Updated December 13, 2023

Augusta Precious Metals Review

By Jeremy Harshman
Read more about Augusta Precious Metals
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Uncover the truth about Augusta Precious Metals in this review. Get the latest on their fees, services, common complaints and possible solutions.

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

Pros and Cons

  • Account lifetime support
  • Priority on education
  • A+ BBB rating
  • $50,000 minimum
  • No gold pricing on website

Bottom Line

Gold IRA specialist known for superior customer service

Thinking about investing in gold for your retirement? Augusta Precious Metals is one of the most popular gold IRA companies.

It's one of the only gold IRA companies with no negative complaints on the Better Business Bureau over the past decade.

Should you trust them with your retirement savings?

Here's a detailed review of Augusta Precious Metals. Read on to learn the pros, cons, and what sets them apart. Plus, see if there's a better gold IRA provider.

What Is Augusta Precious Metals?

Augusta Precious Metals is a gold IRA provider that lets you invest in gold and silver coins for retirement. It was founded in 2012 by CEO Isaac Nuriani, and has become a leader in the precious metals industry.

Augusta Precious Metals offers:

  • IRA-compliant precious metals
  • Direct purchase of gold and silver products
  • Gold storage in an IRS-compliant depository
  • Account lifetime support from professionals

They stand by 3 commitments to customers: transparency, simplicity, and top-notch service. Augusta Precious Metals stays with you every step of the way — from education to withdrawals.

To open a gold IRA account, the minimum is $50,000, which is higher than many competitors. But they have lower annual fees than some other companies.

Augusta Precious Metals is the gold IRA that star quarterback Joe Montana personally uses. It's also endorsed by Judge Jeanine Pirro.

Who Augusta Precious Metals is Best For

Augusta Precious Metals may be the right gold IRA company for you if you:

  • Are still undecided and want to learn about precious metals investment before taking the leap
  • Want to be guided through every step
  • Have at least $50,000 to rollover or invest

Do you find the $50,000 account minimum for Augusta Precious Metals a barrier to opening an account?

Alternative: If you want to invest a smaller amount into gold, check at Goldco. They only require a $25,000 minimum investment.[1]

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Educates customers first with a private 1:1 web conference
  • Helps you with paperwork to open a gold IRA
  • Dedicated agent + account lifetime support from Augusta professionals
  • Can get zero fees for up to 10 years
  • Offers buybacks
  • A+ BBB rating

Cons:

  • $50,000 minimum for gold IRA account
  • No gold pricing on website

What Makes Augusta Precious Metals Stand Out

When it comes to choosing a gold IRA company, it's important to find someone you can trust with your financial future. Here are 4 good reasons to consider Augusta Precious Metals.

1. Education Comes First

Investing your savings in gold can be scary. That's why Augusta Precious Metals focuses on educating their customers rather than on selling.

Augusta's commitment to education starts before you even sign up. You'll get a private video conference to learn about investing in gold, the precious metals market, and scams to avoid.

The team will take time to answer all your questions. The goal is to inform you, so you can make the best decision for your needs.

Augusta Precious Metals is not an advisor, so they will not be giving you investment advice or make any investing decisions for you. You have full control.

There's never any pressure to open an account. So if you're still on the fence, take your time to learn about gold IRAs first with no obligation.

Augusta Precious Metals' webinars are led by Devlyn Steele, their Director of Education. Steele is a member of Harvard Business School's analytics program and sits on the board of several Silicon Valley and technology companies.

2. Account Lifetime Support

Once you're an Augusta Precious Metals customer, you get lifetime support from their entire team of gold professionals.

You get a dedicated agent, who'll be your go-to person for whatever needs you may have. They'll connect you to other specialists who'll help with:

  • Education about gold and market updates
  • Adding more gold to your IRA
  • Managing distributions during retirement
  • Building a legacy for your family
  • Selling back your precious metals

Augusta Precious Metals doesn't just sell you gold and then leave you on your own. They're by your side through your entire precious metals investment journey.

3. Easy Account Setup

Augusta Precious Metals makes it super easy to open a gold IRA account. In fact, they'll even do 95% of the paperwork with you, so it's as little work for you as possible.

If you have an existing retirement account, they'll help you rollover funds from your Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k), or 403(b). They'll also communicate with your new custodian.

Here's what to expect with Augusta Precious Metals:

  1. Start with a free web conference to learn about gold IRAs.
  2. When ready, open & fund your self-directed IRA account (Augusta will help you with this)
  3. Choose coins from a list of IRA-compliant coins.
  4. Augusta will send your metals to the depository you choose.
  5. Contact your personal Augusta agent any time you need help.

Don't worry if you know nothing about IRA paperwork or purchasing gold. Augusta holds your hand through the entire investment process.

4. Excellent Customer Reviews

Augusta Precious Metals averages 4.94 out of 5 stars based on over 1,030 customer reviews. It's one of the only gold IRA companies with almost exclusively good reviews.

