Statement, Valuation and Buyback: Three Different Numbers
Your gold or silver IRA statement does not tell you exactly what you could receive by selling your metals. The custodian uses a reporting value, often based on the underlying metal’s spot or melt value, while a dealer determines a separate price for each actual coin or bar.
The bid could be above or below the statement. A statement showing $100,000 at spot could correspond to an $80,000 buyback bid if the buyer offered 20% below that value; those figures are hypothetical. A statement can also understate what a dealer is prepared to pay for a specific asset.
Why is my gold IRA statement value different from what I paid?
You paid an invoice price for specific coins and bars, and your statement reports a different number built for a different job. Under the IRS instructions for Form 5498, IRA trustees and custodians enter the fair market value of the account as of December 31, 2026, in box 5 of that form (Internal Revenue Service, Instructions for Forms 1099-R and 5498, 2026). That Form 5498 figure is separate from your purchase price and from any dealer’s bid.
Three numbers. Three jobs. The invoice is what you paid for the exact asset and quantity on the day you bought. The statement value is the custodian’s reporting figure. A bid is what a dealer offers for that same asset at the moment you sell.
Spot sits underneath all of it. Spot is the cash price for immediate delivery of physical metal, quoted in dollars per troy ounce (CFTC, 2024). It is a reference price for metal content. It does not obligate any dealer to buy your coin or bar at that amount.
Say, hypothetically, you paid $40,000 for a mix of coins. Your year-end statement reads $37,000, based on metal content. A dealer valuing those exact coins could land above $37,000 or below it. The $3,000 between invoice and statement is a reporting difference, and no sale happened.
So how do you see the selling side before you buy? Augusta Precious Metals does not publish a complete purchase-price list. That is a deliberate part of its education-first approach, because an asking price alone cannot show the same-day buyback value, the whole transaction or the support available years later. Before an order is authorized, Augusta explains the specific assets, quantities, purchase prices and same-day buyback values. A five-star Trustpilot review of Augusta Precious Metals from July 2026, written by Domenic, reads: “I have been purchasing physical gold for years, but the IRA process is more complicated. Before I became a client the educational process explained critical details like buy back spread and IRA price spreads. These two alone gave me a strategy that saved me thousands of dollars. Good news is the training is free so you can decide for yourself.”
What is the spread between a gold purchase price and a buyback bid?
The customer spread is the retail purchase price minus the same-day buyback bid for the same asset, quantity and moment, divided by the purchase price. In a hypothetical $100 purchase with a $95 same-day bid, the spread is $5, which is 5% of the purchase price.
The spread is the difference between the price you pay when purchasing the metals and the price available if you were to sell them.
A 5% spread needs about a 5.26% rise in the bid to break even, with all else fixed. Why more than 5%? The bid starts at $95, so it has to climb $5 on a $95 base. Divide $5 by $95 and you get about 5.26%.
Spot or melt value, price above spot, dealer margin, the customer spread and a future sale’s proceeds are five different measures. Keep them apart.
You should also understand how the dealer earns money. A dealer margin is the difference between what the dealer pays to acquire the metals and the price charged to the customer. That is different from the spread.
Margin is built into the selling price. It is no second charge sitting beside the spread. We do not add a separate, undisclosed commission charge to the price quoted at our Order Desk. And a starting spread is a snapshot of one day. It does not predict a future result.
We also check the market for the individual products you own, and we treat melt value as a reference with no guaranteed resale floor. Rick left five stars in a May 2024 Trustpilot review of Augusta Precious Metals: “Presentation was very thorough and transparent. In talking with other Gold IRA companies, it was difficult getting a straight answer with regards to spreads, commissions and fees. That was not the case with AGM”
What does a nonbinding gold buyback valuation tell you?
A private, product-specific valuation tells you how a dealer’s market sees the exact coins and bars you hold today. It is informational and binds no one to a trade, and a separate live price comes from our Buyback Desk only if we agree to repurchase and you decide to proceed.
We keep three figures apart: the custodian’s reporting figure, our private, nonbinding valuation and the live buyback price offered when you decide to sell. Each answers its own question. The statement answers “what did the custodian report?” The valuation answers “where does my metal stand with a dealer right now?” The live price answers “what will this buyer pay today for this exact lot?”
Why no standing list of bids? An actual offer depends on the exact assets, quantity, metal price, demand and inventory. A list printed weeks earlier cannot know any of that about your holdings.
Two IRA-eligible coins with the same gold or silver content can carry different buyback values. Buyers may value their issuance, availability, product history or resale demand differently. Say, hypothetically, your statement shows two coins at the same $2,000 melt figure. A valuation could put one at $2,100 and the other at $1,900. The statement treats them as twins. The market does not.
You can receive a private, product-specific valuation and review the current buyback process with our team. We run that valuation and live-buyback process for customers, including partial distributions and RMDs.
How does a live buyback bid for your exact metals get set?
