monetary gold logo

Monetary Gold Review - Summary

In our Monetary Gold Review, we took a look at fees and pricing, pros and cons, bullion and IRA offerings, and compared them with other popular gold investment companies. Overall, we found that Monetary Gold has a lot to offer and may be right for you, but also gets poor marks in several key areas. We gave them 3.4/5 stars.

Overall Rating: 
3.4/5 stars

Quality

Pricing

SUPPORT

SECURITY

selection

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Key takeaways from this review:

  • They've been in business since 2000, giving them a lot of experience
  • This experience is translated specifically to IRAs, not just bullion
  • They have great ratings and reviews online
  • Leadership is not transparent on their website
  • They have poor offerings when it comes to Platinum and Palladium

Pros & Cons of Monetary Gold

Pros

  • Great selection of coins, including some rare individual numismatics pieces
  • IRA rollover specialization
  • Great ratings

Cons

  • Weak platinum and palladium offerings
  • No company leadership listed online
  • Not that many proof coins available
augusta logo
  • Highest rated, most trusted gold IRA company
  • Best education and customer service
  • A+ BBB rating and 5/5 Trust Link Rating
  • We gave Augusta Precious Metals 5/5 Stars

What is Monetary Gold?

Monetary Gold is yet another in a long line of companies providing precious metals IRA services, though definitely among the better ones.

With Monetary Gold, customers can either open a retirement account or purchase high-quality bullion outside of an IRA.

Monetary Gold Homepage

Landing on their website, you'll be told that they're the #1 gold company in the U.S and gold IRA Rollover "specialists". We don't know about that, but nothing about the company seems off-putting. The website is informative from the get-go, even featuring a live count of the national debt which has already passed $30 trillion.

The site is full of knowledge, from entry-level stuff for those completely new to precious metals investments to info that even seasoned veterans will find useful. As many companies neglect to properly introduce newcomers to gold investing, it's nice to see one that doesn't overlook this part in the slightest. There is even a bit of a patriotic tint to it. 

About Monetary Gold

Not much is laid out in terms of company structure, not even key personnel. The "About" page doesn't tell us much about the company or founders. Besides knowing that they've been in business since 2000, which is among the longest of any company in the sector, the rest is left to the visitor's imagination. Even searching LinkedIn ends in dead ends. For us, leaving out information about key company personnelle is definitely a red flag.

That said, we wouldn't necessarily make too much out of this, especially given their good reputation which we'll soon cover. Some companies like to keep a transparent company profile, while others don't. Given how much exposure Monetary Gold has received in the media, there probably isn't much to worry about the founders being absent.

Monetary Gold Company Info:

Monetary Gold Custodians & Storage Fees

Monetary Gold makes it clear that they let you choose the custodian of your liking. They mention working with some of the biggest names in IRA custody, such as Equity Trust, Kingdom Trust, Gold Star Trust Company and Entrust. All of this is a big plus.

Monetary Gold fees for storage are a little easier to calculate since they only use the Delaware Depository as its storage option. Different custodians charge different fees, but they are rarely far apart and generally minimal. The fee structure can roughly be summed up as follows: 

  • $290 account setup fee, which can apparently fluctuate with gold prices
  • Though not listed, these custodians are known to have annual maintenance fees of around $200
  • Monetary Gold covers custodial fees for many of its clients for up to five years
  • $100 annual fee for insured bullion storage at the Delaware Depository for holdings below $100,000
  • $1 for every $1,000 worth of bullion above $100,000, i.e $110 for $110,000
  • Compare these fees to something like Augusta Precious Metals, and you'll see why we think Monetary Gold falls short on fees: 

    augusta fees

    Monetary Gold Products

    The primary product of Monetary Gold is undoubtedly their IRA, which they list as either a gold or a silver IRA. Though not specified, we've heard that silver IRAs can have slightly higher custodial fees as opposed to those with just gold bullion.

    Monetary Gold Products

    Their website is dedicated to owning physical gold inside an IRA, but they can and do sell quality bullion products outside of it. Their bullion selection is somewhat peculiar: right now, it seems like there has been some inventory depletion going on. No bars is a pretty strange sight, though the company does mention a focus on coins more so than bars. Still, we'd like to see a somewhat more diverse choice of bullion.

