Self-directed IRA, what’s the consensus? And has anyone looked at the Gold vs. Stocks Comparison lately?

• •I’ve been retired from the Street for a few years now, enjoying the quiet life up here in Westchester after decades of the daily grind in the city.
• •When I rolled over my 401k to an IRA, I went with a self-directed option for my gold and silver.
• •Plus, with a good chunk of my portfolio being in the 7-figure range, those fees from traditional outfits can really add up over time.

I’ve been retired from the Street for a few years now, enjoying the quiet life up here in Westchester after decades of the daily grind in the city. When I rolled over my 401k to an IRA, I went with a self-directed option for my gold and silver. I’m heavily allocated in metals, probably around 35-40% of my overall portfolio at this point, and it felt like the right call to have that direct control over what I’m holding. My broker back then gave me a lot of hassle about it, kept pushing me towards a traditional custodian and mutual funds, but I liked the idea of being more hands-on. Plus, with a good chunk of my portfolio being in the 7-figure range, those fees from traditional outfits can really add up over time.

My question is, for those of you who also hold physical precious metals in an IRA, did you go with a truly self-directed setup or a more traditional third-party custodian? What were your deciding factors? I’ve heard some horror stories about administrative headaches with self-directed accounts, but honestly, my experience has been pretty smooth so far. Maybe I just got lucky with my trustee, or perhaps the horror stories are overblown for folks who actually know what they’re doing.

Speaking of knowing what you’re doing, and for those who are still heavily in equities, I've been keeping an eye on how gold is performing against the broader market. I like to check out that Gold vs Stocks Comparison tool every now and then – it’s a pretty stark visual reminder of the long-term trends, especially when you stretch it out to 10 years. It really highlights why I feel comfortable with my metals allocation. Are you all seeing similar reasons for your allocations, or is there something I'm missing from a macro perspective these days?

I've been mainly holding gold rounds, a mix of American Gold Eagles and some Canadian Maples. Thinking about diversifying a bit into some silver rounds for the first time, but still weighing that option. Any thoughts on silver vs. gold rounds for an IRA, especially given current market conditions and inflation concerns?