Coins cost more per ounce than bars — but the reasons why matter for your resale plan and IRA eligibility. Here's the full breakdown.
Gold bars and gold coins both offer direct exposure to the metal's spot price, but they carry meaningfully different premium structures and liquidity profiles — the same basic tradeoff that applies to silver, though the dollar amounts involved are naturally much larger given gold's higher per-ounce value.
Sovereign gold coins — the American Gold Eagle, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, Austrian Gold Philharmonic — carry higher premiums than comparable-weight gold bars, driven by government backing, legal tender status, and stronger collector/investor demand. Gold bars, particularly from LBMA-approved refiners (PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi), typically carry lower premiums, with the gap widening further at larger bar sizes.
For IRA purposes, both bars and coins must meet a 0.995 minimum fineness requirement, with the American Gold Eagle as the IRS's sole named exception at 91.67% purity. Bars from LBMA/COMEX-accredited refiners are broadly IRA-eligible; coins need to specifically appear on the IRS's approved list — the Eagle, Buffalo, Maple Leaf, and Philharmonic all qualify, but many older or novelty coin products do not. Always confirm IRA eligibility with your custodian before purchasing for a retirement account specifically.
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