Eagles vs. Buffalos for a Gold IRA? My Thoughts (Savannah, GA)

Diane Bailey

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Eagles vs. Buffalos for a Gold IRA? My Thoughts (Savannah, GA)

diane_bailey💰Established (100-250k)

about 2 months ago

Key Takeaways

•150k tied up in a Gold IRA for the past 5-6 years
•100 Eagles in my account right now

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I've been seeing a lot of chatter lately about which is better for a Gold IRA, the American Gold Eagle or the American Gold Buffalo. As someone who's had about 150k tied up in a Gold IRA for the past 5-6 years, mostly in Eagles, I thought I'd throw my two cents in. Being a tourism business owner here in Savannah, I've seen my fair share of economic ups and downs, and having a solid hedge like gold has been a godsend through some of the tougher cycles.

When I first set up my IRA, my advisor really pushed the Eagles. The whole 22k vs. 24k thing was a big selling point for me – the added durability of the alloy just felt more secure, especially if I ever needed to hold them physically. Plus, the recognition factor is huge. Everyone knows an Eagle. I’ve probably got around 100 Eagles in my account right now, and watching them hold their value has been a comfort during these volatile times. The premium wasn’t insignificant, but I viewed it as an insurance policy, honestly.

Lately, though, I've been giving the Buffalos a closer look. That pure 24k gold is pretty tempting, and I hear the premiums on them can sometimes be a bit lower than Eagles, depending on the market. For a long-term hold in an IRA, does that extra purity really make a difference, or is the durability of the Eagle still the winning factor? Or am I overthinking this entirely for an IRA where I'm not actually handling the coins day-to-day? My gut says stick with what's working, but I'm always open to hearing different perspectives.

So, for those of you with Gold IRAs, especially if you're holding a decent chunk like me, what's your take? Are you leaning more towards the Eagles or the Buffalos these days? Any big regrets either way? I'm curious if anyone has changed their allocation significantly over time based on premiums or market conditions.

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8 comments

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Best Answer▲ 18 upvotes

carol_carter💰Established (100-250k)

I rolled over about $80k last year. Honestly the hardest part was just picking which metals to hold. Still second-guessing myself.

Comments (8)

mark_adams👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor•about 1 month ago

Oh man, I hear you. I went through the same decision process a few years back with about half that amount. Ended up going mostly Eagles too, just felt a bit more "classic" to me for an IRA. No regrets so far, but always interesting to see what others are doing.

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

Interesting post! So you're mostly in Eagles then. Have you ever considered adding any Buffaloes to your holdings, even just a small percentage, to diversify within the IRA? Or are you pretty committed to the Eagles for specific reasons?

ronald_morris👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor•about 1 month ago

Interesting take, OP. While I get the "more gold = more value" argument for Buffalos, I actually prefer Eagles for my Gold IRA. The fractional options are a big plus for liquidity if I ever need to sell off smaller chunks, and frankly, the design is just more iconic to me. Also, the slightly lower premium on Eagles can add up over time with larger quantities. Just my two cents, but it's not always about pure gold content for everyone.

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

Hey there! Interesting dilemma you're bringing up. Both Eagles and Buffalos are solid choices for a Gold IRA, for sure. One thing I'd definitely recommend checking out is the premium difference between them at the time of purchase. Sometimes that can swing things a bit, even if it's just a small percentage, especially if you're buying in larger quantities like you have been.

Also, don't forget taxes! While IRAs have their own rules, knowing the capital gains tax implications for precious metals in general can be useful for any future dealings. The IRS website has some pretty clear guides on that if you dig around a bit.

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

Totally agree with you here. My Gold IRA is also heavily weighted towards Eagles for the exact reasons you mentioned – easy to liquidate and just generally a known quantity. I've got probably 180k in mine, mostly Eagles, and it's been rock solid for the last 7 years. Don't regret that move one bit.

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

Just started my rollover process last month. The paperwork alone almost made me quit lol.

susan_clark💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor•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.