Ainslie vs ABC Bullion: which is better?
Choose Ainslie if you want a price you can check (Swan 1oz bar at 3.06% over spot on 12 October 2026), postal buyback or low per-ounce storage. Choose ABC Bullion if you want Australian-refined bars, showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, or online selling from storage. ABC blocks automated price checks.
Ainslie and ABC are two of the oldest bullion dealers on the east coast, founded two years apart, but they are built differently. Ainslie is a Queensland reseller, mainly of Perth Mint products, that publishes both its sell and buy prices. ABC is part of a Sydney group that refines its own bars and runs its own vaults. That difference shows up in what you can measure before you buy.
How do Ainslie and ABC Bullion compare side by side?
| Ainslie Bullion | ABC Bullion | |
|---|---|---|
| Based | Brisbane; also Gold Coast and Melbourne | Sydney (38 Martin Place); also Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth |
| Trading since | 1974, according to Ainslie | 1972, according to ABC Bullion |
| Owner or structure | Ainslie Bullion Pty Ltd and related entities named in its terms | Part of Pallion, a private Sydney precious metals group |
| Main products | Perth Mint bars and coins (Perth Mint primary distributor) | Own cast bars and Eureka minted tablets from ABC Refinery (LBMA Good Delivery) |
| 1oz price we could verify | Swan minted bar A$6,170.87 (3.06%) | Not published: site does not allow automated price checks |
| Buyback price we could verify | A$5,877.61 per oz (1.96% under spot) | Not published |
| Payment | Bank transfer, PayID, cash, cheque; cards in person only, up to A$10,000 | PayID and BPAY preferred; no cash deposits at bank branches |
| Delivery, one 1oz bar | About A$52, insurance included | A$30, plus 1% insurance if you want it |
| Named-bar storage | A$15.50 per oz a year (about 0.26%) | 0.55% (ABC gold) to 1.25% (other brands) |
| Pooled storage | No ongoing fee, A$5,000 minimum | Pool Allocated, no fee |
| Sell by post | Yes, under A$25,000 per parcel | Not described on its sell pages |
| Trustpilot (Oct 2026) | 3.8 from 4 reviews | 4.5 from 224 reviews |
Sources: each dealer's policy pages, read 12 October 2026, and our Ainslie Bullion review and ABC Bullion review. Prices from GoldVetted automated captures on 12 October 2026 (spot from gold-api.com).
Which is cheaper to buy from?
A bullion price is the spot price (the wholesale value of one ounce of pure gold) plus a premium. Ainslie prints its prices, including quantity discounts, on each product page, so our automated check could read them. ABC Bullion's site does not allow automated price checks, so we do not publish a premium for it.
| Seller | Product | Price | Premium over spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ainslie Bullion | Perth Mint Swan 1oz minted bar | A$6,170.87 | 3.06% |
| The Perth Mint (reference) | Perth Mint 1oz cast bar | A$6,165.72 | 2.98% |
| The Perth Mint (reference) | Perth Mint Swan 1oz minted bar | A$6,195.72 | 3.48% |
| ABC Bullion | Not shown: its site does not allow automated price checks | ||
GoldVetted automated price check. Premium = price ÷ spot − 1; each bar holds one troy ounce of 99.99% gold. Delivery excluded. On 11 October (spot A$6,012.71) Ainslie's Swan bar was A$6,185.24 (2.87%), again the lowest for that bar. See the Australia premium report.
Buying in bulk helps at Ainslie: on 11 October its page priced the Swan bar at A$6,180.24 each for 10 and A$6,175.24 each for 25, a A$250 saving on 25 bars against singles. Coins cost more than bars there, with the 1oz Kangaroo at 3.78% over spot for mixed years that day.
For ABC, open its live price on a 1oz bar and use our premium calculator. If it lands near 3%, it is in line with Ainslie. Bear in mind ABC's own bars are a different product from a Perth Mint Swan bar, so compare like with like where you can.
What does delivery add?
Delivery changes the picture on small orders. Ainslie charges a A$15 base plus 0.6% of the order value, with a A$31 minimum and insurance included (up to A$50,000 per package). On the A$6,170.87 Swan bar that is about A$52. It ships only within Australia, within five business days of cleared funds.
