Numismatic vs. Bullion for Gold IRA - My Experience &

Robert Thompson

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Numismatic vs. Bullion for Gold IRA - My Experience &

robert_thompson💰Established (100-250k)

3 months ago

Key Takeaways

•I've been thinking a lot lately about how much things have changed since I first got into Gold IRAs back after the '08 crisis.
•I was a retired teacher in Phoenix, saw my nest egg take a hit, and swore I wouldn't be caught off guard again.
•So I put about $150k of my retirement into physical gold, mostly bullion back then.

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I've been thinking a lot lately about how much things have changed since I first got into Gold IRAs back after the '08 crisis. I was a retired teacher in Phoenix, saw my nest egg take a hit, and swore I wouldn't be caught off guard again. So I put about $150k of my retirement into physical gold, mostly bullion back then. Now, with all the market talk, I'm reviewing things and wondering if I made the absolute best choices, particularly around numismatic vs. bullion coins.

Initially, I went almost exclusively with bullion – American Gold Eagles, Canadian Gold Maples. Seemed pretty straightforward, easier to value, and fit the "safety" aspect I was looking for. But over the years, I've dabbled a bit in some semi-numismatic coins too. I'm talking about things with a lower mintage or a bit more collectible appeal, but nowhere near the super high premium stuff. My reasoning was that a slight premium for potentially higher appreciation seemed like a decent hedge, especially if the gold price itself stagnated for a bit. My fear, though, is whether that extra premium truly pays off, or if it just eats into the real gold value.

For those of you who've been in Gold IRAs for a while, particularly with a mix of both, what’s your take? Did anyone go heavy on numismatics early on and regret it? Or has that collectible value actually pushed your returns higher than pure bullion? I'm still feeling good about my overall gold allocation, especially with inflation worries, but I keep looking at that Gold IRA Calculator, trying to project future values, and the numismatic vs. bullion question always pops up. Just curious what others have experienced.

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7 comments

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Best Answer▲ 6 upvotes

linda_taylor📊Growing (50-100k)

This mirrors what I've been seeing too. The macro environment right now is making a strong case for physical metals.

Comments (7)

catherine_bell🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•3 months ago

Hey, appreciate you sharing your experience! It's always great to hear from someone who's been through it. You mentioned '08 and your nest egg taking a hit – what specifically made you choose gold for your IRA rather than other assets at that time?

patricia_miller📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•3 months ago

Interesting perspective! While I totally get the appeal of lower premiums with bullion, I've always leaned a bit more towards numismatic coins for my own IRA. My thinking is that the collector value, even if it's modest, adds another layer of potential appreciation beyond just the spot price. It's not a guaranteed thing, of course, but it's a diversification within the gold itself, if that makes sense. Just something to consider for folks looking at their options.

robert_thompson💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•3 months ago

This is so on point. I got into gold a few years later, around 2012, and had a similar experience. My advisor (who I no longer work with, thankfully) pushed some numismatic coins super hard, promising they'd "outperform."

Spoiler alert: they didn't. When I eventually sold some off, the premium was mostly gone, and the spread on those things was brutal. Definitely learned that lesson the hard way too – stick to bullion for the IRA.