SD Bullion Review

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SD Bullion is one of the biggest names in the world of precious metal investment. However, the truth is that, as companies grow big, they also tend to develop some flaws. So, is that the case here? We unpeeled every layer of information that we could find about SD Bullion and compiled this detailed review.

But let’s face it, no company is perfect. So, unlike other reviews available out there, we were keen to examine both the positive and negative aspects of this Gold IRA firm.

More About SD Bullion – A Quick Overview

Founded in 2011 in Michigan, USA, SD Bullion offers direct sales of precious metals as well as self-directed IRA services. The company is relatively popular and has previously been ranked among the top 500 fastest growing companies in USA by Inc.

The company also provides depository services and as different SD Bullion testimonials suggest, this is one of the most reliable storage services available out there right now.

On the flip side, though, the company is no stranger to controversy. For instance, the 2021 SD Bullion lawsuit is something that has gotten people talking. The company also seems to face systemic customer issues – but more on those later. Let's begin with the good stuff.

Who Owns SD Bullion?

Tyler Wall is the CEO and Founder of SD Bullion.  A former pharmacist with a decorated career, Tyler formally dipped his feet in this industry in 2011. In so doing, he created one of the biggest brands associated with the sale of gold, silver, and platinum.

He lists Mark Cuban as his source of inspiration and comes across as a humble entrepreneur who one would easily mistake for an underdog in this realm.

Products & Services

SD Bullion provides a wide range of services in this niche. The company operates in line with the guidelines of the IRS. Besides that, the company runs a thriving buy-back program effectively providing a ready market for its clients. Here's a breakdown of some of the services they have on retail.

Gold Coins

The company is home to a full line of gold coins from different major mints of the world. For instance, they have the American Gold Eagle which is minted by the United States Mint, Canadian Maples from the Royal Canadian Mint, and The Gold Krugerrand from the South African mint among others.

Some like the American Gold Eagle and the Canadian Maples are eligible for Gold IRA. Others such as the South African Gold Krugerrand aren’t.

Gold Bars

Looking for a flat bar made from .999 pure gold? This company has a bunch of those and they range from 1 troy ounce to 32 troy ounces. They have some from the Istanbul Gold Refinery (IGR), the Swiss PAMP, as well as the Valcambi refinery.

Worth noting, however, is that some of these bars are not accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. So, it's important to make this confirmation before you spend your money on any of the SD Bullion gold bars on sale.

Silver Coins

You can hardly ever go wrong with silver coins. This is because they are usually government minted and, therefore, it is nearly impossible to find counterfeit coins. And the best part if you source your coins from SD Bullion, you’ll get ones that are produced by well-known mints such as the US Mint, Canadian Mint, and the Perth Mint.

Some examples of silver coins on sale on the platform include:

• The Silver Eagle Coins
• Canadian Maple Leaf
• Kangaroo Silver Coins (Australia)
• Koala Silver Coins (Australia)
• Chinese Silver Panda Coins

It is, however, worth noting that not all silver coins are eligible for IRA accounts. The eligible ones are mostly from the US Mint and the Canadian Mint. But if you’re buying for your other investment needs, other coins can still get the job done seeing as they are sourced from legitimate government mints.

Silver Bars

Whether you’re looking for generic bars or ones made by renowned mints such as Valcambi, PAMP, or the Royal Canadian Mint, SD Bullion has got something for you. Quantities vary from 1 oz silver bars to as high as 100z bars. If you prefer to work with the metric system, kilo bars are also available.

Some of the bars have certificates of authenticity while others don’t. However, this company constantly assures its clients that it does not deal with fake silver.

Silver Rounds

Although silver rounds look almost like silver coins, the two are entirely different. Coins are legal tender meaning that they have a monetary value attached to them. Rounds, on the other hand, are not legal tender – meaning they are also typically made by non-sovereign mints (private manufacturers).

That’s, however, not to say that silver rounds are any less important for investors. They do hold a lot of value provided they are legit – and that’s where the services of SD Bullion come in.

Their rounds are sourced from top-notch mints such as the Intalgio Mint, Golden State Mint, and Sunshine Mint among others.

Junk Silver Coins (90%)

Simply put, junk silver coins are silver coins made before 1965. They earned that name owing to the fact that they have virtually no collectible value even though they do contain silver. So, they are indeed valuable especially if you buy a bag full of them.

The company’s junk coin quantities vary from $5 face rolls to $100 face bags. All which can closely track the real market value of silver in the long-haul.

Platinum Coins

The future of platinum is bright especially considering its growing industrial use. What’s more, it’s always a good idea to diversify your investment portfolio – and just to be on the safe side with precious metals, it’s wise to think beyond gold and silver.

