Silver Eagles vs Generic Rounds for IRA?

James Wilson

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Silver Eagles vs Generic Rounds for IRA?

james_wilson👑Elite (1m-5m)

about 3 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Thinking about adding some more physical silver to my IRA, specifically looking at a Silver IRA this time.
•My gold allocation is north of 60% of my 3 million dollar portfolio, and I'd like to diversify that a bit more within the metals space.
•Been a while since I seriously looked at silver beyond a few stacks of Eagles I bought pre-2008 for the heck of it.

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Thinking about adding some more physical silver to my IRA, specifically looking at a Silver IRA this time. I've been HEAVILY invested in gold for years, ever since I retired from the Street a decade ago, but the recent trajectory has me eyeing silver more and more. My gold allocation is north of 60% of my 3 million dollar portfolio, and I'd like to diversify that a bit more within the metals space. Been a while since I seriously looked at silver beyond a few stacks of Eagles I bought pre-2008 for the heck of it.

My question is for those of you with experience in Silver IRAs: Are you guys leaning towards American Silver Eagles or generic rounds/bars when buying for your retirement accounts? From what I remember from my younger days dabbling in numismatics, Eagles carry a pretty hefty premium, but they’re also extremely liquid and recognized globally. Generic rounds, on the other hand, are much closer to spot price, which is obviously appealing when you’re buying in quantity. I'm based in NYC, so pretty much any major dealer is within reach but I’m doing this through a custodian for the IRA.

Is the premium on Eagles just the cost of doing business for future liquidity, or am I better off maximizing the amount of actual silver I get for my buck with generics? I’m playing the long game here, not trying to flip anything in the short term. What have your experiences been when it comes to selling these down the line within an IRA structure? Does the custodian make a fuss with generics, or is it pretty seamless regardless? Also, found this Gold IRA Quiz the other day; really helpful for confirming what I already knew about gold IRAs, but also highlighted some regulations I wasn't totally up to speed on for silver. Anyone else use these types of tools?

3 comments

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Best Answer▲ 9 upvotes

catherine_bell🏆Advanced (250-500k)

Hey, totally get where you're coming from. I was in a similar boat a few years back, heavy on the gold, and started looking at silver to diversify a bit more. For my IRA, I actually went with a mix. I bought some Eagles because of the recognized government backing and their liquidity, but I also grabbed some generic rounds from a reputable dealer for the sheer weight and lower premium. It felt like a good balance between safety and maximizing my silver ounces.

Comments (3)

catherine_bell🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

jennifer_martinez💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

Interesting. You mentioned your gold allocation is "north of 60%". Is that 60% of your entire portfolio, or 60% of your precious metals holdings within your IRA?

paul_hill🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

Interesting post. While I get the appeal of Silver Eagles for their government backing and recognition, I'm personally a fan of generic rounds for an IRA, especially if you're looking for *more* silver. The premium difference can really add up, and for a long-term hold in an IRA where you're not planning to frequently liquidate, that lower cost per ounce can mean significantly more ounces in your stack. Just something to consider if pure weight is a priority.

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