ABC charges a flat A$30 under A$8,000 (A$130 Express), with insurance an optional extra at 1% of value. Insured, one A$6,170 bar costs about A$92 to deliver from ABC against about A$52 from Ainslie. Uninsured, ABC is cheaper at A$30, but you carry the risk. From A$8,000, ABC switches to A$100 for the first kilo plus A$15 per extra kilo by hand-to-hand carrier, with insurance included.
Collecting in person avoids both fees. Ainslie holds orders free for 30 days at its Brisbane, Gold Coast and Melbourne offices, then charges A$10 per ounce of gold per week. ABC lets clients collect from any of its four showrooms.
How do payment rules differ?
Ainslie is strict. An online order is binding once you click "Send me an invoice"; you must start payment the same day and have cleared funds by the next business day. Its terms warn that if your bank's daily limit stops you paying on time, your deposit is forfeited. Late changes may cost a A$104.50 amendment fee. Cards are accepted only in person, up to A$10,000, with no Amex or Diners.
ABC names PayID and BPAY as its preferred channels and rejects cash deposited at a bank branch (the invoice is cancelled and the money returned). Its FAQs list questions about payment deadlines and price locking, but the answers were not readable when we checked, so confirm both before ordering.
Storage: per ounce or per cent?
| Holding | Ainslie allocated (A$15.50/oz) | ABC Secure, ABC gold (0.55%) | ABC Secure, other brands (1.25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| About A$100,000 (16.7 oz at A$5,987.36) | About A$259 | A$550 | A$1,250 |
Ainslie's fee includes GST and insurance and is charged by weight, so the percentage falls as the gold price rises. ABC's fee is a percentage of average holdings, billed quarterly, with a VIP rate of 0.49% from 5 kg of ABC gold. Ainslie requires A$10,000 per allocated transaction.
Ainslie holds allocated metal in its facilities within Reserve Vault in Brisbane or The Melbourne Vault. ABC uses its group's own vaults, insured through Lloyd's of London underwriters with twice-yearly independent assurance reports, and also rents private vaults through Custodian Vaults in Sydney and Perth. Both offer a pooled product with no ongoing fee; Ainslie's Saver plan accepts payments from A$50 but charges A$250 to take delivery. Our guide to allocated vs unallocated gold explains the ownership difference, and trustees can read about gold in an SMSF.
Selling back: which is easier?
Ainslie publishes a live buyback estimate. At 07:40 UTC on 12 October 2026 it quoted A$5,877.61 for one ounce of gold, 1.96% under the A$5,994.95 spot at the time. You can sell in store, by post from anywhere in Australia, from an Ainslie storage account (paid the same day) or from Reserve Vault or The Melbourne Vault. Buying the Swan bar and selling it the same morning would have cost A$293.26, about 4.8%, before delivery: that is the spread gold has to rise by to break even.
ABC buys at its showrooms with no appointment, by phone, and online around the clock for metal already in its storage, usually settling the same or next business day. There is no minimum sale, and it promises preferential prices on ABC products. It does not publish a buy price we could capture, and its pages did not describe a postal service. If you live far from a capital city, Ainslie's postal route is the simpler option.
What do customers say?
| Site | Ainslie Bullion | ABC Bullion |
|---|---|---|
| Google: Brisbane office or showroom | 4.6 from 589 ratings (Creek Street) | 4.5 from 100 ratings (Queen Street) |
| Google: Melbourne | 4.8 from 328 ratings (Collins Street) | 3.9 from 159 ratings (Collins Street) |
| Google: other | 5.0 from 232 ratings (Gold Coast) | 4.3 from 1,061 ratings (Martin Place, Sydney); 4.5 from 108 (Perth) |
| Trustpilot | 3.8 from 4 reviews | 4.5 from 224 reviews |
| ProductReview.com.au | No listing found | 1.0 from 3 reviews |
Google figures from Maps listing data retrieved 12 October 2026; Trustpilot and ProductReview viewed October 2026. Neither dealer invites Trustpilot reviews, according to Trustpilot.
Ainslie scores higher on Google in the two cities where both have offices. ABC has far more Trustpilot reviews, mostly five stars, but recurring complaints about phone holds, slow email replies and delivery delays. Ainslie's Trustpilot sample is too small to read much into.
