FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Simply follow these three steps to buy gold and precious metals with Goldline:

1. Call Goldline at 1-877-376-2646 to speak with an Account Executive (AE) and request our free Investor’s Kit. Ask any questions you may have and review our important risk information.
2. Complete our Account and Storage Agreement and select your first acquisitions.
3. Confirm your selections and form of payment with a Goldline Client Service Representative.

That’s it!

For additional information, view our most popular gold and silver products.

You are acquiring physical gold that can be delivered to you or stored with a third party depository (some restrictions apply).

Most of our clients are not collectors. However, we find that some investors become interested in coin collecting both as a hobby and as an additional means of diversifying their assets. There is an undeniable thrill in owning a coin that may have circulated in Biblical times or was recovered from a Civil War shipwreck. Goldline’s in-house numismatists can assist you with starting or adding to a coin collection.

Refund policies vary from state to state. You can find a complete list of refund policies per state in our Account and Storage Agreement, which you should review before acquiring.

“Ask” refers to a coin or bar’s selling price.

“Bid” refers to a coin or bar’s buyback price.

“Coin Grading” refers to a grading system to describe the condition of a coin. The most commonly used grading system grades coins on a scale from 1-70 with a 1 for coins in poor condition and a 70 for “Mint-State” condition that represents the perfect coin.

“Markup” refers to the amount added a coin or bar’s cost to obtain the selling price.

“Melt Value” refers to the value of a coin or bar based upon the precious metal content multiplied by the spot price of the metal. For example, if a coin contains one ounce of gold and the spot price is $900 per ounce, the melt value of the coin is $900.

“Obverse” refers to the front or "heads" side of a coin.

“Premium” refers to the amount charged above a coin or bar’s melt value.

“Reverse” refers to the back or "tails" side of a coin.

“Spread” refers to the difference between a coin or bar’s “ask” price and its “bid” price. For example, if a coin’s ask price is $1,000 and its bid price is $700, the spread is $300 or 30%. A coin or bar’s spread is different from its markup.

“Spot price” refers to the price paid for a precious metal based upon immediate delivery. Spot prices may be expressed as the “ask” or selling price or the “bid” or buyback price.

Goldline does not comment on specific competitors, their practices or prices. We encourage our clients to conduct their due diligence and believe the following questions are helpful in choosing a precious metals company – especially when considering that investing in precious metals is a long-term venture.

1. How long has the company been in business?
2. Does the company disclose its pricing, refund and delivery policies in writing?
3. Does the company have a personal concierge to assist clients with questions about their purchases?
4. Is the company independently audited by a recognized accountancy firm?
5. Does the company identify its key executives and management on its website?

For more information, call 1-800-827-4653. Goldline Account Executives are available to assist you Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST, excluding major holidays.

Generally, yes. For almost all of our products, Goldline clients have the option of either taking prompt delivery or storing their acquisitions with a third-party storage facility (some restrictions may apply). If you opt to take delivery, your acquisitions will be delivered within 28 days of payment of good funds (unless your state requires a different delivery period). The one exception is stored bullion. See our Account and Storage Agreement for more details.

For most clients, the answer is yes. Some states require clients take delivery of their precious metals. Your Account Executive can provide additional information on whether third-party storage is available for your acquisitions. You should review Goldline’s Account and Storage Agreement for the full terms regarding storage.

Goldline will deliver your order within 28 days of receipt of good funds.

Precious metals are traded throughout the day in different markets. The most active trading occurs in New York, London, Zurich, Tokyo, Sydney and Hong Kong. The prices quoted in our chart reflect the "spot" price of precious metals. The spot price refers to the price paid for immediate delivery. Click to read more.

Goldline has a spread or price difference between our selling price, called the "ask", and our buy-back price, called the "bid". That spread varies depending on coin or bar you acquire.  Spreads on 1 oz bullion coins, 90% silver dimes and quarters, and one ounce and larger bullion bars are 12%. All other coins have a spread of 27%. There is also a 1% liquidation fee when you sell your coins back to Goldline. You should read our risk disclosure booklet, Coin Facts for Investors and Collectors to Consider, and our Account and Storage Agreement, which describe the various spreads and will tell you how the spread works.

We do not offer any tax advice. Your tax advisor should be able to help you with this question.

No. When we send your trade to confirmation, you are entering into a binding trade, subject to any state refund policies which you can find in our Account and Storage Agreement.

The law does not allow us to guarantee a buy-back but, historically, we have repurchased the coins we sold and intend to do so in the future.

You pay a 1% liquidation fee on the bid price of the coin. The bid or buy-back price is lower than Goldline’s sell or ask price. You should read our risk disclosure booklet and Account and Storage Agreement for an explanation of the costs involved in buying and selling coins. Keep in mind that we recommend you hold your precious metals for a minimum of 3-5 years.

