Expanding your precious metals IRA beyond gold requires navigating specific purity benchmarks (0.999 silver, 0.9995 platinum) and segregated depository storage.
While gold often garners the headline attention in precious metals IRAs, silver, platinum, and palladium offer distinctive industrial and monetary characteristics that can enhance tangible asset diversification in retirement.
1. IRS Fineness and Coin Eligibility
Under IRC Section 408(m), silver must meet a minimum purity of 0.999 fine, and platinum and palladium must achieve 0.9995 purity. Eligible coins include American Silver Eagles, Canadian Silver Maple Leafs, and bars manufactured by NYMEX or COMEX-approved refiners. Collectible coins, numismatic rarities, and pre-1965 90% silver coins are strictly prohibited.
2. Allocated vs. Segregated Storage
Depositories offer either commingled (allocated) or segregated storage. With segregated storage, your exact physical bars and coins are kept in an individualized locked vault compartment, separate from other institutional deposits, providing maximum audit clarity.
Disclaimer: Factor annual storage and insurance fees into long-term metal holding costs.