Verdict: Ainslie or ABC Bullion?
| If you are... | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buying Perth Mint minted bars by bank transfer | Ainslie | Lowest Swan bar price in both October checks, with quantity discounts shown |
| Wanting Australian-refined, own-brand bars | ABC Bullion | Its bars come from its group's LBMA Good Delivery refinery |
| Storing allocated gold long term | Ainslie | About 0.26% a year at today's price against 0.55% or more at ABC |
| Living in Sydney or Perth | ABC Bullion | Showrooms for collection and selling; Ainslie has no office there |
| Living in regional Australia | Ainslie | Postal buyback and insurance built into delivery |
| Wanting to pay by card online | Neither clearly | Ainslie takes cards in person only; confirm ABC's card terms first |
| Wanting to see a buy-back price first | Ainslie | Publishes a live estimator; ABC does not publish one we could capture |
For a single cast bar delivered to your door, the Perth Mint itself may be cheaper than either: see Perth Mint vs ABC Bullion. The Bullion Now review and our guide to the best places to buy gold in Australia cover more sellers.
See Ainslie's prices See ABC Bullion's prices
Gold prices go down as well as up. This comparison is general information, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ainslie Bullion cheaper than ABC Bullion?
We can only measure Ainslie. On 12 October 2026 it sold the Perth Mint Swan 1oz minted bar for A$6,170.87, 3.06% over spot, the lowest price for that bar in our check. ABC Bullion's site does not allow automated price checks, so we do not publish a premium for it. Compare ABC's live 1oz price against Ainslie's on the day.
Which pays more when I sell gold back, Ainslie or ABC?
We can only quote Ainslie. Its online estimator offered A$5,877.61 for one ounce of gold at 07:40 UTC on 12 October 2026, 1.96% below spot. ABC Bullion does not publish buy prices we could capture, though it promises preferential prices on its own products. Get a quote from both before you sell; see our guide to selling gold in Australia.
Can I sell to Ainslie or ABC Bullion by post?
Ainslie accepts posted bullion: verify your ID online first, keep each parcel under A$25,000 and use Express Post with signature. The price locks when the parcel arrives. ABC Bullion's pages describe showroom, phone and online selling for metal in its storage, but did not describe a postal service when we checked.
Which has cheaper gold storage?
For most holdings, Ainslie. It charges A$15.50 per ounce of gold a year including GST, which is about 0.26% at today's prices, with a A$10,000 minimum per transaction. ABC charges 0.55% a year for its own gold in Secure Storage and 1.25% for other brands. Both offer a pooled option with no ongoing fee.
Can I pay by credit card at Ainslie or ABC Bullion?
Ainslie accepts physical Visa, Mastercard or EFTPOS cards only in person, up to A$10,000; online orders are paid by bank transfer, PayID, cash deposit or cheque, with cleared funds due the next business day. ABC Bullion names PayID and BPAY as its preferred methods; its card terms were not readable when we checked, so confirm before ordering.
Where are Ainslie and ABC Bullion based?
Ainslie Bullion is based in Brisbane, with offices on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne, and says it has traded since 1974. ABC Bullion's flagship showroom is at 38 Martin Place, Sydney, with showrooms in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and says it has operated since 1972. It is part of the private Pallion group.
Does Ainslie sell ABC Bullion bars?
Ainslie describes itself as a primary distributor for the Perth Mint, and the products we priced there were Perth Mint bars and Kangaroo coins. ABC Bullion mainly sells its own cast bars and Eureka minted tablets from ABC Refinery in Marrickville. Check each dealer's site for the brands in stock on the day.
Sources
We checked these primary and official sources when writing and fact-checking this page.
- Ainslie Bullion: Terms of Trade (payment rules, A$10,000 card limit, delivery, storage)
- Ainslie Bullion: Storage (allocated A$15.50/oz a year, unallocated free)
- Ainslie Bullion: Sell (buyback estimator, postal selling rules)
- Ainslie Bullion help centre: How much does shipping cost?
- ABC Bullion: About (operating since 1972, Pallion company, ABC Refinery, showrooms)
- ABC Bullion: Bullion storage (fees, insurance, assurance reports)
- ABC Bullion: Delivering metal (A$30 under A$8,000, 1% insurance)
- ABC Bullion: Sell (showroom, phone and online buyback, no minimum)
- Trustpilot: ABC Bullion reviews (4.5 from 224 reviews, viewed Oct 2026)
- gold-api.com: XAU/AUD spot feed used for GoldVetted price checks
Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.