You can check out the hundreds of glowing 5-star reviews from:

Overall, customers say that the Augusta Precious Metals team made them feel valued and never pressured them to buy. The agents go above and beyond to answer questions and guide them through the process.

Customers also really enjoyed their one-on-one webinar. They say it was very informative to help them decide if a precious metals IRA is right for them.

Here are some reviews from real customers:

"Augusta Precious Metals is extremely helpful as you navigate the metal IRA industry. I appreciate their patience with all of my questions and concerns. Very customer oriented, do not pressure you to move faster than you want. Always kept in touch as I went through the process, again very patient with questions. Easy to work with, and deliver in good timing."
- Mitzi B (on BBB)

"Augusta Precious Metals provided a solid performance. I didn't expect this level of conversation in terms of honesty and human-ness. They answered questions that had been just beyond my ability to put into words. I feel that I will still be in control of my wealth."
- Pamela P (on Google Reviews)

Which aspect of Augusta Precious Metals services do you value the most?

Keep reading to learn more about their services in detail.

Minimum, Pricing, and Fees

Augusta Precious Metals has a $50,000 account minimum.[2] This is higher than other gold IRA competitors. But if you're rolling over funds from a 401k or IRA, $50,000 is probably not a big deal.

Augusta Precious Metals' account fees are:[3]

  • One-time set up fee: $50
  • Annual custodian fee: $100
  • Annual depository fee: $100

In total, you'll pay $250 for the first year. After that, the fee is $200 each year. There are no hidden management fees, shipping fees, or insurance fees.

Talk to Augusta Precious Metals about how you can get no fees for up to 10 years.

Augusta Precious Metals also charges a margin when you purchase precious metals. The margin is different for each product. Their markup for Common Bullion Products are pretty standard to what you'd find with most gold IRA companies.

Overall, Augusta Precious Metals' fees are similar to or even lower than their competitors. We'll go over some at the end of the review.

What Products and Services Does Augusta Precious Metals Offer?

Now that you have a better idea of what Augusta Precious Metals is, let's take a deeper look at their products and services, including:

Physical Gold & Silver IRA

The physical gold and silver IRA from Augusta Precious Metals is their primary offering. It allows retirement savers with over $50,000 to invest in gold and silver as a part of their tax-advantaged retirement account.

It's a self-directed IRA, which means that you have complete control over what you want to invest in. You manage your own account, so there are NO management fees. However, you do pay an annual custodial fee and storage fee.

Augusta Precious Metals' preferred custodian is Equity Trust. They're a self-directed IRA provider with almost 50 years of experience. They serve customers in all 50 states and hold over $39 billion in assets.

Augusta will serve as your liaison to Equity Trust. Of course, you have access to them anytime you want.

Which Storage Does Augusta Use?

Augusta Precious Metals lets you choose which storage you want from a list of secure, IRS-compliant depositories. Its recommended depository is Delaware Depository - the exchange-approved depository for CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) and ICE (Intercontinental Exchange).

In addition to the depository's physical security, your gold and silver will be protected by $1 billion all-risk insurance provided by London underwriters.

Augusta Precious Metals also has storage facilities around the US in the following cities:[4]
  • Los Angeles, California
  • New York, NY
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Shiner, Texas
  • Wilmington, Delaware
  • New Castle, Delaware
  • Nampa, Idaho
  • South Fargo, North Dakota
  • Bridgewater, Massachusetts

You can even visit your storage facility to see your metals in person. Your custodian can arrange those visits.

What Coins Does Augusta Offer?

The IRS has strict requirements for what kind of bullion and coins you can invest in for an IRA account.

Augusta Precious Metals offers a range of IRA-Eligible coins and bullion, including:

  • American Gold Eagles
  • American Gold Eagle Proofs
  • Canadian Maple Leaves
  • Gold Canadian Eagles
  • Gold American Buffalo
  • Gold Australian Striped Marlin
  • American Silver Eagles
  • Canadian Silver Eagles
  • Canadian Silver Maple Leaf

Current pricing isn't listed, so you'll need to call Augusta Precious Metals to learn more.

Per regulations, all gold coins in a precious metals IRA must be 99.5% pure (the exception is the American Gold Eagle coin, which is 91.67% pure). Silver coins in an IRA must be 99.9% pure.

In addition to buying gold and silver for your IRA, you can also purchase gold and silver bullion directly to store at home. Augusta Precious Metals offers:

  • Gold American Eagle BU (1 oz, .5 oz, .25 oz, .10 oz)
  • Gold American Buffalo (1 oz BU)
  • South African Gold Krugerrand (1 oz)
  • Gold Bar (10 oz)
  • Gold Bar (1 oz)
  • American Eagle Silver (1 oz)
  • Silver Bar (100 oz)
  • Silver Bar (10 oz) and more

Are precious metals still a good investment?
Precious metals like gold and silver have a low correlation with the stock market, so they can help reduce risk and provide potential protection against inflation. It's generally a good idea to diversify your investment portfolio.

