IRA-Approved Precious Metals
Looking to set up a Self-Directed Precious Metals IRA? Well, not all gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion are approved for an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The IRS only approved certain gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars, and coin types.
Types Of Precious Metals You Can Hold
Per the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, certain gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins and bars are permitted in retirement accounts.
Essentially the IRS established two types of coins and bars that meet the requirement for an IRA:
01
US Gold American Eagle coins minted after 1985 include Gold American Eagles and Gold Buffaloes of all sizes. This includes 1 ounce, ½ ounce, ¼ ounce, and 1/10 ounce coins minted by the U.S. Treasury Department as well as select bars, rounds, and foreign coins of certain purity.
02
Gold coins and bars with a minimum purity of 99.5%. Silver is 99.9%, and platinum and palladium are both 99.95%.
Bullion coins must be in Brilliant Uncirculated condition.
Proof Gold American Eagles are also IRA permissible assets. Proof coins must be in original Mint packaging, in flawless condition with a Certificate of Authenticity.
While Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 26 U.S. Code § 408 specifically allows physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium to be owned inside of an IRA, 31 U.S. Code § 5112 makes very specific limitations on the types of coins and bars that can be owned. Non-U.S. Mint coins, bars, and rounds must be accredited by a refiner, assayer, or manufacturer and meet minimum purity requirements.
Examples of permitted coins in Gold IRA
- Gold American Eagles
- Proof Gold American Eagles
- US Gold Buffaloes
- Gold Canadian Maple Leafs
- Chinese Pandas
- Swiss Gold Bars
- Vienna Philharmonic
Examples of non-permitted coins in Gold IRA
- South African Krugerrands
- Gold British Sovereign
- US $20 St Gaudens
- US $20 Liberty
- French Rooster 20 Franc
- Austrian-Dutch 1 Ducat
- Hungarian 100 Korona
Below you’ll find a list of the IRA-approved bullion that can be purchased for a Precious Metals IRA account.
Gold
- American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins
- American Eagle Gold Proof Coins
- American Gold Buffalo Bullion Coins
- Canadian Gold Polar Bear Coins
- Canadian Gold Polar Bear & Cub Coins
- Canadian Gold Orca Coins
- Canadian Gold Grizzly Bear Coins
- Canadian Gold Arctic Fox Coins
- Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins
- Canadian Gold Snowy Owl Coins
- Canadian Gold Snow Falcon Coins
- Austrian Gold Vienna Philharmonic Coins
- Australian Gold Kangaroo/Nugget Coins
- Chinese Gold Panda Coins
- British Gold Britannia Coins
- Accredited Gold Bars and Rounds
Silver
- American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins
- American Eagle Silver Proof Coins
- Canadian Silver Polar Bear Coins
- Canadian Silver Snow Falcon Coins
- Canadian Silver Orca Coins
- Canadian Silver Grizzly Bear Coins
- Canadian Silver Arctic Fox Coins
- Canadian Silver Maple Leaf Coins
- Canadian Silver Polar Bear & Cub Coins
- Canadian Silver Snowy Owl Coins
- Austrian Silver Vienna Philharmonic Coins
- Australian Silver Kookaburra
- British Silver Britannia Coins
- Chinese Silver Panda Coins
- Accredited Silver Bars and Rounds
Platinum
- American Eagle Platinum Bullion Coins
- American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins
- Australian Platinum Koala Coins
- Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf Coins
- Accredited Platinum Bars and Rounds
Palladium
- American Eagle Palladium Bullion Coins
- American Eagle Palladium Proof Coins
- Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf Coins
- Accredited Palladium Bars and Rounds