Minimums for Gold IRA - What's a realistic starting point?

• •What I'm noticing, though, is that most of these Gold IRA companies seem to have pretty stout minimum investment requirements.
• •I'm seeing everything from $10k up to $50k.
• •Is this standard, or am I just looking at the wrong providers?

I've been looking at diversifying a chunk of my retirement savings into a Gold IRA, primarily as a hedge against the kind of economic volatility we've seen bubbling up post-COVID. Currently have about $3.5M across various investments, mostly traditional stocks and bonds, but I really like the idea of having some physical assets outside of the banking system. What I'm noticing, though, is that most of these Gold IRA companies seem to have pretty stout minimum investment requirements. I'm seeing everything from $10k up to $50k. Is this standard, or am I just looking at the wrong providers?

My old Navy discipline makes me want to understand the landscape thoroughly before committing. It feels a bit like when we were planning deployments out of Norfolk – every detail scrutinized. I'm not looking to dump my entire portfolio into gold, probably starting with around $200k to $300k, just a solid 5-10% allocation. But even with that, the idea of having a $50k initial hurdle seems a little high if I wanted to, say, add smaller amounts over time. Are there reputable firms that cater to investors who might want to start a bit smaller, even if their long-term intent is substantial?

Also, are these minimums mostly driven by the administrative costs of setting up and maintaining the account, or is it more about the economics of sourcing and storing the physical metal? I'm based here in Virginia Beach, so proximity to a good depository isn't really a factor for me, but the structure of these costs is. Any advice from those who've navigated this already would be greatly appreciated. What was your experience with minimums and did it affect your choice of provider?