Frequently Asked Questions

BullionTree is a dealer-neutral marketplace for physical precious metals. You describe what you want to buy, vetted dealers respond with offers, and you compare those offers side by side against the live spot price before deciding.

No. BullionTree never buys, sells, holds or takes custody of bullion. Every purchase happens directly between you and the dealer you choose, and that dealer is responsible for its price, payment terms, fulfillment and shipping.

Two dealers can charge noticeably different premiums for the same coin or bar, and it is hard to know whether one offer is competitive without shopping around. BullionTree sends one request to several matching dealers and shows each offer's premium over spot, so you can compare the full cost before you buy.

Gold, silver, platinum, palladium and copper. Which products are offered depends on the dealers who match your request.

Yes. That is the core of BullionTree. Your request is routed to a handful of dealers who match your metal, budget and location, and their offers are ranked side by side. How many offers you receive depends on the product, your location and which dealers respond.

Yes, for buyers. BullionTree does not charge buyers, does not add a markup to dealer prices and does not take a commission on your purchase.

Dealers pay a subscription to be part of the marketplace and receive buyer requests. A dealer's plan affects how many requests it can receive each month, not how its offer is ranked or shown to you.

Start a quote request and answer a few short questions about the metal, product, budget and timing. Matching dealers respond with offers, you compare them, and you complete the purchase directly with the dealer you select. There is no obligation to buy.

There is no single premium. Each dealer prices its own products, and premiums vary by product, size, quantity and market conditions. Request offers for the exact product and quantity you want, and confirm the total including payment-method fees, shipping and any taxes, along with how long the price is held.

American Silver Eagles usually carry a higher premium than generic rounds because they are government-minted legal tender and widely recognized. Generic rounds give you more silver per dollar. Compare the total price for the same amount of fine silver, and ask dealers about their buyback terms for each, since resale demand matters too.

Each dealer sets its own minimum purchase and free-shipping threshold. Confirm both before placing an order.

Dealers commonly offer gram-sized bars, 1 oz bars and larger sizes such as 10 oz and 1 kilo. Tell us the weight you want, then confirm the mint or refiner, purity, price and availability with the dealer. Smaller bars usually carry a higher premium per ounce.

Many dealers offer fractional coins (1/10, 1/4 and 1/2 oz) and small bars. Compare the price per ounce of fine gold, since premiums are typically higher on smaller sizes.

Yes, depending on what matching dealers carry. Specify whether you want government bullion coins, private-mint rounds or bars so the offers you receive are directly comparable.

Start with your goal, budget, time horizon and how much cash you need to keep accessible. Learn the costs of buying, storing and eventually selling physical metal before selling anything else, and talk to a tax or financial professional about the implications of that sale.

Spot is the market reference price for one troy ounce of a metal. Physical products sell above spot because of the dealer premium, and you may also pay shipping, payment fees and taxes. A spot price shown on BullionTree is a reference, not an offer.

The retail price covers the metal plus the costs of refining, minting, distributing and selling the product, along with the dealer's margin. Demand and availability for that specific product also affect its premium.

Premiums move with product supply, demand and each dealer's pricing. A drop in the spot price does not always mean a given coin or bar gets cheaper by the same amount.

Spot prices on BullionTree refresh roughly every hour. Dealer offers are priced by each dealer at the time they respond. Always confirm the final transaction price with the dealer.

Offers are compared on the all-in price the dealer reports for your request, and on how far that price sits above BullionTree's own spot reference. A dealer's subscription plan never affects ranking.

No. Final pricing and terms are set by the dealer. Ask the dealer how long the price is held, what is required to lock it and when payment is due.

No. BullionTree provides market data, research and educational content, not personalized investment, tax or legal advice. You are responsible for deciding whether a purchase fits your situation.

Many people hold metals as part of a diversified portfolio, but metals do not guarantee protection against inflation or losses, and their prices can fall for long periods. Consider how a metals position fits your other holdings, time horizon and need for cash.

There is no allocation that suits everyone, and BullionTree does not recommend a specific percentage. If you are considering a target, factor in your full portfolio, purchase and storage costs and how you would rebalance. A qualified adviser can help assess what is suitable for you.

