Silver Eagles vs. Generic Rounds in My Gold IRA - What's Your Play?

Christopher Young

Back to forum

📊 Economy

Silver Eagles vs. Generic Rounds in My Gold IRA - What's Your Play?

christopher_young🌟Ultra (5m+)

about 1 month ago

Key Takeaways

•The premium on American Silver Eagles is just brutal right now, even when buying in bulk.
•On a $1M+ purchase, we're talking about a difference that adds up to a substantial number of ounces.
•I'm based in Scottsdale, so I'm surrounded by plenty of dealers, and the bid/ask spread on generics isn't terrible, but it's not like an ASE either.

Compare top Gold IRA companies — free

Been wrestling with this decision for a while now and curious to hear about how others in the community are approaching it, especially those with larger precious metals allocations. I'm looking at adding another significant chunk of silver to my Gold IRA this quarter (think seven-figure addition, not a few thousand), and the eternal debate of ASEs versus generic rounds keeps swirling.

My portfolio is already pretty heavy on physical gold and silver, mostly Eagles and Maple Leafs outside of the IRA, but for the retirement account, I'm trying to optimize for maximum ounce count while still maintaining liquidity and future divestment ease. The premium on American Silver Eagles is just brutal right now, even when buying in bulk. On a $1M+ purchase, we're talking about a difference that adds up to a substantial number of ounces. I'm based in Scottsdale, so I'm surrounded by plenty of dealers, and the bid/ask spread on generics isn't terrible, but it's not like an ASE either.

Part of me just wants to stack as many ounces as possible, and generic rounds definitely win there. But then the other part of me worries about potential issues down the line with selling generics from an IRA, especially if the market gets volatile. Are the legal tender bullion coins truly that much more liquid or recognizable for future distribution/resale? Or is that just a mental comfort blanket? I've run some scenarios through that retirement planner tool, and while it doesn't differentiate between ASEs and generics, the future value of those ounces definitely changes based on my entry premium. What's everyone else doing with their IRA silver? Premiums are just eating into those ounce counts, and it's painful to watch.

4 comments

Worried about inflation eroding your savings?

See how a Gold IRA can hedge your portfolio. Free guide, no obligation.

Under $100k? Compare options →

242 people viewed this today32 members requested a free kit this week48 investors bookmarked this

Best Answer▲ 5 upvotes

andrew_roberts👑Elite (1m-5m)

Dude, I was in this exact situation a few months ago! Seriously, the dilemma of Eagles vs. generic was real. For my IRA, I ended up going with a mix, leaning heavier on the Eagles for the recognized value/liquidity, but grabbing some lower-premium generics for the sheer ounce count. No regrets so far, but definitely interested to see what others are doing.

Comments (4)

andrew_roberts👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

michelle_collins🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 1 month ago

Interesting question! So, for those of you who *have* gone with Eagles over generics for your IRA, was it purely for the collectibility/resale premium, or were there other factors that pushed you that way, like perceived liquidity or even just aesthetic preference?

jason_morgan💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Honestly, while the premium on Eagles stings, I lean towards them for liquidity. Sure, generic rounds are cheaper per ounce, but if you ever need to sell quickly, Eagles are instantly recognizable and have a broader market. The slight premium might be worth the peace of mind and easier exit strategy, especially for a significant chunk of your IRA. Just my two cents.

gary_stewart📊Growing (50-100k)•about 1 month ago

Hey, great question! This is something I've definitely gone back and forth on too. One thing to keep in mind, beyond just premiums, is the potential for numismatic value down the line with certain Eagles, although that's always a gamble. For a good breakdown of the pros and cons, I found this article from America First IRA super helpful when I was making my decision. Good luck!

Your purchasing power dropped 25% since 2020

Gold outpaced inflation every decade for 50 years. See what it could do for your IRA.

Under $100k? Compare options →