Thinking about adding more gold to my IRA - any recommendations for smaller amounts?

Totally get where you're coming from. I was in a similar boat a few years back, wanted to add more without going for a full bar or huge coin. Ended up finding a good dealer who had some decent deals on fractional coins – not as much of a premium as I expected for smaller denominations. Might be worth looking into those if you want to diversify a bit more.

Interesting. You mentioned "mostly phy" - were you going to say physical gold and silver? And if so, are you talking about holding it yourself or through a custodian within the IRA structure? Just curious how that works for smaller amounts.

Honestly, with "well over half a million, maybe closer to three-quarters now" already in gold and silver, I'd be looking at diversifying *out* of precious metals, not further into them. At some point, you're not gaining much extra "safety" and are just concentrating risk. The South China Sea is a valid concern, but there are other hedges besides more physical metal.

Honestly, for smaller amounts, a lot of the usual suspects like APMEX or JM Bullion are perfectly fine. I've bought smaller quantities of 1oz Gold Eagles from them before without issue. The key is making sure their premium isn't eating too much into your investment when you're not buying in bulk. Definitely check current spot price vs. their asking.

For smaller amounts, I always recommend checking out Kitco's spot price charts and their historical data. It really helps me track dips and decide if it's a good time to pull the trigger on a few more ounces of a 1/2 oz or 1/4 oz coin. It's surprisingly intuitive for a site that's been around forever. I just added another 1oz American Gold Eagle last month, but for smaller buys, Kitco's definitely my go-to for timing.

I've been in a similar spot, but personally, I've found that trying to buy "smaller amounts" of physical gold for an IRA through most custodians ends up being a wash due to fees. When I looked at adding another $5k a couple years back, the transaction costs and storage fees just ate too much into the potential upside compared to a larger bulk purchase. Might be worth considering if you're better off waiting to hit a higher threshold for a more efficient buy-in, or diversifying into something like a gold ETF if you just want exposure for that specific amount outside the IRA.

Alright, I'll bite. Everyone here always preaches "buy the dip" or "dollar-cost average," which is fine advice, but honestly, in this current market, I'm almost leaning towards just holding off if it's "smaller amounts." Right now, with all the geopolitical weirdness and inflation fears, everyone and their grandma is piling into *any* dips, which just seems to keep the floor higher than I'd like. I know GIRAB always stresses long-term thinking, and I agree, but sometimes the smart play is just to watch the fireworks from the sidelines for a bit, even in gold. My portfolio's not massive; that 50-100k range, and I've learned in Boise that sometimes patience pays off more than chasing every perceived bargain.

Okay, so I went through something similar last year. I had already diversified a decent chunk into physical gold through my IRA, maybe around 150k worth of various coins and bars. But then I got a bonus at work, nothing huge, about 10k, and I started thinking, *Should I just dump this into my regular brokerage or top up the gold?* After mulling it over, I decided to go with a small top-up for my Gold IRA. I contacted my custodian – Augusta Precious Metals, they've been pretty solid for me here in Tulsa – and instead of buying another full 1oz AGE, I opted for a mix of 1/4oz American Gold Eagles and some 1/10oz Canadian Gold Maple Leafs. The premiums on the smaller denominations are obviously a pinch higher percentage-wise, but for only $10k, it felt better to get a few more physical pieces rather than just one or two larger ones. It felt more like "adding" to the stack, if that makes sense. Plus, if I ever needed to liquidate a small portion in a pinch, selling a 1/10oz is way easier than breaking up a 1oz