A live bid is set for the exact assets and quantities you sell, on the day you sell them. A bid depends on the exact product, demand, available inventory, and the dealer’s resale costs, so two dealers can quote different prices for the same coin.
If you decide to sell and we agree to repurchase, our Buyback Desk gives live pricing for the specific assets and quantities. It confirms the agreed transaction on a recorded call and completes the required purchase-order documentation.
Why does a dealer’s resale path move its bid? Inventory is the metals a business owns and plans to resell. A repurchase can tie up cash until another buyer appears. Our regular repurchases focus on existing Augusta customers, and the Augusta Dealer Network is how we place what we buy back. Selected products go to incoming customers who want them, and others are sold into the broader dealer market. We have historically seen more customer purchasing than buybacks, and we keep a focused product list. When we can place repurchased metal with another customer, we may reduce inventory holding, hedging and the need for a hurried outside sale, which supports a competitive bid; the amount offered still depends on the exact asset, quantity and market at the time.
Alongside that practice, we target a 5% spread on the products we offer for eligible partial IRA sales, required minimum distributions and qualifying non-IRA partial sales of metals held at least five years, which carry particular eligibility terms; the 5% figure is an operating target and no promise of any future bid, an immediate complete liquidation is priced differently and falls outside it, and the actual sale price depends on the specific assets, quantities, market conditions and applicable transaction terms.
Small gaps add up fast. Hypothetically, if one dealer bids $200 less per coin on ten coins, your gross proceeds are $2,000 lower. You may sell to any buyer, and we may decline to repurchase.
What buyback and fee terms do gold IRA companies publish before you buy?
Each company in this comparison speaks in its own published words on fees and buyback terms, cited to its own pages. A fee line or a buyback promise alone does not show what a dealer would pay for your exact metals on the same day you buy them.
| Gold IRA provider | Fees, as published | Custodian and storage | Buyback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta Precious Metals | $50 to establish the account and $125 a year for custody, charged by the custodian; $110 a year for storage and insurance, charged by the depository; qualifying accounts may receive up to ten years of eligible fees paid by Augusta | Equity Trust as the preferred custodian and Delaware Depository as the default depository, each independent of Augusta; the customer may choose another from a vetted group | A private, product-specific valuation, then a live Buyback Desk price confirmed on a recorded call and a signed purchase order; no Augusta liquidation fee (the custodian charges a $30 processing fee); Augusta has never declined a customer buyback request since 2012, its historical experience and not a guarantee; the Highest Buyback Price Guarantee provides a 24-hour opportunity, from the recorded buyback-confirmation call, to request cancellation of a qualifying buyback for a higher comparable offer |
| Goldco | “In general, you can expect to pay about $225 total per year in fees for a gold IRA, once you’ve established your account. Expect to pay about $275-325 in the first year, taking into account setup fees.” | “Goldco partners with bullion depositories such as the Delaware Depository to store our customers’ gold assets.” | “Purchase your precious metals with confidence knowing that if your circumstances change, Goldco offers a Buy Back program guaranteed at the highest price.” |
| Birch Gold Group | “Gold IRA custodian fees cost around $235 for most Birch Gold Group customers and include account maintenance, insurance, and storage fees. One-time custodian fees may include an account setup fee of $50 and a wire transfer fee of $30.” | “Your metals are stored with IRS-approved depositories like Delaware Depository and Brink’s, fully insured.” | “To understand what your metals are currently worth, we recommend requesting a buyback quote from Birch Gold. We always welcome the opportunity to buy back metals we have sold to our customers.” |
| American Hartford Gold | “Fees vary based on your account’s size and the metal holdings in your depository. Depending on your situation, the storage might be free.” | “When you open a Gold IRA, you own the physical metals. Your assets are stored at an IRS-approved, insured private storage facility called a “depository.” Once you retire (after 59.5) or reach the age when you start taking mandatory distributions, you can choose to either receive the actual physical metals or liquidate the appropriate amount based on current IRS rules.” | “We encourage our clients to contact us first if they wish to sell their metals. While we cannot guarantee that we will repurchase metals, we never charge any additional liquidation fees, and our clients enjoy a quick and simple 3 step liquidation process.” |
| Preserve Gold | “The account costs associated with setting up a Precious Metals IRA through Preserve Gold are minimal. We don’t charge account setup, liquidation, or hidden fees. Preserve Gold can waive your storage fees depending on the dollar amount being invested.” | “After investing in precious metals through Preserve Gold, you will have several storage options to choose from.” | “We offer a zero-fee buyback commitment for precious metals originally purchased from us at the highest market prices available.” |
Each rival entry is that company’s own published wording, quoted from its website as of October 14, 2026: Goldco (its gold IRA cost, FAQ, about, storage, home and bullion guide pages); Birch Gold Group (its prices, FAQ, free-metals offer and home pages); American Hartford Gold (its home, gold IRA FAQ, investment guide, commitment and eligible-metals pages, and its Shipping and Transaction Agreement); Preserve Gold (its precious metals IRA, home and FAQ pages). The Augusta Precious Metals entries are from Augusta Precious Metals, as of October 19, 2026.
