Eagles vs. Buffalos for my Gold IRA - what's the play?

Brian Edwards

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Eagles vs. Buffalos for my Gold IRA - what's the play?

brian_edwards🌟Ultra (5m+)

about 2 months ago

Key Takeaways

•But for this specific rollover, I’m grappling with the whole American Gold Eagle vs.
•American Gold Buffalo decision and wanted to get some fresh takes.
•I’ve always leaned heavily into Eagles for the slight premium due to their broader recognition and just the overall classic feel.

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Alright, so I’m finally getting around to rolling over a good chunk of my old 401k – we're talking about putting another $700k into the precious metals side of my IRA. I’ve already got a solid foundation with about $2.5M in physical gold (mostly 1oz AGEs and some 10oz bars) and silver, not to mention a couple million in real estate development projects around Aspen, so I'm not exactly new to this. But for this specific rollover, I’m grappling with the whole American Gold Eagle vs. American Gold Buffalo decision and wanted to get some fresh takes.

I’ve always leaned heavily into Eagles for the slight premium due to their broader recognition and just the overall classic feel. Plus, knowing they’re 22k means they’re a bit more durable for handling, not that I’m tossing them around, but it's a factor. My question for the group is, for an IRA allocation of this size, do the Buffalo’s 24k purity and slightly lower premium (sometimes, depending on the dealer) make a compelling argument over the long haul? I'm thinking 10-15 years out, minimum, before I even consider touching this portion of my retirement. My last big purchase was about 18 months ago, and I mostly stuck with Eagles then, but the market has obviously shifted a bit.

Is there anyone here who’s actively diversified between the two within their Gold IRA who can speak to their experience? Any unexpected upsides or downsides when it comes to liquidity or selling back to dealers for one over the other? I'm trying to optimize for maximal capital preservation and growth here, and while I recognize both are excellent choices, there's always an edge to be found. I've been doing my own research, including checking out some of the articles in the Learning Center, which is a fantastic resource, by the way, but I value real-world experience over theoretical discussions sometimes. Really appreciate any insights or personal anecdotes you guys have. Always learning, even with a decent portfolio under the belt.

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5 comments

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Best Answer▲ 17 upvotes

joseph_harris📊Growing (50-100k)

Honestly, for your IRA, I'd lean Buffaloes. The premium on Eagles can sometimes be a bit steeper, and while both are good, the Buffaloes are pure 24k. Overlapping the spread on Eagles twice for the buy and sell can eat into your returns more than you might think on a $50k-$100k portfolio. I saw that happen to a buddy in Franklin last year.

Comments (5)

margaret_chen🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Nice problem to have! Sounds like you've already got a great base. For me, when I diversified into some platinum for my IRA, I went with Eagles. The premium was a little higher, but the familiarity just felt right. I already had so many AGEs, it was kind of a no-brainer to stick with the same vibe. Good luck with the rollover!

betty_king📊Growing (50-100k)•about 2 months ago

That's a pretty sweet position to be in! Sounds like you've already got a good thing going with the AGEs. Out of curiosity, what percentage of your current $2.5M in physical gold is already in AGEs, versus the 10oz bars?

andrew_roberts👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 2 months ago

Dude, $700k into AGEs and Buffalos? That's a serious play. But honestly, with that kind of capital, have you looked into platinum or palladium? They can be a bit more volatile, sure, but if you're already sitting on $2.5M in gold and silver, adding some diversity with other precious metals could be a shrewd move. Just tossing it out there, not financial advice obviously, but worth considering for balancing out a huge portfolio.

frank_rivera💎Premium (500k-1m)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Hard to beat the premiums on Eagles, always have been. Buffalos are beautiful, no doubt, but if you're holding a significant position like mine (just crossed $750k in my Gold IRA), every percentage point matters. I actually found a pretty useful premium tracker on JM Bullion's site the other day when I was comparing a new purchase – it updates pretty frequently and confirmed my bias for Eagles for sheer metal value.