and for significant holdings, those slight variations might not move the needle as much as, say, strategic rebalancing within your overall portfolio.

For me, it often comes down to what's readily available at a good price when I'm buying. I wouldn't lose sleep over having a mix of both. Ultimately, you're holding physical gold, which is the main win here!

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