Bullion buying guides
The independent, data-led guide to what physical bullion actually costs above spot. Learn the concept, then compare it live — every guide links straight to current dealer prices.
How much over spot should you pay for gold or silver?
The single number every stacker weighs — what a fair premium over spot actually is, with today's live range across dealers.
Product decisionsSilver coins vs rounds vs bars: what are you paying for?
Same metal, three very different premiums — what recognition, fabrication, and resale actually cost you.
Product decisionsGold coins vs gold bars: which usually has the lower premium?
Bars win on premium, coins win on recognition — here's the tradeoff, with today's live gold prices.
Buyer educationBullion premium calculator: price over spot
Enter a dealer price and pure metal content to calculate the true premium over live spot—including quantity, shipping, and tax.
Buyer educationCash/wire vs credit-card bullion pricing
The advertised price is almost always cash/wire — here's what a card actually costs you, and how it can flip the rankings.
Data reportsBullion quantity discounts: buy one vs bulk pricing
See how much published bulk tiers currently save per unit—and why the required quantity and landed cost still matter.
Product decisionsAmerican Gold Eagle vs Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
Two flagship 1 oz gold coins, one big purity difference — how to choose, with today's live premiums side by side.
Product decisionsAmerican Silver Eagle vs Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
Two flagship 1 oz silver coins, compared on the details that matter — including today's live dealer premiums.
Product decisionsBritish Silver Britannia vs Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
Two security-focused one-ounce silver coins, compared using official specifications and today's live dealer premiums.
Product decisionsAmerican Gold Eagle vs American Gold Buffalo
The same ounce of gold in two very different U.S. coins: durable 22k alloy versus .9999 fine gold, with live premiums side by side.
Product decisionsAmerican Silver Eagle vs British Silver Britannia
Both hold one ounce of .999 silver. The meaningful differences are security details, dimensions, program preference, and today's premium.
Product decisionsAmerican Silver Eagle vs Austrian Silver Philharmonic
Two one-ounce .999 silver coins from the United States and Austria, compared on measurable product details and current dealer pricing.
Product decisionsFractional gold vs one-ounce gold
Smaller gold pieces lower the entry price but usually raise the cost per ounce. Compare all four weight tiers using live dealer offers.
Product decisionsAmerican Gold Eagle vs South African Krugerrand
Both are durable 22k coins containing exactly one ounce of gold. Compare their programs, specifications, and live premiums.
Dealer comparisonsHow to compare bullion dealers by landed cost
Premium is one input. Shipping, tax, payment method, and lead time decide who's actually cheapest.
Dealer comparisonsWho owns the major online bullion dealers?
Several familiar dealer names belong to the same corporate family. Here is the ownership map — and what it does and does not mean for your price.
Buyer educationBullion weights explained: grams, troy ounces, and kilos
Why bullion uses the troy ounce, how to convert grams and kilos, and why fractional pieces cost the most per ounce.
Buyer educationWhy are gold and silver premiums so high right now?
Premiums move before spot does. What pushes the markup over spot up — and how today's live numbers compare to a normal market.
Data reportsAmerican Silver Eagle premium today
Today's cheapest 1 oz American Silver Eagle premium over spot, live across every dealer we track.
Data reportsAmerican Gold Eagle premium today
Today's cheapest 1 oz American Gold Eagle premium over spot, live across every dealer we track.
Coming next
- Cast gold bars vs minted gold bars
- How StackerSpot ranks dealers