Our Dealer Review Methodology
How we review
We grade every gold and silver dealer against the same eight public criteria — longevity, pricing transparency, reputation, buy-back terms, shipping and insurance, fees, authenticity, and sales conduct. Our research is based on publicly available information, not paid placements or first-hand test purchases, and a dealer cannot pay to change its score. Here’s exactly how it works.
“Best gold dealer” lists are usually ranked by who pays the most. Ours aren’t. This is the consistent, disclosed process behind every review and comparison on the site.
What we evaluate
| Criterion | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Longevity | Years in business; track record and ownership stability |
| Pricing transparency | Whether premiums and all-in costs are clear and competitive |
| Reputation | BBB/Trustpilot themes, regulator actions, notable complaints — in general terms |
| Buy-back | Whether a clear, fair buy-back policy is published |
| Shipping & insurance | Discreet, fully insured, signature-required delivery |
| Fees | Account, storage, wire, and card fees, where applicable |
| Authenticity | Sourcing from accredited refiners/mints; counterfeit safeguards |
| Sales conduct | Absence of high-pressure tactics and “rare coin” bait-and-switch |
What our reviews are — and are not
- Based on public information. Company history, published policies, product range, reputation signals, and documented regulatory or news events. We say so plainly.
- Not first-hand test purchases. We don’t claim to have secretly ordered from every dealer or “measured” prices we didn’t. Any figures are directional — verify live on the dealer’s own site.
- Balanced. Every review carries genuine pros, genuine cons, and an explicit “who should skip it.” No reputable dealer is all good or all bad.
How we handle “best” and comparison pages
We present a shortlist with transparent criteria and a comparison table — founded, specialty, minimums, payment, buy-back, reputation — plus clear “best for X / skip if Y” guidance. We do not publish a fake ranked leaderboard implying we tested everyone, and we don’t crown a “#1 winner” for effect.
Cautionary subjects
For companies associated with high-pressure sales or high-markup “rare”/”proof” coins, we stay factual, measured, and hedged — criticizing documented practices, not people, and never stating unverified specifics as fact. We frame concerns around sector-wide patterns such as FTC actions and recurring complaint themes.
Independence
Scores are set against the criteria above before any commercial relationship is considered, and affiliate partnerships never reorder them. Read how we make money and our editorial standards.