However, they don't generate additional wealth and don't have the growth potential of stocks. Weigh the pros and cons to see if it makes sense for you.

Gold Buyback

While you may not intend to sell your gold soon, there's always the chance your position changes and you want to make a quick sale.

Augusta Precious Metals can't guarantee that they will always buy back your gold. However, they have consistently honored buyback requests.

You can sell your gold on your own, of course. But that involves finding a buyer or local gold dealer, and searching for the best prices. With Augusta Precious Metals, you can have peace of mind knowing they could buy it back at competitive prices.

Is Augusta Precious Metals Safe and Legit?

Yes, Augusta Precious Metals is a legit precious metals IRA provider. They're rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau and AAA with the Business Consumer Alliance. They have average customer ratings of over 4.9 stars.

They've partnered with Equity Trust as their custodian for their gold and silver IRAs, which holds over $39 billion in assets.

Augusta Precious Metals provides secured storage with Delaware Depository. Your gold and silver are protected by a $1 billion all-risk insurance policy provided by London underwriters.

Augusta Precious Metals vs. Competitors

Now that you've got a solid understanding of Augusta Precious Metals, let's see how it stacks up to other leading gold IRA companies, including Goldco, Birch Gold Group, and Noble Gold.

Goldco

Goldco has a minimum investment of $25,000. Depending on the options you choose, Goldco could have a slightly higher annual fee than Augusta Precious Metals.

But if you make at least $50,000 investment, they offer 5% back in premium silver. And investments over $100,000 get additional 10% in silver.

One area Goldco stands out in is that they promise to buy back your gold at the highest price. This gives you more security knowing that you're not stuck with your gold and can sell it back at a good price.

Overall, you may save on fees by going with Augusta Precious Metals. But the extra cost may be worth choosing Goldco if you want to take advantage of the free silver promo.

Birch Gold Group

Birch Gold Group has the lowest minimum investment at $10,000. Their annual fee is $225.[5] And they waive fees in the first year for accounts over $50,000.

You get a dedicated specialist for the entire life of your account with Birch. This specialist will understand your financial needs and goals, and can give personalized advice to help you best reach your goals.

Both gold IRA companies offer great service. But the $10,000 minimum for Birch Gold Group is more attainable for smaller investors than the $50,000 required by Augusta Precious Metals.

Noble Gold

Noble Gold Investments has a minimum investment of only $20,000. Their setup fee is $80 and you'll also pay a $150 annual fee if you store in Texas or Delaware.[6]

Noble Gold takes security and trust seriously. They'll even take photo proof of your gold in the depository (for free!).

They have a "no hard sell" policy and a "no-questions-asked" buy-back program.

With a lower minimum investment of $20,000, Noble Gold is a good alternative to Augusta Precious Metals if you don't want to invest $50,000 in gold right away.

Augusta Precious Metals FAQs

Who is Augusta Precious Metals best for?
Augusta Precious Metals is best for retirement investors interested in preserving their wealth and diversifying their savings. And who want to invest at least $50,000 into gold.

How long has Augusta Precious Metals been in business?
Augusta Precious Metals has been in business since January 2012. It was founded by CEO Isaac Nuriani, whose family has a long history in precious metals. He is a member of Ethics.net and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets.

Can I rollover my 401(k) or IRA to Augusta Precious Metals?
Yes, you can move funds (either all or a portion) from your existing 401(k), 403(b), Traditional IRA, or Roth IRA to Augusta Precious Metals. They will even help you with the rollover paperwork.

How do I liquidate my gold IRA?
You can take distributions as either physical metals or as cash. If you want the physical gold, you can request shipment directly to you or coordinate with your custodian to pick it up at your depository.

Bottom Line

Augusta Precious Metals is one of the most reputable precious metals IRA providers. They stand out for their exceptional customer service, comprehensive educational resources, and overwhelmingly positive reviews.

If you're new to precious metals investing, their free 1:1 web session is really valuable to help you decide if a gold IRA is the right move for you. And once you become a customer, they support you for life.

The only downside is their relatively steep minimum investment of $50,000 or more. But their fees are comparable to other gold IRA providers.

References

  1. ^ Goldco. How Much Does a Gold IRA Cost?, Retrieved 7/23/2023
  2. ^ Augusta Precious Metals. Are there minimum and maximum orders?, Retrieved 6/19/2022
  3. ^ Augusta Precious Metals. Augusta Gold and Silver IRA Setup and Pricing Information, Retrieved 8/18/2022
  4. ^ Augusta Precious Metals. Where are the private storage facilities located?, Retrieved 7/23/2023
  5. ^ Birch Gold Group. What is the Cost to Set Up and Maintain a Precious Metals IRA?, Retrieved 12/13/2023
  6. ^ Noble Gold. What are the fees for my new Gold IRA?, Retrieved 6/19/2022
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Jeremy Harshman is a creative assistant at CreditDonkey, a credit card comparison and reviews website. Write to Jeremy Harshman at jeremy.harshman@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.

Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.

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