Roth vs Traditional Gold IRA for someone in their 50s?

• •I've had a significant chunk, about $400k, in a traditional Gold IRA for a while now, mostly accumulated from my steel industry days.
• •I know a thing or two about the value of hard assets, especially with all the volatility lately.
• •The question is, does it still make sense to go Roth at this age, or should I just stick with the Traditional?

Alright, so I'm pushing 55 now, and I’ve been kicking around the idea of converting some of my traditional IRA into a Roth Gold IRA, or at least starting a new Roth Gold IRA with fresh contributions. I've had a significant chunk, about $400k, in a traditional Gold IRA for a while now, mostly accumulated from my steel industry days. I know a thing or two about the value of hard assets, especially with all the volatility lately. The question is, does it still make sense to go Roth at this age, or should I just stick with the Traditional?

My thinking is, I’m still working (part-time consulting now, but still pulling in enough to be in a decent tax bracket) and likely will be for at least another 5-7 years. I envision my income dropping quite a bit when I finally fully retire. The conventional wisdom is usually Roth in your younger years, Traditional when you're making more, then maybe convert back later if your income drops. But with gold, I'm thinking about the long-term appreciation. If gold absolutely skyrockets over the next 10-20 years, having that growth tax-free in a Roth sure sounds appealing right about now, even with paying taxes upfront on the conversion or new contributions.

I ran some numbers through that Tax Calculator tool I found, and it helped me visualize the tax hit on a conversion. It's not insignificant, but if I believe my post-retirement tax bracket will be lower, and more importantly, if I anticipate gold continuing its run, that growth could easily outweigh the current tax burden. I'm based in Birmingham, and given my existing portfolio, I'm trying to decide the best path forward for minimizing taxes on future distributions.

Anyone else in a similar boat, or made this decision later in their career? What were your key deciding factors? I’m leaning towards biting the bullet and going Roth for at least a portion of it, just for that sweet tax-free growth potential on the gold. But I'm open to other perspectives. Is there any scenario I'm not considering where sticking purely Traditional would be more advantageous in the long run for someone approaching retirement with a substantial gold portfolio?