How to Buy Physical Gold

• A 65% increase in the gold price last year has helped drive a surge in interest in buying gold as a safe haven asset
• Options for buying physical gold including gold coins, gold bars, gold rounds, and gold jewelry
• Buying physical gold can be done in an easy, 3-step process

Recent news events and market performance have pushed gold back into the spotlight. With gold prices having risen 65% in 2025 and hitting new record highs in 2026, that has spurred renewed interest among many Americans in buying gold.

But especially if you’ve never bought gold before, you might be wondering how to buy physical gold.

Yes, there are other ways to gain exposure to gold and gold markets, like buying shares of gold exchange-traded funds or shares of gold mining stocks. But each of these has its drawbacks.

For many people who want to buy gold, they want to have physical gold. After all, if you have gold in a vault somewhere, or in a safe deposit box, do you trust that you’ll be able to get your hands on it if you really need it?

For many people, being able to hold their physical gold coins or gold bars in their hands is the only way they trust that they actually own gold. If you want to buy physical gold that you can store at home, here’s how to buy that gold.

Types of Physical Gold

First, let’s look at some of the different types of physical gold, because that can play a major role in how you buy it, where you buy it, and how much you might pay.

Gold Ore and Dust

Before gold is melted down and refined, it starts off as gold ore. Gold is mined in huge mines in which tons of rock are extracted from the earth, crushed, and subjected to various chemicals to leach the gold out of them.

It can take several tons of rock just to produce one single ounce of gold. While it’s possible to buy this raw gold, or gold dust, or gold nuggets, these are mostly just sold as curios or keepsakes.

While it might be neat to own gold dust or gold nuggets, it’s going to be difficult to convince other people to buy it from you, which is part of the point of owning gold. The reason gold coins and bars are popular is because they allow anyone to immediately ascertain that they contain a certain amount of gold of a given fineness.

That allows the next buyer of that gold to know exactly what they’re getting for their money, which isn’t always the case when it comes to gold dust, gold nuggets, or gold ore.

Gold Bars and Ingots

Next up are gold bars and ingots. When you think of gold in a vault, like at Fort Knox, this is what you’re thinking of. Imagine stacks and stacks of large gold bars, on heavy duty pallets, stacked floor to ceiling.

In reality, gold bars and ingots come in numerous different sizes. While the 400 ounce Good Delivery bar is the standard for the London gold trade, those bars aren’t affordable to the average consumer.

Consumer-grade gold bars come in sizes ranging from as little as 1/100th of an ounce to as much as 1 kilogram (~32.15 ounces). Among the most common sizes are the 1 ounce, ½ ounce, and ¼ ounce among the ounce sizes, and 1 gram, 5 gram, 10 gram, 20 gram, and 50 gram among metric sizes.

Gold bars and ingots can be either stamped or cast, and normally contain some sort of marking indicating which refiner or assayer produced them. Very often they will contain a serial number, either stamped or minted into the surface of the bar.

Smaller bars such as the 1 gram bars often come in assay cards or with other special holders that feature certificates, QR codes, or serial numbers to guarantee their authenticity.

Gold Coins and Rounds

While gold bars come in a variety of sizes, they often lack the unique designs that coins offer. And because gold coins come in shapes and sizes that are familiar to those of us who grew up using coins to buy things, gold coins have remained a popular choice for people looking to buy physical gold.

Older gold coins came in a wide variety of sizes and diameters, based on the currency system of their country of origin. Many of these coins, or modern restrikes, remain popular with collectors and gold buyers.

Modern gold coins are very often minted with an eye for the retail market, particularly for the gold IRA market, which requires that gold coins or gold bullion be a minimum fineness of .995 (99.5% pure gold). New designs are produced every year, and there are numerous coins to choose from.

Among the most popular sizes of gold coins are the ¼ ounce, ½ ounce, or 1 ounce sizes. While there are both larger and smaller sizes of gold coins produced as well, those smaller and larger coins are less frequently encountered.

Gold Jewelry

We can’t forget gold jewelry, which in countries like China and India is often treated as a financial asset. Gifts of gold jewelry to newly married couples are intended to help get them started in building their financial security, and gold markets in those countries are keenly attuned to the dual use of jewelry both as a decoration and as a store of value.

Gold jewelry doesn’t play quite that role here in the United States, although there are probably some people who hold or acquire gold jewelry pieces primarily for their metal content. But when it comes to liquidating gold jewelry, the market for it isn’t as widespread or liquid as it is for gold coins.

Buying Gold With a Direct Cash Purchase

A direct cash purchase of gold is just what it sounds like. You pay with cash, check, bank wire, or sometimes even a credit card, and you receive physical gold in return.

Direct cash transactions are relatively straightforward, and depending on where you buy your gold, you can go home with it that day or have it shipped to your doorstep within a few days. Then it’s up to you to determine how to store it.

Many people who make direct cash purchases of gold often adhere to the principle that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, or believe that if you can’t hold your assets, you don’t really own them.

Sometimes people who want to buy physical gold don’t trust banks, safe deposit boxes, or other third parties. They’re often willing to take the risk of theft to store their gold in a safe at home where they can hold it.

While other people may think that those types of attitudes are crazy, that’s why there are different strokes for different folks.

Where to Buy Gold

With gold ownership being as widespread as it is, you can buy gold in numerous different places. From estate sales to pawn shops to coin shops to online marketplaces, you can find gold of all different types just about anywhere.

