What Is Augusta Precious Metals?

Augusta Precious Metals is a precious metals dealer founded in 2012 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. They specialize in helping Americans add physical gold and silver to their retirement accounts through self-directed IRAs.

Augusta is not a bank. Augusta is not a custodian. Augusta is not a storage facility. Understanding this distinction matters because several different companies play specific roles in a gold IRA.

Augusta maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Customer reviews show 4.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. These ratings are verifiable through the respective platforms.

The company focuses exclusively on gold and silver products. No platinum. No palladium. No collectible or numismatic coins.

How the Gold IRA Process Works

A gold IRA involves three separate entities working together. Each has a distinct function. The interactive diagram below shows exactly how your rollover flows from your existing account to physical gold in a vault.

Augusta describes their role this way: they handle 95% of the paperwork with you and serve as your liaison to the custodian, storage facility, and other departments throughout the entire life of your account.

What Augusta Precious Metals Offers

Augusta helps convert existing retirement accounts into physical precious metals. Real gold. Real silver. Stored in IRS-approved depositories. Titled in your name.

The IRS requires specific purity standards for metals held in retirement accounts:

• Gold must be 99.5% pure minimum
• Silver requires 99.9% purity

For your portfolio: If a coin or bar does not meet these purity standards, it cannot go into your IRA. Augusta only sells metals that qualify.

Products available include:

• American Gold Eagles
• Canadian Gold Maple Leafs
• Australian Gold Kangaroos
• Gold bars meeting IRS specifications
• Silver coins and bars meeting purity requirements

Direct Purchases Outside IRAs

Augusta offers two ways to buy precious metals. The first is through a self-directed IRA, which is what most of this review covers. The second is a direct purchase, which is completely separate from any retirement account.

What is a direct purchase? You buy gold or silver with funds that are not part of any IRA, 401(k), or other retirement account. This is simply purchasing metal the way you might buy any other asset.

How it works:

• You pay Augusta directly (not through a custodian)
• Augusta ships the metal to you fully insured
• You choose home delivery or arrange separate storage
• You take physical possession of the metal
• No custodian or depository is involved unless you arrange private storage

Key difference from IRA purchases: With a direct purchase, there are no IRS rules about purity standards, approved depositories, or prohibited transactions. The metal is yours to hold, store, or sell as you choose. However, direct purchases do not receive the same treatment that IRA purchases receive under IRS rules.

The practical takeaway: IRA purchase means your gold stays in a vault under IRS rules. Direct purchase means gold in your hand with no IRS restrictions attached.

If you are interested in direct purchases rather than an IRA, ask Augusta about their cash purchase options during your consultation.

The Augusta Precious Metals Account Setup Process

The $50,000 Minimum

Augusta requires a $50,000 minimum investment. This threshold supports their personalized service model where each client receives a dedicated specialist.

With this minimum, you receive a dedicated specialist. One person manages your account. They know your situation. They answer when you call. Augusta provides lifetime account support.

If you have less than $50,000 available, Augusta cannot serve you. Other gold IRA companies accept smaller minimums. Compare options in our best gold IRA companies guide.

Self-Directed IRA Structure

A self-directed IRA permits alternative assets beyond what traditional IRAs typically hold. Physical precious metals qualify under IRS rules.

Augusta partners with Equity Trust as their primary custodian. Equity Trust is a leading self-directed IRA provider with over $25 billion in managed assets. You can verify their credentials independently.

How this benefits preppers: A self-directed IRA lets you hold tangible assets instead of just paper holdings. Same IRS structure, different asset class.

What Is a Rollover? (Plain English Explanation)

A rollover is simply moving money from one retirement account to another. Here is how it works:

Where the money comes from: You already have retirement savings somewhere. Maybe it is a 401(k) from a previous employer. Maybe it is an existing IRA at a brokerage. Maybe it is a TSP account from federal service. This is the account you are moving money FROM.

Where the money goes: The money moves into a new self-directed IRA that can hold physical gold. This is the account you are moving money TO.

Why it is called a “rollover”: The money “rolls” from one qualified retirement account to another qualified retirement account. When done correctly, your retirement savings stay in a qualified account. No distribution. No penalties.

Direct vs. Indirect Rollover

Two methods exist for moving retirement funds. The difference matters because one method has timing requirements.

Direct rollover (also called trustee-to-trustee transfer):

• You tell your current retirement account provider to send funds directly to your new custodian
• The check is made out to the new custodian, not to you
• Money moves from institution to institution without you touching it
• No distribution occurs because you never had access to the funds

Indirect rollover (also called 60-day rollover):

• Your current retirement account provider sends a check made out to YOU
• You deposit the check into your personal bank account
• You now have 60 calendar days to deposit those funds into your new retirement account
• If you miss the 60-day window, the IRS treats the money as a distribution from your retirement account, which may result in taxes owed

Which method does Augusta use? Augusta coordinates direct rollovers. The money moves from your current account directly to Equity Trust (the custodian). You do not have to track deadlines or handle the funds yourself.

