Retirement
IRA-eligible metals.
A self-directed precious-metals IRA can hold only bars and coins that meet specific IRS purity and form requirements, and that your custodian and depository will accept.
Key takeaways
- An IRA can hold only metals that meet specific purity and form requirements set out in the tax code.
- Eligibility is decided product by product, so a blanket 'IRA-approved' label is not enough.
- IRA metals must be held by the account's trustee, in practice at an approved depository, not at home.
- Your custodian and depository must also accept the product, and each charges its own fees.
What this category is
To be held inside an IRA, bullion must meet the minimum fineness a regulated futures exchange requires for delivery. The tax code sets no number itself; for platinum and palladium, the NYMEX delivery rules set 99.95 percent, the source of the commonly quoted .9995 figure. The metal must also be held by the IRA's trustee, in practice at an approved depository.
Certain sovereign coins, such as the American Gold Eagle, are explicitly permitted by statute. Dormy verifies eligibility for the specific product, weight, and issue in writing before any IRA purchase.
Which metals can an IRA hold?
An IRA can hold gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion that meets the minimum fineness required for delivery on a regulated futures exchange, plus certain coins named in the tax code, such as the American Gold Eagle. The metal must be held by the IRA trustee, which in practice means an approved depository.
Common choices include American Gold Eagles and Buffalos, Canadian Maple Leafs, American Silver Eagles and bars from recognized refiners. Proof and collectible coins are generally excluded unless a specific statutory exception applies.
Why does my custodian need to accept the product?
The custodian administers the account and the depository stores the metal, and each keeps its own list of products it will handle. A coin or bar can meet the tax-code rules and still be declined by a particular custodian, so we check both before any purchase is placed.
Your written quote states the exact product, weight and issue being bought for the account. That record is what the custodian and depository rely on.
How should I choose metals for an IRA?
Most IRA buyers favor widely traded bullion: 1 oz sovereign gold coins, larger gold bars, and silver coins or bars. These usually carry lower premiums than collectible issues and are straightforward for a depository to hold and, later, to sell or distribute.
Think about how you will eventually take distributions. Smaller units can be easier to distribute in kind or sell in part, while larger bars keep costs lower per ounce.
Commonly requested
Products in this category
American Gold Eagle
22k · 1 oz and fractionals
Statutorily IRA-eligible by U.S. law.
American Gold Buffalo
.9999 fine · 1 oz
Meets IRS purity threshold for gold.
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
.9999 fine · 1 oz
Approved sovereign issue.
American Silver Eagle
.999 fine · 1 oz
IRS-approved sovereign silver coin.
Gold bars, LBMA-accredited
.995+ fine · 1 oz, 10 oz, 1 kilo
Refiner and depository acceptance required.
Platinum & palladium, approved forms
99.95% minimum (NYMEX delivery rules)
Narrower list of eligible issues.
Availability, premiums, and spreads for any specific product are provided in a written, time-stamped quote.
Often suited for
Client situations where this category tends to fit
- • Long-term retirement allocations to physical precious metals.
- • Transfers of existing IRAs into a self-directed structure.
- • Rollovers from eligible 401(k), 403(b), or TSP accounts.
Considerations
What to weigh before deciding
- • IRS purity and form requirements apply at the product level.
- • Metals must be stored at an IRS-approved depository, no home storage.
- • A qualified custodian is required and charges its own fees.
- • Distribution and RMD rules follow standard IRA regulations.
Questions
Common questions
Request written pricing
Written, time-stamped quotes only.
Speak with us about current product availability, premium, and spread, with no obligation.
Related categories