SD-IRA vs. Traditional w/ Gold Coins - My Experience and Questions

• •I'm a manufacturing exec out here in Cleveland, and for years I've been a big believer in hard assets.
• •A few years back, when I was first looking to move about $300k of my retirement savings into gold coins, I went with a traditional custodian.
• •They basically managed the whole thing, picked the vault, did the buys – pretty hands-off for me.

Been seeing some chatter about folks considering moving into a self-directed IRA for their precious metals, and wanted to share my own experience and get some thoughts from the community. I'm a manufacturing exec out here in Cleveland, and for years I've been a big believer in hard assets. After seeing what happened in 2008 and then all the money printing since, it just makes sense to have some real, tangible wealth outside of the paper system.

A few years back, when I was first looking to move about $300k of my retirement savings into gold coins, I went with a traditional custodian. The process was... fine. They basically managed the whole thing, picked the vault, did the buys – pretty hands-off for me. Which, at the time, felt good. Less hassle. The gold is there, I get the statements, and I see the value fluctuate. But lately, I've been feeling a bit antsy. I don't really have any direct control over my gold, and every time I want to make a change or even just ask a specific question about the storage, it's a multi-day email chain or a phone tag session. Fees are also starting to feel a bit opaque.

So, I've been seriously exploring a self-directed IRA. The idea of having direct control over the coins I'm buying – not just what's available through a particular vendor – and knowing exactly where and how they're stored is increasingly appealing. I'm talking actual American Gold Eagles and Canadian Maples, not just some generic gold allocation. My main hesitation is the added administrative burden. My time is tight with work and family, and I don't want to accidentally mess up some IRS rule and get slapped with a penalty. Has anyone here switched from a traditional custodian to an SD-IRA for their gold? What was the biggest headache?

Also, for those using SD-IRAs for physical gold, do you feel the increased control and transparency is worth the extra effort? I'm trying to weigh the peace of mind of direct ownership against the convenience I've had. Am I overthinking the administrative side of an SD-IRA? Any specific providers (custodians for the SD-IRA, not the coin dealer) that you've had particularly good or bad experiences with around here in Ohio, or generally?