For a detailed walkthrough, see our guide: How to Roll Over Your 401(k) Into a Gold IRA.

Metal Selection and Storage

After funds arrive at the custodian, you work with Augusta’s order desk. The order desk shows you current pricing and explains product options.

Customer reviews consistently mention Augusta’s no-pressure approach during this phase. You have time to review options and ask questions before making decisions.

Once you select your metals, they ship to an IRS-approved depository. These are secure facilities with proper insurance coverage. Your metals remain titled in your name and can be verified through your custodian statements.

Augusta Precious Metals Fee Structure

Understanding fees before you commit is essential. Here is a breakdown of the types of fees involved in a gold IRA and how Augusta handles each one.

Types of Fees in a Gold IRA

Gold IRAs involve several parties, and each may charge fees for their services. Here is what each fee covers:

Setup Fee: A one-time charge to open your account and complete initial paperwork. Augusta advertises zero setup fees for the first 10 years.

Custodial Fee: An annual charge from the custodian (Equity Trust, in Augusta’s case) for maintaining your IRA records, providing statements, and handling IRS reporting. This is paid to the custodian, not to Augusta.

Storage Fee: An annual charge from the depository (such as Delaware Depository) for physically storing and insuring your metals in their vault. This is paid to the depository, not to Augusta.

Premium Over Spot: When you buy physical gold or silver, you pay more than the “spot price.” Spot price is the current market price quoted on commodity exchanges. The premium covers minting, shipping, handling, insurance, and dealer operations. Every precious metals dealer charges premiums. This is standard across the industry.

Wire Transfer Fee: A small fee (typically $25-$30) charged when funds are wired between institutions. Not all transactions require wires.

How Augusta Handles Fees

• Setup fees: $0 for the first 10 years (per Augusta’s published materials)
• Annual custodial and storage fees: Vary depending on which depository you select. Augusta discloses exact amounts before you commit.
• Premiums: Augusta shows you the premium before purchase. You see total cost compared to current spot prices. No surprise invoicing afterward.

Translation: You pay for the service of having someone else handle the mining, minting, shipping, insuring, storing, and IRS compliance. Augusta shows you exactly what each part costs before you agree to anything.

Getting Exact Numbers

For specific fee amounts and current premiums, speak directly with an Augusta representative. They provide exact figures during the consultation process.

Request Augusta’s free gold IRA guide to start the conversation.

Augusta Precious Metals Limitations to Understand

Augusta has tradeoffs worth understanding before you decide.

Liquidity Takes Time

Physical gold requires coordination to sell. You contact Augusta or the custodian, arrange the transaction, process paperwork, and wait for settlement.

Augusta’s FAQ notes that most precious metals sales complete within a few business days, though timing varies based on market conditions and transaction size.

What it means for you: Physical gold is not like selling stocks with a button click. Plan for a few days when you need to liquidate.

No Passive Income

Gold pays no dividends. It generates no interest. The metal sits in a vault. This is a fundamental characteristic of physical precious metals.

Investment Risk

As Augusta states in their disclosures: “Investment in precious metals involves risk and is not suitable for all investors. Any investment in precious metals is speculative and could result in significant financial losses. Past performance does not guarantee future results.”

Buyback Program

Augusta offers to buy back metals at market price when you decide to sell.

Important note from Augusta’s FAQ: They “cannot legally guarantee” they will purchase metals you own. However, their buyback program is part of how they support clients throughout the account lifecycle. For specific buyback terms, ask an Augusta representative directly.

Augusta Precious Metals at a Glance

Who Augusta Precious Metals Serves

Augusta may fit people who:

• Have $50,000 or more in rollover-eligible retirement accounts
• Want physical metal in their retirement holdings
• Value education and transparent communication
• Need administrative support for IRS compliance
• Understand the liquidity characteristics of physical metals

Augusta may not fit people who:

• Have under $50,000 available
• Want platinum, palladium, or collectible coins
• Prefer managing custodian relationships directly
• Need instant liquidity access

Next Steps

If this Augusta Precious Metals review has helped clarify how they operate:

1. Schedule a consultation with an Augusta specialist. Bring specific questions about fees, storage options, and the process timeline. The consultation costs nothing.
2. Compare Augusta with other companies. See our Augusta comparison page for a side-by-side analysis.
3. Take your time. Understand all costs involved. Verify the structure fits your situation.

If you are still researching whether gold IRAs make sense for your situation, start here: What Is a Gold IRA?