Question for Gold Bugs

[No.6]

I've had good experiences with apmex.com also. Fast shipping, usually only a couple of days from the time I buy.

[rjacobs]

Where are you located?

State laws vary. Here in Missouri we dont pay sales tax on gold or silver coin purchases and there are a few really good dealers that beat the hell out of places like Apmex(which is probably one of, if not THE best online dealer). In Texas(unless something has changed since I researched for a buddy 2 years ago) you pay sales tax on any purchase under $1000. Your state law may vary on this so something to look at. I can buy locally, with no sales tax, for cheaper than any online place and I get what I want that day, no waiting.

www.the-moneychanger.com is a great online website and the guy does a nightly email that is simply AWESOME talking about the overall markets(he is admittedly NOT a stock/bond kind of guy), world currencies and silver and gold. He is a dealer as well so always take that into account when he talks about stuff(although I have never felt like he was trying to push people to buy from him). His emails are also very funny from time to time and his personal story(on his website) is a pretty good read too.

As for what to buy, only you can answer that. Eagles are a no brainer, but also generally have the highest premium over spot. Bars/rounds generally have the lowest, but their premium can depend on what mint/foundry they come from(I personally dont understand why one mint/foundry is better or worse than others). You can buy 10oz(or 1oz) bars that are scored into pieces of say .5oz, 1oz or 5 grams(or whatever). 90%(also known as pre-64) is also something to look at, but premiums vary. $1 of pre-64 quarters or dimes is .9oz of silver. I liken 90% to something like the scored bars where its a lot easier to barter with a dime or broken off portion of a scored bar than a full oz silver eagle.

[punkey71]

I use JM Bullion pretty much exclusively. Paying by paper check and always having free shipping usually yields the lowest price for ASEs.

APMEX is currently running a sale on ASEs at $2.25 over spot but they add a minimum of $9.95 shipping so keep that in mind. APMEX service is outstanding and shipping is lightening quick as SafetyHit stated. That said, JMB hasn't ever caused an issue with me and waiting a week or so doesn't bother me.

If I was buying tonight, APMEX would get the order. As soon as their sale is over they will go back to higher premiums over JMB, Provident etc. In fact, JMB and Provident just had the same sale as APMEX for the last couple weeks.

To check prices on metals check out comparesilverprices.com

Careful, once you have metals in hand it becomes a little addicting....

[RIDE]

... dealers that beat the hell out of places like Apmex....

When you say "beat the hell out of" the online prices, what price are you paying for AGE's and ASE's?

...In Texas(unless something has changed since I researched for a buddy 2 years ago) you pay sales tax on any purchase under $1000....

This is correct but only if you buy the coins from a dealer that is also in TX.


After looking through all the sites mentioned, I don't see any prices that beat Texas Precious Metals, at least in regards to AGE's and ASE's.

[rjacobs]

When you say "beat the hell out of" the online prices, what price are you paying for AGE's and ASE's?


This is correct but only if you buy the coins from a dealer that is also in TX.


After looking through all the sites mentioned, I don't see any prices that beat Texas Precious Metals, at least in regards to AGE's and ASE's.

My point with checking state law is to see if its worth it to buy locally vs. buying online. If I lived in Texas I would be prone to buy online vs. in a store because of the sales tax. I dont know where the OP lives. It was just an example of differences in state laws.

The place I buy from local to me(scotsman coins) is selling ASE's for 22.89. Looks like the Texas Precious Metals is selling them for 22.56. I personally would have to pay shipping on them so cheaper to buy from my local guy unless I was buying a bunch to spread the shipping out. AGE's at my local place are 1369, and at Texas Precious Metals are 1364. Again not a big difference, but shipping would make my local guy cheaper.

You are right in that the Texas Precious Metal's has a VERY low premium. Shipping can eat up that savings though depending on where you buy from. Like I said, I personally can buy locally for cheaper than most online places, but that might not be the case if you have to pay sales tax. That is why its important to check state laws and see if you pay sales tax on precious metals before just blindly ordering online.

[RIDE]

Absolutely true.. If you're not meeting the free shipping requirements or requirements to avoid sales tax, and can do so locally, that is probably the way to go.

[Caeser25]

Well, realistically, if it all goes to hell in a hand basket, the only thing that's gonna be worth a shit is bullets and beans. But that's a subject for another thread.

There's other reasons to buy other than SHTF.

[ForTehNguyen]

always had a good experience with APMEX

[Crow Hunter]

Where are you located?

State laws vary. Here in Missouri we dont pay sales tax on gold or silver coin purchases and there are a few really good dealers that beat the hell out of places like Apmex(which is probably one of, if not THE best online dealer). In Texas(unless something has changed since I researched for a buddy 2 years ago) you pay sales tax on any purchase under $1000. Your state law may vary on this so something to look at. I can buy locally, with no sales tax, for cheaper than any online place and I get what I want that day, no waiting.

www.the-moneychanger.com is a great online website and the guy does a nightly email that is simply AWESOME talking about the overall markets(he is admittedly NOT a stock/bond kind of guy), world currencies and silver and gold. He is a dealer as well so always take that into account when he talks about stuff(although I have never felt like he was trying to push people to buy from him). His emails are also very funny from time to time and his personal story(on his website) is a pretty good read too.

As for what to buy, only you can answer that. Eagles are a no brainer, but also generally have the highest premium over spot. Bars/rounds generally have the lowest, but their premium can depend on what mint/foundry they come from(I personally dont understand why one mint/foundry is better or worse than others). You can buy 10oz(or 1oz) bars that are scored into pieces of say .5oz, 1oz or 5 grams(or whatever). 90%(also known as pre-64) is also something to look at, but premiums vary. $1 of pre-64 quarters or dimes is .9oz of silver. I liken 90% to something like the scored bars where its a lot easier to barter with a dime or broken off portion of a scored bar than a full oz silver eagle.

West TN. Not that far from you.

I am really just looking to buy for the coolness of owning some gold and silver coins to handle and fondle. I am not really worried about the SHTF stuff and needing to barter/trade with it.

I would love to have enough to swim around in it like Scrooge McDuck but I will have to stick with just a few. Eventually I would like to have enough that I could make a little stack out of them.

So I am really looking for coins that can take some handling abuse (so crown or coin metal). But I don't want to get anything with any numismatic value because then I would feel that I couldn't play with them for fear of lowering their value with my playing with them.

I will have to see what TN rules are for buying gold/silver. I am not sure if there are any local coin dealers. Although I do think that I saw one last night on the way back from Nashville.

I would be surprised if TN would let us get by without paying sales taxes. We can't even buy on Amazon now w/o sales tax.

[Double3]

Apmex is good but the prices are high.

There are some good forums where you can buy at good and sometimes great prices from some really good folks.