Can regular buyers get wholesale precious metals prices? How dealer volume discounts, bulk tiers, and large-order mechanics work — and how close you can get to spot.
Spot price is the current market price for immediate delivery of gold or silver. Learn how spot is set, why you always pay more than spot, and how to use it when buying.
What the silver spot price means, why retail silver costs 10–30% more than spot, and how to judge whether a silver quote is fair at 2026 prices.
How to buy gold, silver, and platinum safely in 2026 — choosing a metal, picking products, comparing dealer premiums, payment methods, shipping, and storage.
A practical guide to buying physical silver — coins vs rounds vs bars, what premiums to expect with silver above $60/oz, and how to order safely online.
A worked comparison of buying ten 1/10 oz gold coins versus one 1 oz coin — what the premium difference costs in dollars, and when fractional gold is still worth it.
What fractional gold is, how 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/2 oz coins are priced, typical premiums over spot, and how to buy fractional gold without overpaying.
The best 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/2 oz gold coins for investors in 2026 — Gold Eagles, Maple Leafs, Britannias, Sovereigns — compared on premium, purity, and resale liquidity.
Physical metal may be used as one piece of diversification, but it can fall in value and does not produce income. It is also tangible, historic and honestly pretty satisfying to hold.
That emotional appeal is legitimate as long as it is separated from claims of guaranteed safety or returns.
Read the tangible-ownership case →
Regulators warn against pressure tactics, inflated markups and claims that metals cannot lose value.
Read the safety checklist →