Plain-English guides to buying, storing and understanding gold and silver.
The US has no VAT, but each state sets its own sales tax rules for gold and silver. This guide explains the main patterns, when you may owe use tax, what dealers report to the IRS and how AU Trading handles sales tax today. It is general information, not tax advice.
Read the guideGold and silver are both precious metals, but they behave quite differently once you own them. This guide compares price per ounce, how much each swings, what you pay above spot, how much room each takes up and what the gold/silver ratio tells you, so you can decide what fits your plans.
Read the guideOnce your gold or silver arrives, it needs a safe place to live. This guide compares storing at home, in a bank safe deposit box and with a private depository, and explains insurance limits, handling and the records worth keeping.
Read the guideEvery coin and bar is priced from the spot price of its metal, in US dollars, plus a premium. This guide explains where the spot price comes from, why it moves through the trading day, what the premium pays for and how a price is built step by step.
Read the guideGold coins and gold bars contain the same metal, but they differ in what you pay above the gold price, how easily they resell and how finely you can split your holding. This guide compares the two side by side so you can choose what fits your plans.
Read the guideGold is weighed in troy ounces and grams, and its purity is given in parts per thousand or karats. This guide explains the units, shows a conversion table and explains why a 22-karat coin such as the American Eagle still contains a full ounce of fine gold.
Read the guideBuying physical gold online takes a few minutes from choosing a coin to placing your order, and a bank transfer then completes it. This guide walks through each step, explains the difference between a wire transfer and ACH, and covers sales tax and what to check before you pay.
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