Goldline welcomes the opportunity to consider acquiring coins our clients purchased from other companies. There are a variety of factors which Goldline must consider in determining whether to purchase these coins including condition and current demand. Clients should know that Goldline generally offers lower prices for coins that were not originally acquired from Goldline.

No one can say with certainty whether prices will go up or down. Goldline provides a variety of free information regarding the precious metals markets including information here on our website and our syndicated radio show, American Advisor. Please keep in mind that we recommend you hold your precious metals for a minimum of 3-5 years.

We are not able to offer you advice on your other investments. You must independently decide what is right for you. We do recommend that you invest no more than 5%-20% of your investment dollars in precious metals.

Yes. Many Goldline clients choose to include precious metals as part of their retirement planning. It’s an easy three-step process to open your precious metals IRA. You can start by downloading and reviewing the appropriate IRA account forms.

All precious metals should be considered a long-term investment. While market conditions may dictate longer or shorter holding periods, we recommend that our clients hold precious metals for a minimum of 3-5 years, preferably 5-10 years, to maximize their profit potential.

We recommend investing no more than 5%-20% of your investment dollars in precious metals. Other individuals and institutions may recommend different percentages. You must choose what is right for you based upon individual circumstances.

Prices for coins such as the Swiss 20 Franc, British Sovereign and the French Rooster generally follow the spot price of gold. When gold goes up, these coins go up and when gold goes down, these prices go down. However, there may be a premium for these coins based upon demand as numismatic or semi-numismatic items.

All investments have risk, including gold and silver. Markets go up and down and any investment can lose money. You should read our risk disclosure booklet and our Account and Storage Agreement for a complete explanation of the risks involved and conduct your own due diligence.

Physical damage to a coin may affect its value depending on whether it carries a premium above its metal value. Toning (sometimes described as tarnish) generally does not affect a coin’s value and, in some instances, may be perceived as an added value to collectors.

A coin’s spread is different from its mark-up. Your coin has to appreciate more than 27% to overcome the spread. Stated another way, the bid or buy-back price for your coin must equal or exceed your purchase price for you to overcome the spread. We have a mathematical example of how the spread works in our risk disclosure booklet Coin Facts for Investors to Consider, which you should read.

Goldline only requires your social security number for purchases (including related transactions) in excess of $10,000 which are paid with cash or a cash equivalent (e.g., cashier’s check) as part of its IRS Form 8300 reporting requirements.

Most, but not all, bullion bars and coins require the seller to provide a SSN and other personal information when you sell above certain minimums.

Goldline generally classifies the types of coins and bars you may acquire from us in three categories: bullion, semi-numismatic and numismatics products.

Bullion may come in bar or coin form. Its value is principally based upon its precious metal content plus the cost of fabrication. The value of a bullion bar or coin rises and falls with the spot price of the precious metal. Currently, most bullion products above certain minimums require a SSN upon liquidation. Examples of bullion coins are the South African Krugerrand, the Canadian Maple Leaf, and the American Eagle.

Semi-numismatics are coins containing precious metals that generally move up and down with the spot price of the precious metals but also contain additional value above their precious metal content. There is a premium for these coins based upon such factors as demand. Semi-numismatic products currently do not require a SSN upon liquidation. Additionally, these coins are potentially exempt from future confiscation if the government follows the precedent set by President Roosevelt’s 1933 Executive Order. The 1933 Executive Order, which barred private ownership of gold until its rescission in 1974, allowed Americans to continue to own gold coins which had special value to collectors. Examples of semi-numismatic coins include the Swiss 20 Franc, French 20 Franc, the British Sovereign, the Peace and Morgan silver dollars, and the Walking Liberty and Franklin silver half dollars.

Numismatics refer to coins whose value is principally based upon such factors as condition, grade, scarcity and demand, rather than their precious metals content. Numismatic products currently do not require a SSN upon liquidation. Additionally, these coins are potentially exempt from future confiscation if the government follows the precedent set by President Roosevelt’s 1933 Executive Order because of their special value to collectors. Many coins graded by the two largest grading services, Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) are considered numismatic coins. Proof coins are also considered numismatic coins.

No one can guarantee a coin is exempt from confiscation. If the government were to confiscate gold as it did in 1933, gold coins with a “recognized special value to collectors of rare and unusual coins” would be exempt. When private gold ownership was prohibited between 1933 and 1974, coins that were ultimately exempt from confiscation included American gold coins minted prior to 1933 and European gold coins minted prior to 1960 including the Swiss 20 Franc, British Sovereign and the French Rooster.

Goldline may monitor or record a telephone call for purposes of training and compliance with our policies and applicable law.