Neither is guaranteed to grow. Gold has historically been less volatile, while silver has more industrial demand and tends to move more sharply in both directions. Compare current, dated research and the cost of the specific products you would buy.

Nobody can reliably time the market, BullionTree included. Use current market information to understand conditions, then judge a purchase against your goals, budget and risk tolerance. Remember that spot is only part of what you pay for physical gold.

A fear of a crash alone does not make silver suitable for you. Silver's price can fall too, and converting cash can leave you short for near-term expenses. Review your cash needs and how concentrated you would become before making a major change.

BullionTree does not make personalized recommendations, and "safe haven" does not mean risk-free. Start by learning how a product works, what it costs to own and how you would sell it, then decide whether it fits your circumstances.

BGSI is a 0-100 score that summarizes several market inputs, including gold's price momentum, the US dollar, real interest rates, futures positioning, gold ETF flows and central-bank demand, into a single read on gold sentiment. It describes current conditions; it is not a price forecast.

Payment methods are set by each dealer. Many dealers charge more for card payments than for wire, check or ACH, so ask which methods are accepted, how the price differs by method and how long each takes to clear.

A widely recognized 1 oz silver bullion coin, such as an American Silver Eagle or Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, is a popular choice. Check the silver content, packaging and premium. Collectible or proof versions cost more than their metal value.

"Junk" silver usually means pre-1965 US dimes, quarters and half dollars, which are 90% silver. Dealers price it per dollar of face value, and each $1 face contains roughly 0.715 troy ounces of silver. Ask for a quote that states the coin type, total face value and assumed silver content so offers are comparable.

Many bars from major refiners come sealed with an assay card, but packaging varies by refiner and product. Ask the dealer to confirm the refiner, weight, purity and whether an assay card is included. Packaging alone does not prove authenticity.

The dealer you buy from ships your order. Confirm its dispatch time, carrier, whether a signature is required and how it handles a lost or damaged package.

Ask the dealer whether your shipment is insured, when coverage ends and how claims work. Coverage varies between dealers and shipping methods.

Tracking is provided by the dealer and depends on the shipping method. Ask when you will receive tracking details.

Yes. List the bullion coins, bars or rounds you want to sell at bulliontree.com/sell and matched dealers can send you indicative offers. Offers are not binding: you agree the final price, payout, shipping and any testing or ID checks directly with the dealer you choose, so compare net payouts after any deductions.

Buyback policies vary by dealer and are not guaranteed by BullionTree. Before you buy, ask whether the dealer buys back that product and how it sets its bid price.

Offers depend on metal content, product type, condition, quantity and current demand. Ask for the net amount you will receive after any deductions.

Every dealer applies and is reviewed before it can receive buyer requests. BullionTree collects business details including the company's website and contact information as part of that review, and can suspend or remove dealers for policy violations or poor buyer outcomes. Vetting does not guarantee every transaction, so review a dealer's terms and reputation before you buy.

No. Dealers pay to receive buyer requests, not for placement. Every dealer's premium is shown as reported for your request.

Apply through the dealer page. Applications are reviewed before a dealer starts receiving buyer requests.

No. You can submit a quote request with just your email address. An account is only needed for the mobile app.

Your request details (metal, product, budget, timing and state) are shared with the dealers it is routed to so they can respond. A dealer only receives your contact information after it responds to your request.

No. BullionTree shares information only as described in its privacy policy: with the dealers your request is routed to, with service providers that help run the site, and where required by law.

No. You pay the dealer directly, so your payment details go to the dealer, not to BullionTree. Review your dealer's payment and privacy practices.

BullionTree encrypts data in transit, stores passwords only as one-way hashes and offers two-factor authentication on accounts. No service can promise absolute security.

In-depth reports on the forces behind precious-metals markets, such as central-bank buying, reserve currencies and monetary policy. Each report states its sources and publication date.

Yes. The BullionTree mobile app lets you record your holdings and see their value against current spot prices. Those values are estimates and may differ from what a dealer would pay you.

Yes. In the BullionTree mobile app you can set price alerts for a metal and receive them as push notifications.