The IRS standard is product-specific
IRA eligibility starts with purity, but it does not end there. The product must be acceptable to the custodian, sourced through the transaction workflow, and stored by an approved depository.
A verbal assurance is not enough. Product name, mint or refiner, purity, account custodian, depository, and fees should be documented before the purchase.
- Gold: .995 fine minimum except the American Gold Eagle
- Silver: .999 fine minimum
- Platinum: .9995 fine minimum
- Palladium: .9995 fine minimum
Custody is the center of the IRA transaction
IRA metals cannot be bought for personal possession and moved into an IRA later. The custodian directs the purchase and the depository receives the metals for the account.
That workflow protects tax treatment, but it adds custodian, depository, shipping, insurance, and administrative costs that need to be in writing.
- Open or use a self-directed IRA custodian
- Fund the account through transfer, rollover, or contribution
- Direct purchase of eligible products
- Ship directly to the approved depository
Collectibles and home storage create risk
Non-bullion collectible coins, jewelry, sterling items, and products below the required purity do not belong in the IRA. Home storage is also not the standard IRA custody path.
If the reason for buying metals is direct possession, that may call for a non-IRA purchase instead of forcing the wrong account structure.
- No non-bullion collectibles
- No personal possession of IRA metals
- No unapproved storage location
- No purchase without custodian confirmation
The Written Bond
Every cost, term, and buyback condition is set down in ink, signed, and handed to you before commitment. No verbal estimates. No moving numbers.
Read the Bond