Birch Gold Group Pros and Cons

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Birch Gold Group Pros and Cons were founded initially in 2003. Over time, they have become a leading dealer of precious metals out of Burbank, California. Even though the company's primary focus is on the retirement market, they serve more.

They field direct sales of metals to customers across the nation.  People who want to add precious metals to their IRA are likely familiar with this name. Birch will help you purchase and store gold, silver, platinum, and palladium in an IRA.

If you want to add it to a 401(K), that is possible and not hard.  Tons of new gold dealers crop up every week.

Why would an investor want to work with a company with two decades of experience in the industry?

Keep reading to find out.

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Birch Gold Group's Reputation


birch gold group homepage

Birch Gold Group's headquarters are in Burbank, California. The company markets its products and services to individuals in all 50 states. They have been featured on Bannon's War Room and Ron Paul's Liberty Report.

The Ben Shapiro Show has even given the brand a shout-out at one point.  If you take a look at the reviews online, Birch Group's website is almost at five stars. On their website, they link out to third-party reviewers, and the response is unanimous.

Everyone seems to love Birch Gold Group and gives them perfect reviews online.  Since Birch has been around for so many years, it is not uncommon for them to have someone negative reviews. The Better Business Bureau gave the company an A+ rating. 

They logged 72 customer reviews, and the score averaged 4.72 out of 5. However, there have been 11 complaints in the past three years, but Birch is responsive to them. 

The Business Consumer Alliance gave Birch Gold Group an AAA rating, which is as good as they give. On the contrary, there were two complaints in the previous three years. Birch was fast in responding to both of them, though. 

Google Reviews has a repository of 220 Birch Gold Group reviews stored. They found an average rating of 4.8 out of 5. Trustpilot had half the reviews at 125, but they had a higher average at 4.9 out of 5.

Trustlink also has 129 reviews for the company, with an average of a perfect 5-star rating. Yelp came in at the lowest with a 4 out of 5, but they only had four reviews on record.

Birch Gold IRA Fees


If you are reading a review about Birch Gold Group, you probably know about IRAs. You can open up an IRA and rollover funds from an existing account to fund it. Nonetheless, you should understand the fees associated with opening a self-directed account.

Setting Up a Precious Metals IRA


You can work with Birch Gold Group or a competitor, and the process will be the same. First, you need to set up an IRA custodian to watch over the account. 

Typically, your 401(k) lets you invest in many different asset types. You might be able to choose from index funds, bonds, or ETFs. The rules prohibit you from investing in precious physical metals, though. 

To invest in physical precious metals, you need to open a precious metal IRA. The process is relatively straightforward. You have to set up the initial account like you would a normal account.

Then, you must select a custodian company to provide oversight.  You can choose a provider of your liking, or you can work with one referred by Birch. They have a list of preferred providers, like Equity Trust Company

If you decided to work with Equity Trust Company, you would be working with a company with a 45-year history. When you first set up the account, you would pay a $50 fee, and then you need to pay an $80 annual fee.

Each time you wire money into or out of the account, they charge you an additional $30. Birch Gold Group waives the setup, wire, and maintenance fees on all new accounts over $50,000.

If your account is at least this size, you do not pay any fees for the first year you are with them.

Gold IRA Depository


Once you purchase gold for your IRA, you may not store it at home.  Custodians must have control of your retirement funds, and you cannot be in control of them. If you are the controlling party of the asset, it could be considered a distribution. 

To store gold or precious metals in an IRA, they must be stored at an approved facility.  Investors are welcome to choose a facility of their choice. However, Birch Gold Group has a selection of preferred partners.

The Delaware Depository Service Company has great ratings for a storage company. Plus, they offer segregated and non-segregated vault storage. 

Brinks is where many investors put their bullion, jewelry, and coinage. Since the company has many storage facilities, they are popular.

The International Depository Service is a trusted depository. They have worked closely with Birch for several years, and there have been no issues. 

These three locations are private non-bank storage facilities. Even though the metals are not in your possession, they are safely stored. The facilities also keep them out of the Wall Street casinos and banking system.

What Kind of Products Does Birch Gold Group Offer?


three gold coins and a gold bar

Gold

  • American Buffalo

The face value of this coin is only $50, but it can be worth in the thousands. This 24-karat bullion coin was introduced to curb overseas imports.

It features a native American on the obverse and a buffalo on the reverse. If you bought it, it contains 0.9999 fine gold.

  • American Gold Eagle

Originally released in 1986, the American Gold Eagle Coin is world-renowned. At 91% gold, there is plenty of metal in them to make them worthwhile. Plus, you could get them in denominations of 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, or 1 oz.

They feature the creation of artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens on the front side. When Reagan signed the 1985 Gold Bullion Act, they required these be made from US gold.

  • 2021 Australian 1/4 oz Gold Florin

Australia's Perth mint has released a version of its timeless masterpiece, the florin. When the British Empire was at its peak, Florins were on six continents. They are still a popular investment item, retaining their value well.

  • Canadian Gold Maple Leaf

The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf was first conceived in 1978. When it was struck for the first time in 1979, it was a breakthrough in coinage.

It contained some of the highest-purity gold on the open market. Developer Walter Ott first issued it in troy-ounce form from 1979 to 1982.

  • Gold Bars and Rounds

Gold bars and rounds represent some of the simplest ways to store gold. A typical bar has no legal tender status and contains 0.995 purity gold.

If you want a gold bar, they are available in different size standards. You can find 100 grams, 50 grams, 20 grams, and 10 grams.