The rival buyback cells describe programs and policies. Goldco describes a program guaranteed at the highest price. Birch Gold Group recommends requesting a buyback quote. American Hartford Gold states that it cannot guarantee it will repurchase metals. Preserve Gold describes a zero-fee buyback commitment. Read the terms that govern each of those statements.
Then ask each company for the purchase price and the same-day bid for every asset and quantity you are considering. In a one-star ConsumerAffairs review of American Hartford Gold dated January 28, 2026, a customer alleged: “Terrible experience! Sure they started off nice but if you want to sell your metals back you’ll soon find out you were taken advantage of! I bought metals in good faith and relied on the expertise of the salesman but still asked many questions. …”
What Augusta Precious Metals shows you before you buy and when you sell
The number you need first is what a dealer would pay you back the same day. We start with a one-on-one web conference that teaches how the account works, its costs, eligibility and how a sale works. Our educators are salaried and do not earn sales commissions. Then the Order Desk takes you through the price-and-bid review described above before you choose a mix.
When you sell, we have never declined a customer buyback request since 2012; this is our historical experience, not a guarantee of future repurchases. We hold an A+ rating on our Better Business Bureau profile (Better Business Bureau, 2026).
Jerry rated us five stars on ConsumerAffairs in January 2026: “Smooth and positive experience. I did a lot of research to find the right precious metals IRA, and I decided on Augusta. The process was smooth and I felt a transparency with Augusta that I didn’t find with the other companies I researched.”
Scott’s February 2025 Trustpilot review of Augusta Precious Metals, also five stars, named two of our people: “Professional, Knowledgeable, Courteous and above all Patience. Dianne was terrific and Amber has the patience of Job. Made a tedious task (paper work) pleasant. Never tried to sell me a thing unlike another company I’ve used. Glad I chose APM. A+ all around.”
FAQ
Do I have to sell my metals back to Augusta Precious Metals?
No. Augusta does not charge a separate dealer liquidation fee. Equity Trust, the custodian, charges a $30 processing fee for buybacks. Customers are never required to sell their metals back to Augusta and remain free to keep them, sell a portion, or seek another buyer.
Which fees apply when I sell metals back from my IRA?
The custodian’s processing fee and the absence of a dealer liquidation fee are covered in the answer above. Augusta coordinates an accepted buyback with the custodian and depository, while the custodian separately handles any cash distribution to you. Questions about how a distribution is taxed go to your custodian and tax adviser.
Is everything I paid above melt value the dealer’s markup?
No. Melt value is the current spot-price calculation for the precious-metal content of a coin or bar, and price above spot is not automatically all dealer margin. Part of it can reflect the mint’s issue price, fabrication, availability or demand for that exact issue. A live bid can be above, near or below melt.
Who do I ask how my statement value is figured?
Ask your custodian, who administers the account and determines and reports its value. IRA trustees and custodians are responsible for valuing all IRA assets annually at fair market value (Internal Revenue Service, 2026). For what a dealer would pay for your exact metals, request a private valuation from us.
What should I ask any gold dealer about price and same-day bid before I order?
Ask for the purchase price and the same-day buyback bid for each asset and quantity, and the spread between them. The CFTC suggests multiplying the weight of the metals by the current spot price and comparing that figure with the retail price you are charged (CFTC, Customer Advisory: 10 Things to Ask Before Buying Physical Gold, Silver, or Other Metals, 2024). Its customer advisory also notes that retail metal dealers are not regulated at the federal level. Our Order Desk explains each asset’s purchase price and same-day buyback price before your recorded order confirmation.
Can I cancel a buyback if I find a higher offer?
Yes, under qualifying terms. The Augusta Highest Buyback Price Guarantee provides a 24-hour opportunity to request cancellation of a qualifying Augusta buyback if you obtain a higher comparable offer from another dealer. The 24-hour window begins at your recorded buyback-confirmation call. The outside offer must meet the guarantee’s written comparison and documentation requirements, and the guarantee does not set the future resale value of any metal.
Augusta Precious Metals separates the custodian’s reporting figure, our private valuation and a live buyback price for your exact metals. You can start by learning how each number is set, one on one.
Learn how statement, valuation and buyback numbers differ in a free one-on-one web conference →
Investment in precious metals involves risk and is not suitable for all investors. Augusta Precious Metals recommends that you consult your own financial or investment advisors prior to investing in precious metals. Augusta is not qualified and does not offer financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. This site and the information provided by Augusta throughout its sales process is general in nature and is not tailored to any specific person, their circumstances, or their financial goals. Augusta Precious Metals cannot guarantee, assure, or promise future market movement, prices, or profits. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Our mission is to educate and empower investors across America to protect their retirement and gain peace of mind for the future.
