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Free buyer checklist resource

Free Physical Metals Buyer Checklist: What to Compare Before You Buy

A gold bar, silver coin, magnifying glass, pen, and checklist arranged on a buyer-research desk.

Use this free buyer checklist before comparing physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium dealer pricing. The goal is to slow the decision down and compare the costs, policies, and practical responsibilities that can matter after the headline metal price.

This page is an educational resource for readers researching personally owned physical metals outside an IRA. It is not a recommendation to buy metals, use a specific dealer, or move retirement assets.

Affiliate note: This page may include affiliate links, which means SilverGoldInvestor.com may receive compensation if you visit or purchase through certain links. This does not change the educational checklist below.

Free physical metals buyer checklist

Before clicking through to any dealer pricing page, use this checklist to compare the real buying decision — not just the visible metal price.

1. Spot price vs retail priceCheck the current metal spot price, then compare the dealer’s quoted retail price.
2. PremiumEstimate how much above spot you are paying for the specific coin, bar, round, or product.
3. Dealer spreadCompare the price to buy with the price the dealer would pay to buy back a similar product.
4. Shipping and insuranceReview shipping cost, insurance coverage, signature requirements, and lost/damaged shipment rules.
5. Payment methodCheck whether credit card, wire, ACH, check, or crypto pricing changes the final cost.
6. Order minimumsConfirm minimum purchase amounts, free-shipping thresholds, quantity breaks, and cancellation terms.
7. Buyback policyRead how the dealer handles resale quotes, verification, shipping, minimums, and settlement timing.
8. Storage planDecide where the metal will be stored before it ships: home safe, bank box, private vault, or another approach.
9. Authenticity documentationKeep invoices, product descriptions, serial numbers, assay cards, packaging, and delivery records where applicable.
10. Taxes and recordsKeep purchase/sale records and ask qualified tax help when reporting, sales tax, or capital-gains questions apply.

Why spot price is not enough

The lowest visible product price is not always the best comparison point. Physical metals buyers should compare the full delivered cost and the likely resale path, not just a headline number.

For example, a product may look cheaper before payment-method fees, shipping, insurance, order minimums, cancellation terms, or buyback spread are considered. A more useful comparison starts with the metal spot price, then adds the retail premium and transaction terms.

What JM Bullion can help you research

JM Bullion publishes online pricing and product listings for physical gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and related bullion products. For a reader comparing personally owned physical metals, those listings can be useful for researching product types, premium differences, sizes, payment terms, shipping details, and dealer policy pages.

Use dealer pricing as one research input. It should not replace understanding the product, comparing alternatives, reviewing policies, or considering qualified tax, financial, legal, or insurance guidance where personal circumstances require it.

Dealer research option

View physical metals pricing

If you are comparing personally owned coins, bars, or rounds outside an IRA, JM Bullion lists online pricing for physical gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and related bullion products. Review the final delivered cost, policies, risks, and alternatives before making any purchase decision.

View Physical Metals Pricing

Affiliate disclosure: SilverGoldInvestor.com may receive compensation if you visit or purchase through this link. This page is educational and does not recommend JM Bullion, any specific product, or physical metals as suitable for every reader.

Questions to ask before using any dealer pricing page

  1. What product am I comparing: coin, bar, round, collectible coin, or another item?
  2. What is the premium over spot in dollars and percentage terms?
  3. What is the total delivered price after payment method, shipping, insurance, and minimum-order rules?
  4. What are the cancellation, return, loss, damage, and buyback policies?
  5. How will I store, document, insure, and eventually resell the product?
  6. Am I comparing bullion value, collectible value, or both?