With SD Bullion you enjoy a wide selection of platinum coins all produced by reputable mints e.g., the US Mint, Perth Mint, and the Royal Canadian Mint.

Platinum Bars

This seller mainly sells platinum bars minted at the reputable Pamp Suisse factory. And as you’d expect, bars from this mint are always accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. The quantities vary from 1Oz to 10Oz with each piece encased in a Certicard that comes complete with the details you may need to confirm the authenticity of the product.

Platinum bars are also available from the Valcambi Suisse.

IRA Services

You could transform your future with a precious metal IRA. But for that to happen, you’re better off working with an IRA custodian who can help you with everything from the paperwork to the rollover.

Luckily, different reviews posted about SD Bullion suggest that this company is pretty good at this. They not only help you set up a self-directed bullion IRA account but also educate you on the dos and don’ts of this process.

Best of all, they do sell IRA-grade precious metals and directly work with accredited depositories.

Storage Services

How you store your precious metals matters a lot. If you are buying them as part of your IRA, you have to work with a government-approved depository. You are not allowed to buy and keep IRA precious metals at home.

At the same time, you want to ensure that whichever depository you work with provides insurance and is affordable.

The SD Bullion depository service is backed by insurance from the respected Lloyd’s of London. And above all, their services are quite affordable for small-scale investors (though punitive for large-scale investors).

How Much Do SD Bullion Products & Services Cost? The Fees

One great thing about this company is that they do not have a minimum investment capital requirement. You can buy as much gold/silver as you like and even opt to have it shipped home so you store it yourself in your home safe.

They do provide free shipping for all US domestic orders greater than $199. Otherwise, there’s a fixed shipping fee of $9.95.

Should you opt to store your precious metal at their depository you’ll be charged an annual rate of 0.39 percent for silver and 0.29 percent for gold and platinum. A minimum storage charge of $9.99 however applies.

Be wary though, each time you cancel an order, this company will issue you with a cancellation fee of 5% of the total order value.

Benefits of Buying/Storing with This IRA Company

What are some of the good reasons to work with this company? In our view, the following are some of the good attributes of this vendor.

No Minimum Capital

You can buy precious metal bars that are as tiny as 1oz from this retailer. Therefore, you can get started even with $50 or even less. Of course, this is a huge benefit to those who would like to start small or those simply buying gold for collection purposes.

Most other precious metal sellers have got punitive measures in place meant to lock out small-scale investors e.g. the imposition of minimum investment capital limits typically $5,000 and above.

Fully Segregated Storage

There are three ways to store precious metals. You can either keep them at your safe at home, in a shared storage facility or in fully segregated storage.

Home storage might be a good option to go for if you’re storing just a few bars, coins and collectibles, however, it can be risky for storing large quantities of the same.

Shared storage is great and affordable but unfortunately, it comes with the risk of having your metals mixed up with those of other investors.

With SD Bullion, you get fully segregated storage meaning that your metals are kept separately. This way, you can safeguard the integrity of your investment in the long-run. What’s more, your precious metals are fully insured.

Transparency

When it comes to investing, the last thing you want to deal with is lack of transparency. Unfortunately, there are way too many companies out there that charge hidden fees to unsuspecting clients.

To the best of our knowledge, though, SD Bullion does not fall in that category. They share information about their fees in advance laying them bare for all to see.

Free Domestic Shipping

Yup, this company has a free domestic shipping policy for all orders exceeding $199. Unfortunately, they don’t have free international shipping.

All shipments are insured and the insurance cover only lapses once you sign on the document to confirm that you have received it.

Free shipping is a good way to cut cost and ensure that you get optimal returns from your investments.

Accepts Wide Variety of Payment/Funding Sources

Whether you want to pay via Bank Wire transfer or via Credit Card, Cryptocurrency, or even PayPal, this company has got that taken care of. We think this is a really good thing especially for the global market which may not have wide access to financial services as much as we do.

The Downsides of Using SD Bullion Services

As much as this is generally a great precious metal company, we’d be hesitant to recommend it to our audience due to the following major reasons.

Aggressive Cancellation Policy

If you happen to cancel your order for any reason, this company will charge you a 5% cancellation fee. That can be a lot of money especially if you’ve invested more than $5,000.

No Certificates of Authenticity for Some of Their Metals

The company says that it only sources its products from legit vendors and mints around the world. However, some of their products lack certificates of authenticity and serial numbers and there’s no way to confirm whether they’re fake or original.

Their 2-Day Shipping Is a Scam

If you want your precious metals shipped fast, you might be tempted to use their 2-day premium shipping – but beware, it’s not as good as it sounds. The company normally takes 3-days to process orders and 2-days to ship them. So, in other words, the 2-day shipping policy ends up being a 5-days raw deal.