Silver Eagles vs. Generic Rounds for IRA - What's the play?

Michelle Collins

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Silver Eagles vs. Generic Rounds for IRA - What's the play?

michelle_collins🏆Advanced (250-500k)

less than a minute ago

Key Takeaways

•Okay, so I'm doing my annual IRA review and thinking about rebalancing a bit.
•My previous buys were mostly physical in a SDIRA, and I’m fortunate to have a great custodian here in Richmond to make that pretty seamless.
•However, the premium on Eagles right now is just… wild.

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Okay, so I'm doing my annual IRA review and thinking about rebalancing a bit. My precious metals slice (currently about 15% of my overall 400k portfolio, mostly in gold since 2019) has done pretty well, but I’ve been eyeing silver more seriously lately, especially with the inflation chatter and the whole industrial demand angle. My previous buys were mostly physical in a SDIRA, and I’m fortunate to have a great custodian here in Richmond to make that pretty seamless. My question for the community, especially those with some experience in precious metal IRAs: for silver, are you going with American Silver Eagles or generic rounds?

My inclination, given my research-driven nature (comes with the territory as a university professor), has always been towards recognized government-minted coins like ASEs for both liquidity and potential future "safe haven" premium. However, the premium on Eagles right now is just… wild. I'm looking at upwards of $10 over spot at some dealers, which feels steep when I'm trying to allocate a good chunk – thinking about adding another 10k or so to my silver position. On the other hand, generic rounds are much closer to spot, obviously. I'm talking about reputable refiners, not some basement operation, but still. Is the perceived extra security and liquidity of an ASE really worth that premium, especially when it's just sitting in a vault that my SDIRA custodian oversees?

I’ve been digging into the historical performance using tools like the "Silver vs Stocks" comparison on Gold IRA Blueprint (specifically checking out the 10-year view at https://silvervsstocks.goldirablueprint.com/?period=10Y) and the long-term trends are definitely interesting. It helps put things in perspective. But that premium difference is still nagging at me. Am I overthinking the generic round option for an IRA? Is there an argument to be made that for long-term holding within a retirement account, the generics are the smarter play because you get more ounces for your dollar, and the spread on selling might not be that different in twenty years?

I’m located in Richmond, VA, so if anyone has local custodian or dealer insights, I'm all ears. Mostly, though, I'm curious about the consensus on this premium dilemma for IRA purposes. Is it a "buy quality, pay the premium" situation, or a "stack ounces, generics are fine" camp for you all?

3 comments

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Best Answer▲ 7 upvotes

donald_nelson💎Premium (500k-1m)

Hey, cool post! You mentioned your precious metals slice is "mostly in gold since 2019." Are we talking physical gold held in a gold IRA, or something like a gold ETF? Just curious how you've been investing in it so far before diving into the silver side of things.

Comments (3)

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

This is a great question and something I've wrestled with myself! For my IRA, I actually went with a mix, but leaned heavily into the generic silver rounds. My thinking was that the premium on ASEs, while understandable for their collectibility and recognition, might eat too much into the actual silver exposure I was looking for.

I figured if I'm holding for the long haul and primarily for the metals value, maximizing ounces for my buck made more sense. I did grab a few ASEs just for the "cool factor" and a tiny bit of diversification in that particular category, but the bulk of my silver IRA is definitely in rounds. So far, no regrets!

donald_nelson💎Premium (500k-1m)Real Investor✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

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

Interesting thought process, and I totally get the appeal of Silver Eagles for their recognizability and liquidity. But have you crunched the numbers on the premiums for those vs. some of the more generic 1oz or 10oz bars from reputable refiners?

For an IRA, where long-term holding and maximizing actual metal content per dollar invested are usually the priorities, those higher premiums on Eagles can really add up over time. Unless you're specifically worried about having to liquidate in a super niche scenario where only Eagles are accepted, the extra cost might not be worth it just for the "collectible" aspect in an IRA. Just something to consider!

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