How to avoid counterfeit gold and silver
Buy boring products from boring places, verify weight and basic tests, and be suspicious of miracle prices.
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The public coin and money library, plus dealer guides — what people bring to a shop, how money works, and how shops run.
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Graded coins vs raw coins: what buyers actually pay for
Slabs reduce some arguments and add fees. Raw coins need trust and eyes. Neither is automatically “worth Red Book.”
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Fractional gold: pros and cons
1/10 oz and 1/4 oz coins cost more premium per ounce and sell with wider spreads — but they are…
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Liquidity: how fast can you sell physical metal?
Same-day cash for common bullion is normal at many shops. Rare collectibles can take patience. Plan exits before entries.
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How to store physical gold and silver
Home safes, bank boxes, private vaults — tradeoffs in access, privacy, cost, and disaster risk. No fantasy bunker required.
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Understanding premiums and spreads on physical metal
Spot is not your price. Premiums when you buy and spreads when you sell are the real cost of physical…
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Troy ounces, purity, and melt value explained
Kitchen ounces will mislead you. Here is how shops think about weight, fineness, and the melt number on a buy…
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Junk silver: what it is and when it makes sense
Pre-1965 U.S. dimes, quarters, and halves — melt-based silver with a small collector aftertaste. Why stackers still use it.
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Bullion coins vs bars: which should you buy?
Government coins often cost more over spot and resell easier. Bars can be cheaper per ounce. How to choose without…
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