    We'll list what's available right now based on the precious metal, regardless of whether it's IRA eligible:

    Gold

    Monetary Gold Coins and Bullion
    1. American Gold Eagle, bullion single and 4-set proof, 1oz
    2. American Buffalo, 1oz
    3. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, 1oz
    4. Several Canadian wildlife-themed gold coins, 1/4oz
    5. South African Krugerrand, 1oz
    6. Austrian Gold Philharmonic, 1oz
    7. Several 19th and 20th century American numismatics gold coins
    8. Several 19th and 20th-century numismatics gold coins from Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Britain and Switzerland

    Silver

    Monetary Gold Silver Coins and Bullion
    1. American Silver Eagle, bullion and proof, 1oz
    2. Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, 1oz
    3. Several Canadian wildlife-themed silver coins, 1/2oz
    4. America the Beautiful 5-coin set, 5oz
    5. Silver Britannia, 1oz
    6. Austrian Silver Philharmonic, 1oz
    7. American Buffalo silver, 1oz - this is listed as a coin, but is technically a round
    8. Many different "junk silver" coins, individually listed

    Platinum

    Monetary Gold doesn't seem too invested in Platinum (forgive the pun). We only found two platinum coins available on their website:

    Monetary Gold Platinum
    1. American Platinum Eagle, 1oz
    2. Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf, 1oz

    Palladium

    The Monetary Gold Palladium offering is pretty sparse. We only found one coin available:

    Monetary Gold Palladium
    1. Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf, 1oz 

    Monetary Gold IRA

    Like most gold IRA providers, the Monetary Gold offering is pretty straightforward: a gold IRA is typically a self-directed precious metals IRA (SDIRA), which allows you to legally own bullion inside of a retirement account. With an SDIRA, you get to choose which alternative assets you want to hold inside the IRA. These can be a 401(k), a Roth IRA, or something else. The rules, regulations, and tax deferrment advantages are typically the same as any IRA. 

    Here's how to get started with MG:

    1. Reach out to Monetary Gold and tell them you're considering opening an IRA with them or get started on their IRA application page 
    2. You'll be assigned an account specialist who will most likely work with you after you've opened an account
    3. With the Monetary Gold specialist, you can go over your investment goals, desires and so on
    4. With a $10,000 minimum investment, Monetary Gold will help you pick a custodian who will handle all the paperwork, including but not limited to rollovers and transfers
    5. Monetary Gold will help you choose the gold and silver investment coins for your IRA
    6. The bullion will be shipped and stored at the Delaware Depository with an annual storage fee that can range from $100 to upwards of $500 depending on how much you've invested.

    Monetary Gold Reviews & Ratings Online

    Monetary Gold mentions that they are not only accredited with the Better Business Bureau, but also links to ConsumerAffairs and even smaller review websites such as Retirement Living. In other words, they aren't ashamed of the feedback. Indeed, the ratings are pretty much spotless. On BBB, they are accredited with an A+ rating and have been since 2013. There, customers have given them a 5 out of 5-star rating based on 36 reviews. There is only one complaint closed in the last 3 years.

    On ConsumerAffairs, the profile is similar. A 4.9 out of 5-star rating based on 42 reviews, with no reviews under 3 stars. The website further informs us that they've been mentioned in over 300 U.S. publications.

    The only negative review we've found is on their Trustpilot page, which gives them 1 star and has some choice wording. Curiously, the company's profile on the website has a 3.2 rating despite this. Make of that what you will.

    Here's a few reviews we found: 

    5-star review, BBB:

    "They walked me through the entire process and communicated with me at every step along the way. Great Service! Great Company"

    5-star review, BBB: 

    "I was extremely hesitant about making a switch to metals out of stocks even though I have known the market was tanking for quite some time."

    Best Alternatives of Monetary Gold

    There are plenty of awesome alternatives of Monetary Gold. When it comes to gold investing companies, there's no shortage of providers.

    If you're looking for coins and bullion outside of an IRA, Pacific Precious Metals might be a good fit. If you're looking for a smaller firm that's known for their excellent customer service, you might check out Texas Precious Metals. If you're looking for other types of gold investing (stocks, bonds, etc.), you might check out Fidelity.   

    For the Best Gold IRA programs , we've created some short summary reviews below:

    augusta precious metals logo

    # 1 - Augusta Precious Metals (Most Trusted)

    Augusta Precious Metals is our top gold IRA company recommendation. They have a great reputation, are great for high networth individuals, and have been around since 2012. They are almost completely focused on precious metals as their name suggests. Augusta Precious Metals is extremely well rated by both the Better Business Bureau as well as the Business Consumer Alliance. 

    How we rated Augusta

    We gave Augusta Precious Metals 5 Stars based on a number of factors, including: Team, Pricing, Support, Security, and Selection.

