Where prices stand
Approximate spot prices per troy ounce on October 19, 2026:
| Metal | Spot price | Minimum IRA purity |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | ~$4,160 | 99.5% |
| Silver | ~$57.50 | 99.9% |
| Platinum | ~$1,645 | 99.95% |
| Palladium | ~$1,130 | 99.95% |
Prices move every trading day. Check a live quote before you buy.
What moves each metal
Gold
Most gold demand comes from investors, central banks and jewelry rather than industry. That's why it tends to respond to interest rates, inflation, the dollar and fear in markets. It's the metal people buy when they want something that holds value through a crisis.
Silver
Silver is both an investment and an industrial input, used in electronics, solar panels and medical products. It usually swings harder than gold in both directions, and it's far cheaper per ounce, so it takes up more vault space per dollar.
Platinum
Platinum's biggest uses are catalytic converters, especially for diesel engines, plus jewelry and chemical processing. Supply is concentrated in a handful of countries, which can make prices jumpy.
Palladium
Palladium is used mainly in gasoline-engine catalytic converters. Its price depends heavily on car production and the shift to electric vehicles, which makes it the most speculative of the four.
The IRS rules on what qualifies
Federal tax law treats most collectibles inside an IRA as a taxable distribution. Bullion is carved out of that rule as long as it meets the fineness standards in the table above and is held by the IRA trustee. In practice that means:
- Allowed: bars and rounds from approved refiners at the required purity, and government bullion coins such as the American Buffalo, Canadian Maple Leaf, and silver, platinum and palladium Eagles.
- The exception: the American Gold Eagle is permitted even though it's 91.67% gold, because the law names it specifically.
- Not allowed: rare or graded collector coins, pre-1933 US gold coins, foreign coins below purity, and jewelry.
The free gold IRA kit from our recommended provider lists the IRA-eligible gold and silver products and explains storage and fees. Best fit if you have $50,000 or more to diversify.
Request the Free KitSpot price versus what you actually pay
The spot price is the wholesale price for large trades. Every coin or bar you buy carries a premium on top, covering minting, distribution and the dealer's margin. Premiums are lowest on large bars and highest on small, ornate or limited-edition coins. When you sell, dealers usually pay close to spot, so a high premium is money you may not get back.
A practical test: ask the dealer what they'd pay you to buy the same product back the same day. The gap between that number and your purchase price is your real cost of entry.
Should you mix metals?
Many investors keep gold as the core of a metals allocation and add a smaller share of silver for its higher upside and lower price per ounce. Platinum and palladium are more specialized bets on industrial demand. There's no single right mix; it comes down to how much volatility you can live with and why you're buying metal in the first place.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put rhodium or copper in an IRA?
No. Only gold, silver, platinum and palladium meeting the purity rules qualify.
Are proof coins allowed?
Some proof versions of eligible government coins are allowed if they're in original mint packaging and meet the rules, but they carry much higher premiums. Ask whether you're paying for metal or for packaging.
Which metal is safest?
Gold has historically been the least volatile of the four, but no metal is risk-free. All of them can fall in price.