But if you’re looking for specific types of gold, certain gold coins or bars, then you’ll have to focus your search a little more closely. If you’re looking to buy gold as a safe haven asset, to hedge against inflation or potential recession, or to help protect yourself against further deterioration of the dollar, then not just any gold will fit the bill.

There are numerous sellers of gold, many of whom have an online presence. Some sellers specialize in certain types of gold, such as numismatic gold for collectors.

Others specialize in selling gold for gold IRAs. And many sell physical gold that you can take delivery of through direct cash purchases.

Wherever you decide to buy gold, you need to do your research and read reviews. It can be tempting to peruse online marketplaces to buy gold, but how do you really know that the gold coins or gold bars you’re purchasing are real?

Even the most experienced gold buyers occasionally run across counterfeit coins, and with the high quality of Chinese counterfeits today, buying gold online from unknown sellers can be a gamble. That’s why it helps to work with experienced partners who know what they’re doing and who can guarantee that the gold they’re selling you is authentic.

At Goldco, we work directly with mints around the world to bring our customers guaranteed authentic gold coins. By buying our gold coins directly from the source, we can ensure that you’re buying 100% authentic gold.

In addition, working directly with mints allows us to weather supply disruptions that periodically impact the gold market. It can be frustrating to be ready to buy gold coins to start helping to protect your wealth, only to find that there isn’t any gold available. That’s why Goldco works hard to make sure that our customers don’t have to deal with those problems.

3 Easy Steps to Buy Gold

Once you’ve figured out what kind of gold you want to buy, and you’ve decided to work with a trusted partner like Goldco, the only thing left to figure out is how much gold to buy and where to store it.

Here are the three easy steps you need to take to buy physical gold.

Step 1. Sign Your Customer Agreement

• In order to secure your gold purchase, you will sign a standard customer agreement that says that you understand Goldco’s terms of doing business.

Step 2. Fund Your Gold Purchase

• We offer a few options for you to fund your gold purchase, such as bank wire or check.
• If paying by check, we can send you a shipping label so that you can expedite your purchase without having to pay to mail your check.
• Once your account has been funded, you can move to Step 3.

Step 3. Select the Gold You Want to Buy

• Once your account has been funded, you then choose the gold coins you want to buy.
• Your gold coins will then be shipped to your destination of choice, whether that’s a depository you choose, or even directly to your doorstep.

That’s all there is to it! Three easy steps to buy physical gold.

Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Gold

What are the main ways to buy gold?

Coins and bars are two of the most common and popular ways to buy gold. Goldco offers a selection of gold coins and gold bars for direct cash purchase.

I’ve never bought gold before. Is gold a good choice for me?

Whether or not gold is a good choice for you is a decision you’ll have to make based upon your individual needs. You may want to consult with your financial advisor to determine which precious metals can help you achieve your aims, whether that’s portfolio diversification, inflation hedging, or something else.

How much of my portfolio should be allocated to gold?

The percentage of your portfolio you devote to gold is a decision you need to make with a view toward your risk tolerance and financial goals, and should be done in consultation with your financial advisor. Goldco’s specialists are not financial advisors and cannot provide financial advice.

Do I have to pay taxes when I buy or sell gold?

Direct cash purchases of gold coins or gold bars are tax-exempt in many states. You should consult with your financial advisor or tax professional before making a purchase.

Sales of gold can be subject to taxation, and rates can differ depending on how long you have owned the gold, whether it is held inside or outside of an IRA, etc. Due to the variety of potential tax situations and the fact that Goldco’s specialists are not tax advisors, Goldco cannot provide tax advice.

You should consult with your financial advisor or tax professional before selling your gold in order to determine your potential tax liability.

How do I know that the gold I’m buying is real and not counterfeit?

There are numerous ways to check if the gold coins or gold bars you have are real. One of the first things to do is to check if the coin or bar matches the published dimensions and weight.

Gold coins are also non-magnetic, so they should not be attracted to a magnet. Gold coins also make a distinctive pinging sound when they are struck, versus base metals which have more of a thudding sound.

Finally, there are chemical tests that can be done by professionals, although these may damage your gold products.

But one of the best ways to avoid counterfeit gold is to work with trusted partners like Goldco who work with mints around the world to bring you guaranteed authentic gold coins so that you don’t have to worry about possibly buying counterfeit precious metals.

How do I store my gold safely?

Gold that you buy with a direct cash purchase can be stored at home, in a safe deposit box or, if you’re making a particularly big purchase, can be stored in a bullion depository.

What is the best gold to buy?

That all depends on your particular needs and how gold fits into your financial planning.

For some people, gold may make up a large portion of their portfolio, and they may hang onto it for a long time. Others may only want to buy gold as a short-term hedge against a possible economic downturn.

And other people may just want to hang onto a few gold coins or gold bars at home in case of a rainy day. How much gold you buy and the form you buy it in will be determined by how you plan to make use of your gold.

Is Gold Right for You?

The decision on whether or not to buy physical gold is a personal one that you’ll have to make depending on your own personal financial situation and financial goals. Every person is different, and what might work for one person won’t necessarily work for another.

At Goldco we have worked with thousands of customers, with large budgets and small, to help them benefit from owning gold. With over $3 billion in precious metals placements and over 8,000 5-star reviews, we work hard to bring our customers quality products and superior customer service.

If you’re interested in putting gold to work in helping to safeguard your hard-earned savings, call Goldco today to learn more about your physical gold buying options.

This article was originally published in October 2023 and was updated in February 2026.

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