My Augusta Precious Metals Experience (Slightly nervous, seeking validation)

• •I mean, the whole "tax-deferred growth" and "portfolio diversification" pitch really resonates with my analytical brain.
• •I ended up rolling over about $180k from an old 401k, mostly into some American Gold Eagles and a bit of silver.
• •It felt like a big step, but with all the economic uncertainty, it just seemed like a smart play.

Okay, so I finally pulled the trigger on a Gold IRA with Augusta Precious Metals a few months back, and I gotta say, the experience was pretty smooth. I'm an accountant here in Atlanta, so I spent a lot of time digging into the tax implications and benefits of self-directed IRAs before making any moves. I mean, the whole "tax-deferred growth" and "portfolio diversification" pitch really resonates with my analytical brain. I ended up rolling over about $180k from an old 401k, mostly into some American Gold Eagles and a bit of silver. It felt like a big step, but with all the economic uncertainty, it just seemed like a smart play.

My main contact at Augusta was super patient with all my questions, and believe me, I had a ton. We spent a good hour on one call just going over their fee structure and storage options. I opted for segregated storage at Delaware Depository. It adds a little more to the annual fee, but the peace of mind is worth it for me knowing my specific coins aren't commingled. The entire rollover process, from initial contact to the metals actually being in storage, took about four weeks. I was expecting it to be a bit more of a headache, but they handled most of the paperwork nightmare with my old custodian.

Here's where I'm looking for some input from you all. While I'm happy with the process, I'm still feeling a tiny bit of apprehension. I know long-term investing means fluctuations, but seeing my statement every month, even with gold holding pretty steady, still makes my accountant brain itch for more immediate "returns" that stocks often show. I understand this is about wealth preservation, not rapid growth, but it's a mental shift. Has anyone else felt this way after a significant move into precious metals? How do you manage that feeling?

Also, Augusta's buyback program sounds good on paper, but I haven't seen much discussion about real-world experiences with it. Has anyone here actually used their buyback service? What was your experience like with pricing and turnaround time? I’m hoping I won't need it for a long, long time, but it's good to know for future planning. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!