I see that there are several locations online that offer bullion coins. Are there any companies that the forum members recommend? Equally important (possibly even more important) are there any organizations that the forum members do not recommend?
Scottsdale Silver is amazing. Great designs with good values at reasonable rates. Also their customer service is excellent!
I have gone through Provident Metals, APMEX, Gainesville Coins, and Northwest Territorial Mint - listed in my order of preference. I think they are all good companies, but Gainesville has trouble processing my credit card every time so I stopped using them after having to make a bunch of phone calls to them and my bank every time. APMEX has high shipping and higher prices in general, but the largest selection and is the most reputable. Provident has great shipping prices and I use them the most, never a problem. NWTM is good for buying the rounds and bars they produce at a low price, but shipping times can take weeks or even months. All of them except for Gainesville were able to process my online orders immediately without a phone call, but I've never heard of anyone else having that problem except for me. I have heard a number of gripes about GoldMart although I don't know firsthand. Some say the coin quality isn't always that great. Some say high shipping cost. Some say bad service. It seems like they are understaffed but I would look into it for yourself if you want to make a determination about them. I have also heard a few gripes about Tulving pushing back shipping dates for weeks or months for very large orders, and not only recently. A friend of mine says the coin shops in his area refuse to deal with them, but again this is second hand. I'm sure there are many others but these are the only ones I have familiarity with.
I have used Goldmart several times with no problems for gold & silver. Provident is OK too. also Westminster Mint for a wide selection of generics and they have their own nice 5 & 10oz bars.
From what I can tell Goldmart has great prices but is very hit and miss. I had problems with an order with them and there was little to no effort to correct the issues (multiple). The price was good but for me it wasn't worth it. Other have had better experiences. On the other hand I have had positive experiences with APMEX, Scottsdale Silver and Provident.
I would place MintProducts on this list also, in addition to the already-mentioned Provident Metals and APMEX. Provident Metals tends to be out-of-stock on items often, but their prices and shipping costs are very good. APMEX has the best inventory, but their prices and shipping costs are higher than most. As Inflexion said, Gainesville is okay, but nothing special. I used to like Modern Coin Mart a lot, but over the past few weeks, they have gotten way out of control with their premiums. I know premiums have increased, but theirs are ridiculous on many items. It will be a long, long time before I consider doing business with them again. Anyway, give Mint Products a look, in addition to Provident and APMEX.
Howdy, I've had good luck over the years with Paul Sims, Apmex, Provident, NW, ebay, etc. You can pick up a copy of either Coin World or Numismatic News and there are many vendors listed along with quotes. I think you'll find that you will also end up dealing with several over time. That's OK and actually a good thing. It's always good to have multiple sources of supply. good luck, peace, rono
I like Scottsdale also. The only thing is that they can be slow. But great looking products, good pricing and reasonable shipping costs.
Delayed Deliveries To Be Expected!! It appears that large orders of 90% and ASE have minimally delays in shipment, and possibly non-delivery from suppliers who will take orders, but not commit to delivery. Based on recent orders to Tulving, a customer can expect a delayed delivery of more than a month after payment of an order for "in stock" items. Based on a recent order to Bullion Direct they will not commit to delivery or a date after receiving funds for 90% and ASE. I haven't tested other potential suppliers than eBay which shows strong support. I personally believe that competitive availability of these products is currently limited, and some products may have been sold "short" based on optimism of a severe market depression. Current eBay pricing for these products appears to show buyer interest in certain physical PM products. :thumb:
My last few buys were from Provident Metals and their premiums are reasonable. Im waiting for an order now.
As I recommended on another thread, try pawn shops first. I have not paid premiums or shipping for over a year now and usually pay 10-20% under spot. Price fluctuations bother me much less now.
