Sources & Citations
Our sources
The facts on USBuyGold come from primary and reputable sources: IRS publications for tax and reporting rules, mint and refiner specifications for product details, the LBMA for wholesale standards, regulator actions for consumer-protection matters, and established market data for prices and history. Where figures are illustrative rather than from a specific rule, we say so.
We’d rather point you to the authority than ask you to take our word for it. This page lists the kinds of sources behind our content and how we use them.
Primary sources we rely on
- Tax & reporting: US Internal Revenue Service publications and forms (e.g., the collectibles capital-gains treatment, Form 8300, Form 1099-B). See gold & silver taxes.
- Product specifications: Official mint and refiner data (US Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, Perth Mint, The Royal Mint, PAMP, Valcambi, Argor-Heraeus) for purity, weight, and dimensions.
- Wholesale standards: The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) for Good Delivery standards and benchmark pricing context.
- Consumer protection: Federal Trade Commission and state regulator actions, and Better Business Bureau / Trustpilot complaint themes, discussed in general terms.
- Market data & history: Established financial data providers and long-run historical series for prices, returns, and the gold-silver ratio.
How we use figures
Premiums, returns, fees, and ratios change constantly and vary by dealer, product, and date. Unless a number is tied to a specific published rule, we present it as directional and illustrative — useful for understanding scale and trade-offs, not a quote you can transact on. Charts labeled “illustrative” use representative figures to show a shape or relationship, not exact data.
What we don’t do
We don’t fabricate precise statistics, invent citations, or dress up a dealer’s marketing as independent fact. When we can’t verify a claim, we hedge it or leave it out.
Verify before you transact
For anything price- or rule-sensitive — current spot, a dealer’s fees, your specific tax situation — confirm at the source: the dealer’s own site, the current LBMA or market quote, IRS guidance, and a CPA or fee-only advisor. Our job is to explain how it works; the live numbers are yours to check.