  • Gold Gyrfalcon

Gyrfalcons have been prized as hunting companions since time immemorial. They have close associations with falconry, nobility, and royalty.

These coins were minted in Canada, so they are subject to the Royal Canadian Mint. On the front side of the coin, you see a falcon in midflight, flapping his wings powerfully.

  • Gold Indian Head Eagle

President Theodore Roosevelt asked artists to make models for several coins in 1904. He finally got an artist to agree excitedly in 1905, and a new design was chosen in 1907.

On one side of it, there is a native chieftain wearing his ceremonial headdress. On the other side, a powerful eagle is sitting peacefully.

  • Gold Polar Bear and Cub

The Royal Canadian Mint has minted this coin, and it features a polar bear family on it. These animals can weigh up to 800 kilograms in the wild, so that is a lot to put on the coin.

The coin's edge is serrated, and it has a bullion finish. Considering the coin's actual worth, a $10 face value should not dissuade investors. It contains 99.99% pure gold, and it weighs 7.8 grams.

  • Gold Rose Crown Guinea

This coin is legal tender in the land of Saint Helena. Its reverse side features the Rose Crown Shield. It is designed to resemble the quality of the East India Company Mint. On its surface, the issuing denomination is only a mere $25, despite being worth way more.

If you want to order a bunch of them at once, they can come in packages of 25 coins per tube. Their physical weight is 1/4 troy ounce, and they carry a diameter of 0.864 inches.

  • Gold Twin Maples

The Royal Canadian Mint commissioned a new set of coins in 2017. They wanted to follow in the footsteps of their previous coin, which had been a success. Investors can add this 1/4 ounce coin to their collection and have a piece of a maple tree.

It has a reverse-proof finish, and the edge is serrated. It measures up to 20 mm in diameter, and it carries a face value of $10 Canadian.

  • Goldbacks

You can enjoy the enhanced utility of these self-backing real gold notes. They seek to combine the utility of banknotes with a gold coin's value. Valaurum manufactures Goldbacks, and they developed them via a proprietary process.

As a result, they created a way to own gold that is flexible, durable, and easy to store. You can get the notes in denominations that are small enough to be useful in transactions.

  • Liberty Head (Coronet Head) Collection

Following the Coinage Act of 1792, standards were applied to all US coins. As time wore on, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1849. This act told the Mint to create two more denominations for this series.

Eventually, the coins they created came to be known by the woman's image that was on them. Today, people refer to them as Liberty Head gold coins, but they have an ancient history.

  • Liberty Head Double Eagle

This $20 face-value version of Liberty Head was the first gold coin made by the US Mint. They got authorization to make the coin in 1849, and it was struck that year. Since there was such a flow of gold, it only made sense to strike it.

Before the Liberty Head, all the coins minted in the United States were silver. As a result, this coin is frequently used as evidence of the quick spread of the gold rush.

  • Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

Before the 20th century, only US Mint employees drew the designs. However, President Teddy Roosevelt wanted to commission someone to draw. He hired the world-renowned artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens to design a beautiful coin.

This coin is called a double eagle because its $20 face value was worth double a standard eagle back then.

  • South African Krugerrand

This coin was issued for the first time in 1967 to demonstrate the country's gold. The coin's name derives from Paul Kruger, the 5th president of South Africa. He was also a war hero during the Second Boer War.

When they first released this coin, it was such a success that other countries tried to imitate them. This coin can also be used as legal tender if you are in South Africa still. Even though it is a great place to invest your money, it never lost its original purpose.

  • Valcambi CombiBars

These revolutionary items let investors break down their gold into very small chunks. The bar is produced by the world's top refiner, Valcambi Suisse. It has a precise breaking point, so you do not lose material on accident.

These bars store quite easily, and you can stack them in a box without worrying about damage. If you want to buy large quantities, you can store them in a safe deposit box or an IRA.

Palladium

  • Palladium Bars and Rounds

Palladium is found in catalytic converters more often than anywhere else. However, medical devices make use of it in some instances. In the wild, this metal is shining, radiant, and white. Now, it is seen as platinum's cousin when people invest.

  • Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf

This coin is one of the only official palladium coins released by a government mint. Each coin contains 0.9995 fine palladium, and it weighs a full troy ounce.

They will recognize it as currency if you want to take this coin abroad. This coin is one of the most well-recognized in the world, so it is not hard to find buyers.

Platinum

  • American Platinum Eagle

This coin entered circulation for the first time in 1997. US Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti designed the relief. This is the only coin from the Mint with a guaranteed weight, content, and 0.999 fineness.

According to Congress, the coins can be treated as a form of legal tender. Each one-ounce coin carries a face value of $100.

  • Australian 1/4 Ounce Platinum Florin

Australia has released another commemorative edition of the florin. It comes in at 0.9995 pure, and it weighs a quarter of an ounce. On the reverse of the coin, there is a coat of arms from the Australian Commonwealth.

Plus, there is a large kangaroo with its tail dangling down below. To the right, an emu is looking at the kangaroo.

  • Platinum Bar and Rounds

These bars come in a variety of sizes, including five grams, one gram, and ten grams. If you want to obtain some platinum, this is the most straightforward way to acquire it. As long as your bars are rated at 0.9995, you can hold them in an IRA.

Platinum rounds are different from other coins. They are made at privately owned mints, and they usually have an artistic design.

Birch Gold Group - Bottom Line

Birch Gold Group may not have the widest selection in its inventory, but it has a tremendous track record. If you are concerned about trust, integrity, and ethics, they may be the company to select.

They have incredible reviews online, and they have been working in the industry for years.

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