IRA-Approved Precious Metals
Not all gold, silver, platinum, or palladium qualifies for an IRA. The IRS sets strict purity standards and approved product lists. Use this reference to verify which metals are eligible before investing.
⚡ TLDR: Quick Summary
- Gold: Must be 99.5% pure; Silver: 99.9% pure; Platinum & Palladium: 99.95% pure
- Approved coins: American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, Austrian Philharmonics, Australian Kangaroos, and others meeting purity standards
- Not allowed: Rare/collectible coins, pre-2013 Britannia, Krugerrands, and coins below minimum purity
- Producer requirement: Metals must be from NYMEX, COMEX, or government mint-approved refiners
Minimum Purity Requirements
To qualify as IRA-allowable, precious metals must meet the following minimum fineness standards set by the IRS.
Gold
99.5% pure (0.995 fineness)
Silver
99.9% pure (0.999 fineness)
Platinum
99.95% pure (0.9995 fineness)
Palladium
99.95% pure (0.9995 fineness)
General Eligibility Requirements
All IRA-approved precious metals must also meet these standards:
Accredited Producer
Bars, rounds, and coins must be produced by a refiner, assayer, or manufacturer accredited/certified by NYMEX, COMEX, NYSE/Liffe, LME, LBMA, LPPM, TOCOM, ISO 9000, or a national government mint. Products must carry the producer's mint mark.
Proof Coins
Must be encapsulated in complete, original mint packaging, in excellent condition, and include the certificate of authenticity.
Small Bullion Bars
Other than 400-oz gold, 100-oz gold, 1,000-oz silver, 50-oz platinum, and 100-oz palladium bars — must be manufactured to exact weight specifications.
Non-Proof (Bullion) Coins
Must be in brilliant uncirculated condition and free from damage.
Approved Metals by Type
The following coins and bars are accepted for IRA investment, subject to the purity and condition requirements above.
- American Eagle bullion and/or proof coins
- Australian Kangaroo/Nugget bullion coins
- Australian Lunar Series coins
- Austrian Philharmonic bullion coins
- British Britannia (2013 and newer)
- Canadian Maple Leaf coins
- Chinese Panda coins
- Credit Suisse – PAMP Suisse bars
- U.S. Buffalo bullion coins
- Other products meeting minimum fineness requirements
- American Eagle bullion and/or proof coins
- America the Beautiful coins
- Australian Kookaburra coins
- Austrian Vienna Philharmonic coins
- British Britannia (2013 and newer)
- Canadian Maple Leaf coins
- Chinese Panda coins
- Mexican Libertad bullion coins
- Other products meeting minimum fineness requirements
- American Eagle bullion and/or proof coins
- Australian Koala bullion coins
- Canadian Maple Leaf bullion coins
- Isle of Man Noble bullion coins
- Other products meeting minimum fineness requirements
- Canadian Maple Leaf coins
- Other products meeting minimum fineness requirements
Unacceptable Precious Metals
The following coins and collectibles do not qualify for IRA investment regardless of their precious metal content.
Holding any of these in an IRA may result in a taxable distribution and potential penalties.
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 expanded IRA precious metal holdings beyond American Eagle coins to include IRS-permitted gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion and coins — including one, one-half, one-quarter, or one-tenth ounce U.S. gold coins and one-ounce silver coins minted by the U.S. Treasury, along with certain foreign coins meeting fineness requirements.
Purity requirements and approved product lists are based on IRS Publication 590-A and industry custodian guidelines. IRS Publication 590-A
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about IRA-approved precious metals.
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