Eagles vs. Buffalos for my Gold IRA - what's everyone's take?

Mark Adams

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Eagles vs. Buffalos for my Gold IRA - what's everyone's take?

mark_adams👑Elite (1m-5m)

about 15 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•American Buffalo debate.
•My portfolio’s sitting just north of $3M right now, and I’m looking to tuck another $150k-$200k into gold over the next quarter.
•I'm based in Greenwich, so premiums aren’t generally a deal-breaker for me, but obviously, I don't want to light money on fire.

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Okay, so I’m looking to rebalance a bit of my physical gold allocation within my self-directed IRA, and, as always, I’m stuck on the age-old American Eagle vs. American Buffalo debate. I’ve currently got a decent mix of both, probably leaning slightly towards Eagles given their fractional options and familiarity, but I’m wondering if I should be shifting more towards Buffalos.

My core holding is definitely in larger bars outside the IRA, but for the actual retirement account, I appreciate the liquidity and recognition of the government-issued coins. My portfolio’s sitting just north of $3M right now, and I’m looking to tuck another $150k-$200k into gold over the next quarter. I'm based in Greenwich, so premiums aren’t generally a deal-breaker for me, but obviously, I don't want to light money on fire. The pure 24k of the Buffalo is appealing, but is the 22k of the Eagle and its durability that significant for an IRA where it's just sitting in a vault? I'm not exactly carrying these around like pocket change.

I’ve used the Gold IRA Calculator on Blueprints to project some potential returns based on different gold price scenarios, which helps put things in perspective for the overall allocation, but it's not going to tell me which coin is "better." For those of you who've been in the game for a while, do you have a strong preference? Is there a subtle advantage I'm missing with one over the other beyond just purity and a fraction of a percentage point in premium?

Any thoughts on future collectibility or premium retention between the two? I know it's not the primary driver for an IRA investment, but it's a consideration. I'm generally holding for the long haul – likely for another 15-20 years before I start seriously drawing down from this bucket. Appreciate any insights.

4 comments

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Best Answer▲ 10 upvotes

michael_anderson🏆Advanced (250-500k)

Honestly, while both are solid choices and you can't really go wrong, I'm always a bit surprised Buffalos don't get more love for IRA inclusion. The 24k purity might technically be a hair less liquid in the rare case you needed to sell super fast to a mom-and-pop, but the premium tends to be lower, and for a long-term hold in an IRA, that purity is arguably a plus. Feels like the "purity" argument is sometimes overblown for long-term investments. Just my two cents, though!

Comments (4)

sandra_green📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•about 8 hours ago

Oh man, the classic Eagle vs. Buffalo dilemma! I totally get it. I was in the same boat a few months ago when I was adding some more to my IRA.

Honestly, I went with more Buffalos this time. Purely aesthetic reasons for me – I just love the design a bit more, and the 24k purity is a nice mental tick-box. But you really can’t go wrong with either, they both hold their value like champs.

ashley_baker💼Starter (0-50k)✓ Verified•about 8 hours ago

Interesting! You mentioned the fractional options for Eagles. Are those fractional Eagles also IRA-eligible? I was under the impression it was usually just the 1 oz.

michael_anderson🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 8 hours ago

Honestly, while both are solid choices and you can't really go wrong, I'm always a bit surprised Buffalos don't get more love for IRA inclusion. The 24k purity *might* technically be a hair less liquid in the rare case you needed to sell super fast to a mom-and-pop, but the premium tends to be lower, and for a long-term hold in an IRA, that purity is arguably a plus. Feels like the "purity" argument is sometimes overblown for long-term investments. Just my two cents, though!

betty_king📊Growing (50-100k)•about 8 hours ago

Hey, that's a classic dilemma! Both are solid choices for sure. Since you already have a good mix, one thing to consider is future liquidity if you ever plan to sell. While both are highly recognizable, sometimes the premiums on Buffalos can be a bit higher when buying, and that can translate to a slightly larger spread when selling compared to Eagles, especially the common date ones.

You might find this article comparing them specifically for investment pretty helpful. It breaks down some of the pros and cons beyond just the aesthetic. Good luck with the rebalance!

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