Where to buy gold in the US: dealers, prices and tax rules

What do US dealers charge for gold? Our price check

A premium is the extra you pay above the value of the gold itself, known as the spot price. It is the biggest cost of buying, so we measured it. We recorded the price of one coin on each dealer's own product page, once for check or wire and once for card.

How we checked: GoldVetted price check, 10 October 2026. Prices were captured automatically from each dealer's product page on the evening of Saturday 10 October (UTC), when the gold market was closed, so prices were static. Spot price from gold-api.com. A 1 oz Gold Eagle holds exactly one troy ounce of fine gold, so premium = price / spot - 1. JM Bullion's site does not allow automated price checks, so we do not publish a premium for it. Current figures: premium tracker and the October premium report.

What this means for you: on one Gold Eagle, the gap between the cheapest option (SD Bullion by check or wire, $4,335.39) and the dearest (APMEX by card, $4,608.64) was $273.25. Use our premium calculator to test any quote you receive.

Should you pay for gold by card or by wire?

If you can, pay by check or bank wire. Both dealers we checked show separate price columns: "Check/Wire" (plus a crypto column) and "Card/PayPal" (APMEX labels it "CC/PayPal"). The card price covers the fee the card company charges the dealer.

The trade-off is speed and protection. A card payment is quick and may give you a chargeback route if an order never arrives, while a wire needs a trip to your bank's website or branch and is hard to reverse. On a single coin, though, the card route cost more than the whole wire premium at SD Bullion. A personal check or a wire does not count as "cash" for IRS Form 8300 purposes; a cashier's check or money order can (see ID and cash rules below).

Which US gold dealers are worth comparing?

We list dealers in the order of the premium we found. Commission does not change the order. Each summary only includes what we could see on the dealer's own website or in our own check.

Do you pay sales tax on gold in the US?

There is no federal sales tax. Each state sets its own rules, and an online dealer generally charges tax based on the address the order ships to. Some states exempt gold in any amount, some only above a minimum order, and some tax it. Here are four examples taken from each state's own law or tax agency.

The examples are a summary, not tax advice. A single 1/10 oz coin would fall below the Massachusetts and California minimums and could be taxed there. Rules change, so check your own state's revenue department before a large order.

How does the IRS tax gold when you sell?

Gold you hold as an investor is a capital asset, so a profit when you sell is a capital gain (IRS Publication 544). Gold gets a special rate, though. IRS Publication 550 lists "metal (such as gold, silver, and platinum bullion)" and coins as collectibles, and IRS Topic 409 says net gains on collectibles are taxed at a maximum 28% rate.

A simple example: if you sell coins you have held for two years for $1,000 more than you paid, the most federal tax you can owe on that gain is $280 (28%). If your ordinary rate is lower than 28%, you pay your lower rate. That 28% cap is higher than the 15% or 20% long-term rate many people pay on shares, which surprises a lot of first-time buyers. Keep every invoice, because your gain is the sale price minus what you paid. Our US gold tax guide goes further.

Do you need ID to buy gold, and what are the cash rules?

Online dealers check who you are, and the law backs them up. Under FinCEN rules (31 CFR Part 1027), a business that buys and sells more than $50,000 of precious metals a year must run an anti-money-laundering program, which includes watching for unusual payment methods and secrecy requests.

The IRS rule on cash is separate. A dealer that receives more than $10,000 in cash, in one sale or in related sales, must file Form 8300 within 15 days. The IRS reference guide explains three points that matter for gold buyers:

• "Cash" includes more than notes and coins. In a retail sale of a collectible, which the IRS says includes metal and coins, a cashier's check, bank draft, traveler's check or money order with a face value of $10,000 or less counts as cash.
• Personal checks and wires do not count. A check drawn on your own account or a wire transfer from your bank is not cash for Form 8300.
• Splitting does not help. Payments within 24 hours are related, and so are payments further apart if the dealer knows they are connected.

Which coins and bars do US buyers choose?

Government-minted coins are the easiest to resell. The American Gold Eagle is made by the United States Mint and holds one troy ounce of fine gold in a 22 karat coin weighing 33.931 g. The US Mint does not sell bullion coins directly to the public; it supplies authorized purchasers, who sell to dealers. You can still buy proof and collector versions from the Mint, at higher prices (see buying gold from the US Mint).

New to this? Read best gold coins for beginners and how to buy gold.

Can you hold physical gold in an IRA?

Yes, within limits. IRS Publication 590-B says that if an IRA buys collectibles, the amount is treated as a distribution to you, which can mean tax and a 10% early distribution penalty. The exception covers US gold coins in 1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 oz sizes and certain gold, silver, palladium and platinum bullion. The coins must be held by the IRA's custodian or trustee: if you take them home, they count as distributed. Custodians and storage vaults charge fees for this, so read Gold IRAs explained before you sign anything.

Where should you keep gold in the US?

You have three main choices. A home safe costs nothing to run, but home insurance policies often limit cover for valuables, so ask your insurer. A bank safe deposit box is cheap, but the FDIC lists safe deposit boxes and their contents as not covered by deposit insurance, so check what your bank's agreement and your own policy cover. A private vault charges a fee but usually includes insurance. Our gold storage guide compares costs and risks.

How do you sell gold in the US?

Dealers pay less than they charge. That gap is the spread, and it is why gold suits holding for years rather than weeks. You can sell back to the online dealer you bought from, to a local coin shop or to a refiner, and quotes differ, so ask for two or three. We did not capture US buyback prices in this check, so we do not publish any here. Keep your invoices: the sale may create a taxable gain (see IRS tax above). Read where to sell gold in the US.

More US guides

• Live US gold price per ounce, gram and kilo
• Gold value calculator

This page is information, not financial or tax advice. Gold prices can fall as well as rise.

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.