U.S. Gold Bureau Review

Precious metals are tangible assets that can help steady a diversified portfolio. Many investors choose to allocate about 10–13% of their total holdings to bullion.

You can take a more conservative path by holding gold and silver yourself. Alternatively, if your priority is retirement, you might consider a precious metals IRA — a strategy that’s remained popular despite market swings over the years.

That naturally raises the question: which provider should you use? Many shortlist well-known dealers such as the U.S. Gold Bureau — but is popularity a good enough reason to invest through them, and do they suit your particular goals?

To answer that, I’ve compiled this in‑depth review of the United States Gold Bureau, drawing on my direct experience with the company and long‑standing knowledge of the bullion industry.

U.S. Gold Bureau: A quick overview

Founded in 2003, the U.S. Gold Bureau expanded materially after a change of ownership in 2008 and has since carved out a strong position in the bullion market.

A key milestone was the State of Texas appointing Lone Star Tangible Assets — USGB’s parent company — to build and operate the Texas Bullion Depository.

It remains the only state‑run precious metals depository in the United States, which bolsters confidence in both the facility and the broader organisation.

USGB is also a recognised Precious Metals Dealer by the State of Texas, the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, and the Department of Public Safety.

The Best Gold IRA Companies in 2025

Before we dive into this review, note that I’ve assessed dozens of precious metals IRA providers over the past two decades and curated the top 5 gold IRA companies for 2025. I strongly suggest reading that guide before initiating any IRA transfer.

My current #1 pick is Augusta Precious Metals, thanks to its A+ Better Business Bureau rating, hundreds of five‑star reviews, and lifetime account support. See my full Augusta Precious Metals review, or head to the official Augusta website for details.

What sets the U.S. Gold Bureau apart?

From my own investing and research into USGB, a few strengths stood out:

Product range

USGB offers a broad catalogue across gold, silver, platinum and palladium, plus select rare coins. Pricing is updated in real time on their site, which made it simple for me to filter options by budget.

Being able to see live pricing on each product page is genuinely useful when you’re building or rebalancing a position.

Gold

USGB currently lists a wide selection of gold coins and bars, including:

Gold coins

• American Eagles, American Buffalos, International Coins, High Reliefs, Commemoratives, First Spouses

Gold bars

• 1 oz
• 1 gram
• 2.5 gram
• 5 gram
• 10 gram

• 20 gram
• 50 gram
• 100 gram
• 10 oz
• Kilo Bars

International gold coins

• Austrian Mint, Royal Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, Perth Mint, South African Mint, Common European Gold, Gold Perth Mint Lunar Series, New Zealand Mint, CIT Coins

Pre‑1933 vintage coins

• Saint‑Gaudens

• Liberty Heads

• Indian Heads

Silver

Like gold, USGB stocks silver issues from the U.S. Mint and leading international mints including the Royal Canadian Mint, The Royal Mint, Perth Mint and Austrian Mint. Current categories include:

Silver coins

• American Eagles, Buffalos, America The Beautiful, St. Helena, Pre‑65 Coins (Morgan, Peace), 90% Coin Bags

Silver rounds

• 1 oz
• 1/2 oz

• 1/4 oz
• 1/10 oz

Silver bars

• Gram Bars, 1 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz

• Kilo Bars (100 oz, 1000 oz)

International silver coins

• Perth Mint
• Royal Canadian Mint
• Austrian Mint, The Royal Mint
• South African Mint

• Perth Mint Lunar Series
• New Zealand Mint
• CIT Coins

Platinum

Investors can also choose from several platinum products:

Platinum coins

• American Eagle

• International

Platinum bars

• 1 oz Bars

• 1 gram Bars

• 10 oz Bars

Palladium

USGB’s palladium range is more limited than its gold and silver line‑up. At the time of writing, available items include:

• 1oz Heraeus Palladium Bar
• 1 oz Palladium Bar (Hallmark Varies)
• 1 oz Palladium PAMP Bar
• 2023 $25 Palladium
• 2022 Palladium American Eagle Reverse Proof 70 Coin
• 2021 Palladium American Eagle Proof 70 Coin

• 2020 Palladium American Eagle MS70 Coin
• 2019 Palladium American Eagle Reverse Proof 70 Coin
• 2018 Palladium American Eagle Proof 70 Coin
• 2017 Palladium American Eagle MS70 coin
• Palladium American Eagle Date Run (2017–2023)

Beyond these, USGB offers rare coins, on‑sale items, gifts, storage boxes and safes, plus accessories such as metal verifiers, goldbacks and testing kits.

IRA investing

Alongside direct purchases, USGB supports precious metals IRAs. While the website leans heavily on retirement education, I found the specifics clearer after speaking with a sales representative.

You can roll a Simple IRA to a precious metals IRA or open a new account. For a new IRA, the minimum investment is US$35,000.

For custody, USGB works with 10 of the top U.S. depositories, with facilities in Delaware, Texas, California, Utah and Nevada. Choosing a nearby vault can make in‑person inspections easier.

Sell to U.S. Gold Bureau

Looking to liquidate? USGB buys precious metals, generally at their published spot price. Create a selling account and follow these steps:

Select your items

After logging in, choose products marked “Sell to Us”. The Payouts Catalogue lets you filter items and view indicative pricing. If your item isn’t listed, contact USGB for a quote.

Where listed, you can sell at the posted spot price. Non‑listed items are priced case‑by‑case by the team.

Pack and ship

Once your identity is verified, USGB provides packing instructions and locks your price. You’ll receive a customised packing slip to print and include with your shipment.

Ship to the provided address via FedEx within 48 hours to secure the locked price.

Get paid

Funds are released shortly after receipt (typically three business days). Payment usually clears within five business days, depending on the method you choose:

• Electronic deposit
• Mailed paper cheque
• Store credit

Note: Typical transaction limits range from US$1,000 to US$75,000. For larger amounts, contact the team for a tailored quote. A US$25 shipping and insurance fee applies on sales, deducted from your proceeds.

How to invest in a precious metals IRA with USGB

From my experience, setting up an IRA through USGB is straightforward:

• Register with your first and last name, email, password and a U.S. phone number.
• Select the account type: standard precious metals account, precious metals IRA, or a selling account.
• For an IRA, fund via a rollover/transfer from an existing account with help from a USGB IRA professional, or fund with cash.
• Choose IRA‑approved products yourself or with guidance from a USGB specialist.
• Arrange secure storage at an IRS‑approved depository supported by USGB with the help of their IRA team.

Once storage is arranged, USGB ships your assets to the selected depository. You can monitor holdings through your USGB account or by visiting the vault.

U.S. Gold Bureau fees

Product pages display live spot‑based pricing.

However, I found limited fee transparency on the website itself. The only clearly stated charge online for sellers was a US$25 shipping and insurance fee, deducted from sale proceeds.

After speaking with a representative, I confirmed the following for IRAs:

• One‑off account setup fee: US$250
• Annual account maintenance fee: US$150

Storage fees also apply and vary by the depository you select.

U.S. Gold Bureau ratings on consumer review sites

Final verdict

USGB impresses with breadth of products, a straightforward selling process and attentive support. That said, the lack of publicly available detail on some fees and processes is a drawback to weigh up.

Also consider customer feedback on sites such as BBB and Trustpilot that mention assertive sales tactics. Balance the positives against these concerns to decide whether USGB fits your needs. If you’re comparing alternatives, see the best gold IRA companies. My #1 alternative is Goldco — you can read my Goldco review here.