Numismatic vs. Bullion for Gold IRA - My Experience & Questions

• •A few years ago, when I was setting up my own Gold IRA, I went with primarily bullion coins – mostly American Gold Eagles and Canadian Gold Maples.
• •My rationale then, which still largely holds for my clients here in Salt Lake City, was pretty straightforward: liquidity and minimal premium.
• •I mean, my main goal is to have a tangible asset that tracks the price of gold, not to become a coin collector.

I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter lately on numismatic gold versus bullion for Gold IRAs, and as someone who's been through the decision process (and helped others through it), I wanted to chime in and also get some updated thoughts.

A few years ago, when I was setting up my own Gold IRA, I went with primarily bullion coins – mostly American Gold Eagles and Canadian Gold Maples. My rationale then, which still largely holds for my clients here in Salt Lake City, was pretty straightforward: liquidity and minimal premium. I mean, my main goal is to have a tangible asset that tracks the price of gold, not to become a coin collector. I've got around $350k in my IRA, and while a small portion of it is in some more unique certified coins, the vast majority is pure bullion. For clients just starting out, especially those looking at a $50k-$100k allocation, I almost always steer them towards bullion because of the lower premiums and simpler entry/exit points.

However, I do wonder about the "rarity" factor of numismatic coins in the long run. I know the premium is a big hurdle, and sometimes it feels like you're paying for the story more than the gold itself. But are there situations where that premium really pays off down the line, given potential appreciation beyond just the gold spot price? I've heard some arguments about numismatics performing better during certain economic downturns or periods of high inflation, but is that truly reliable for an IRA investment, or more speculation? Like, if I had put an extra $50k into some certified pre-1933 gold back in 2018 instead of more Eagles, would I be significantly better off today? It’s hard to say without a crystal ball, but I’m curious to hear from others who might have seen bigger plays on the numismatic side within their IRAs.

For those of you with Gold IRAs, what’s your strategy? Are you purely bullion, or have you diversified into numismatics? And for those who went numismatic, especially the folks with larger portfolios, what was your main driver for that decision? Any regrets or big wins you can share? Trying to keep my advice for clients as current and effective as possible!