Gold IRA First-Timer - My Experience (and some questions!)

• •So, I finally pulled the trigger on a Gold IRA last month, and I'm feeling a mix of relief and a tiny bit of apprehension.
• •But moving a chunk of my retirement savings into physical metals?
• •That's a different beast entirely from buying a few ounces for inventory.

So, I finally pulled the trigger on a Gold IRA last month, and I'm feeling a mix of relief and a tiny bit of apprehension. I've owned a jewelry store here in Providence for going on 25 years, so I'm no stranger to gold – the feel of it, the weight, the market fluctuations. But moving a chunk of my retirement savings into physical metals? That's a different beast entirely from buying a few ounces for inventory.

I ended up transferring about $75,000 from an old 401k that was just sitting there, not really doing much for me. The whole process took a little longer than I expected, probably a good three weeks from initial inquiry to the actual funds being invested. The paperwork was a pain, as always, but worth it, I think. I went with Gold American Eagles and Canadian Maple Leafs, mostly because I'm familiar with their purity and liquidity. They're sitting safe and sound in a Delaware depository now, which feels pretty good, honestly. Knowing a portion of my retirement isn't tied directly to the whims of the stock market is a huge weight off my shoulders, especially seeing how volatile things have been lately.

My biggest question for those of you who've been doing this longer: how do you typically balance your precious metals portfolio with your other investments? I'm thinking about adding some silver down the line, but I'm still trying to get a feel for the ideal allocation. I was playing around with that "Silver vs Stocks" tool on goldirablueprint.com – it's fascinating to see how silver has performed against the S&P 500 over the past decade. It really makes you think about diversification.

Any and all advice from seasoned Gold IRA investors would be awesome. Especially interested in hearing about your experiences with different metals beyond gold, and what percentage of your total retirement fund you've allocated to metals. Thanks in advance!