None of the questions below require industry knowledge, only the willingness to ask them and to wait for complete written answers. Current bids, availability and custody details may need verification. Ask them anywhere, on any call, including with us, and resolve the outstanding points before you commit.
What should I ask about pricing before buying anything?
Ask for the premium over spot in writing, the same-day buyback price, and how compensation differs from standard bullion. Use the completed figures to compare costs. If a bid or product price still needs checking, leave the decision open until you have the written information.
What is the premium over spot, in writing?
Request the premium per unit and as a percentage over the stated spot reference, on a written quote before commitment. Product availability and current pricing may need checking; wait for the completed figures rather than treating response speed as evidence of honesty.
What would you pay me to buy this back today?
Ask for a current written buyback indication for the exact product and quantity, including its expiration and sale conditions. A dealer may need to verify a bid. Until it is available, you cannot calculate the purchase-minus-bid difference reliably; an indication is not a future resale promise.
What is your commission on this product versus standard bullion?
Ask how compensation differs between the recommended product and standard bullion, and request a clear written answer before deciding. Higher compensation may create an incentive, but it does not establish the representative's motive. Evaluate the recommendation against your objective and its disclosed costs.
How do I evaluate why a specific product is being recommended?
Ask why a coin is recommended over plain bullion and whether the quote carries an expiration time. A defensible answer ties to your goals in plain language and sets out the actual expiration and conditions. A day-long quote can be valid; what matters is that you understand its window and what the proposed transaction includes.
Why are you recommending this coin instead of bullion?
Ask what feature makes this product fit your stated objective better than bullion. If collecting appeal or a mint limit matters, verify the exact issue and compare available bids. A possible collector premium is not an assurance of future demand or resale value.
Can I have this quote with an expiration time?
Request the actual expiration and conditions in writing. A quote valid for the day is not inherently illegitimate, but you need to know what 'today' means and what must happen before expiry. Distinguish that indicative window from the price locked when an authorized transaction is placed.
What fees and IRA eligibility details should I confirm?
Ask for every fee, custodian, storage, wire, itemized in writing before committing, and ask for the specific IRS rule that makes a metal IRA-eligible. Confirm the exact product with the receiving custodian. Separate dealer charges from provider charges and estimates so the written total does not conceal unresolved costs.
What are ALL the fees, custodian, storage, wire, everything?
Request an itemized written list before commitment, including any applicable taxes, shipping, insurance, storage, custodian, payment and other charges. Identify who sets and bills each amount and which costs are estimates. Do not assume a metals subtotal includes every charge.
Is this metal IRA-eligible, and can you show me why?
Ask for the applicable purity and product criteria for the exact metal, including any relevant exception, and confirm acceptance with the receiving IRA custodian. A blanket label is not enough. Obtain the supporting authority and qualified advice where your circumstances require it.
How is my metal held, and how do I get out?
Ask whose name the metal is held in, which depository holds it, and the exact step-by-step process for selling. A clean answer names the institution, ownership records, storage arrangement and sale sequence. Confirm which details apply to your account; allocation does not mean physical segregation, and neither term should substitute for the contract.
Whose name is the metal held in, and where?
Request the custodian or storage provider, depository, ownership records and storage terms. Ask whether holdings are allocated, segregated or commingled and what those terms mean in the agreement. Allocation and segregation describe different things; do not assume both are universally required. Details may need verification with the provider.
What happens, step by step, when I want to sell?
Ask for the selling sequence, including contact, receipt and testing where required, written quote, authorization, placement and applicable costs. Request the relevant settlement terms rather than assuming a payment method or timing. For metal outside a depository, clarify who is responsible for shipping and insurance.
Will the dealer put all of this in writing?
Ask directly whether everything discussed will be confirmed in writing before commitment. Give the dealer time to check details, but do not treat an unresolved verbal assurance as a completed term. The written record, rather than the speed of the response, is what you can review against your proposed purchase.
Will you put everything you just said in writing?
Obtain the completed written terms before committing. Availability, current bids and custody information may take time to confirm, so identify outstanding details and wait for them. Hesitation alone does not establish dishonesty; deciding without the necessary terms leaves questions unresolved.
Every one of these has a documented answer at Dormy. That's the point of the list.