What Is a Precious Metals IRA?
A Precious Metals IRA is a self-directed IRA that holds physical, IRS-eligible gold, silver, platinum and/or palladium. “Gold IRA” and “Precious Metals IRA” are often used interchangeably. The account rules are the same; the difference is simply which metals you choose to hold.
Many clients start with gold as the core holding and add silver for its lower price per ounce and its growing industrial demand.
The Four IRA-Eligible Metals
Gold: the core of most metals IRAs
The traditional safe-haven asset, bought by central banks and held for thousands of years as a store of value. Minimum fineness: .995.
Silver: affordable, with industrial demand
A lower price per ounce makes silver easy to add in quantity. It is also widely used in solar panels, electronics and medical products. Minimum fineness: .999.
Platinum and palladium: specialized diversifiers
Rarer metals used heavily in automotive and industrial applications. Minimum fineness: .9995. They tend to be more volatile, so most savers hold them as a smaller slice, if at all.
Popular IRA-Eligible Coins and Bars
| Metal | Coins | Bars |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | American Gold Eagle, American Gold Buffalo, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, Austrian Philharmonic | Bars from accredited refiners and mints (.995+) |
| Silver | American Silver Eagle, Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, Austrian Silver Philharmonic | Bars from accredited refiners and mints (.999+) |
| Platinum | American Platinum Eagle, Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf | Accredited bars (.9995+) |
| Palladium | Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf, American Palladium Eagle | Accredited bars (.9995+) |
Browse our gold coins and silver coins, or call for today’s price and IRA eligibility on any product.
What Is Not Allowed
The tax code treats most collectibles as off-limits for IRAs. That generally excludes:
- Rare, graded or numismatic coins that do not meet the bullion rules
- Pre-1933 U.S. gold coins and most foreign legal-tender coins below the purity standards
- Jewelry, art, and metals you already own personally
- Metal stored at home or in a personal safe deposit box
Building Your Mix: Gold vs. Silver
| Gold | Silver | |
|---|---|---|
| Main role | Wealth preservation, crisis hedge | Growth potential, industrial demand |
| Volatility | Lower | Higher |
| Price per ounce | Higher: compact to store | Lower: more ounces per dollar |
| Storage space | Small | Larger for the same dollar value |
There is no single right mix. A Bishop Gold Group specialist can show you how different allocations have behaved and help you choose what fits your timeline and comfort with risk.
New to this? Start with What Is a Gold IRA? or see how the process works →