    Pros

    • Best for high networth individuals
    • 100% 5 stars at ratings firms (as of 2022)
    • Great pricing and waived fees

    Cons

    • High minimum investment amount ($50K)
    • Less gold selection than some dealers
    • Not as good for beginners
    american hartford gold logo

    # 2 - American Hartford Gold (Best Customer Service)

    American Hartford Gold is easily one of the most trustworthy gold IRA dealers, with near pristine ratings and reviews online, great product inventory, and super a super helpful team with great customer service. It's obvious they care about their customers. On the other hand, if you're looking for platinum or palladium, you're out of luck. We gave AHG 5 out of 5 stars. 

    How we rated American Hartford Gold

    We gave American Hartford 5 Stars based on a number of factors, including: Team, Pricing, Support, Security, and Selection.

    Pros

    • Pristine reviews and ratings online
    • Great selection of coins and bullion
    • Lots of great promotions & low minimums

    Cons

    • Pricing is not transparent on the website
    • No platinum or palladium products listed
    • Unclear if they will price match with competitors
    birch gold logo

    # 3 - Birch Gold Group (Best Choice For New Investors)

    Birch Gold Group is a company with almost two decades of history. They’re gold IRA specialists with a great reputation that charges low fees and has an excellent as well as easy buyback program. Birch Gold Group is recommended for new investors since they’re easy and efficient to work with, have low fees and you can start a gold IRA with them for as low as $10,000. 

    How we rated Birch Gold

    We gave Augusta Precious Metals 4.5 Stars based on a number of factors, including: Team, Pricing, Support, Security, and Selection.

    Pros

    • Competitive fees and great pricing
    • Awesome customer onboarding experience
    • Great selection of precious metals

    Cons

    • Some negative reviews online
    • Large minimum account size
    • Not much info on leadership
    lear capital logo

    # 4 - Lear Capital (Trusted and Established)

    Lear Capital is one of the oldest names in the gold IRA industry. Founded in 1997, Lear has made a name for itself for many years as a trusted provider with a solid reputation in customer support and account management. We recommend them for all your gold IRA needs, but if you're looking for platinum or palladiums, look elsewhere.

    How we rated Lear Capital

    We gave Lear Capital 4.5 Stars based on a number of factors, including: Team, Pricing, Support, Security, and Selection.

    Pros

    • Excellent customer service and support
    • Transparent and competitive pricing
    • Easy account opening process

    Cons

    • High fees for smaller investments
    • Limited focus on gold and silver only

    FAQs - Monetary Gold

    Do they accept Credit/Debit cards?

    It doesn't seem that way. They have a "Funding" section on the website, which lists wire transfers and check as the available options. That would indicate that credit and debit cards, along with other payment options, are unavailable when purchasing.

    Do they have a free shipping option available?

    This part is also somewhat unclear. On their main page, they say that they offer free shipping to all of their new customers. But in the storage section, Monetary Gold says that deliveries to addresses are insured and have a fixed $30 fee. Based on the wording, they might have a free shipping promotion for new customers and charge recurring ones. Either way, $30 for a bullion shipment isn't too excessive even if you aren't eligible for free shipping.

    Does Monetary Gold offer Gold IRA?

    A lot of Monetary Gold revolves around their gold IRA account offering, despite what their product selection might have you believe. Not unlike Augusta, they are a true specialist for retirement savings, with a dedicated team and ongoing customer support. This separates them from many other companies in the field, which treat the gold IRA they offer as an afterthought and don't even assign customer care specialists.

    Final Thoughts - Is Monetary Gold Legit?

    Monetary Gold Review

    Monetary Gold definitely doesn't seem like a bad decision for either IRA precious metal investments or bullion purchases. However, considering their inventory, they almost come off as a numismatics vendor more than a gold IRA specialist.

    Past that, there isn't much bad to say about the precious metals dealer. The reviews are decidedly positive, describing a company that holds the customer's hand through the IRA investment process regardless of their experience and provides ongoing assistance. Though they only work with a single depository, it's perhaps made up by their offer to choose your own custodian. Monetary Gold boasts a streamlined 3-step account creation process aided by a wealth of knowledge.

    Bars have given way to some rare gold coins that you probably haven't seen in regular bullion shops. Curiously, there is also an almost complete absence of proof-quality coins from their inventory. Whether that's a temporary inventory issue or a permanent fixture is unclear, but it's yet another thing about their product offering that is less than ideal.

    And with a $10,000 IRA investment minimum and a $5,000 non-IRA one, buying gold and other precious metals should be fairly straightforward.

    About the author 

    Sam Rexford

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