Selling physical precious metals: these are the options

Whether you want to take profits, restructure your portfolio or simply need liquidity: the moment you sell your gold, silver or platinum deserves just as much attention as the purchase of precious metals.

On this page, you can read about the reasons for selling precious metals and what you should pay attention to when selling in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.

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Why sell precious metals?

Selling precious metals is often not a decision you want to make under pressure. Especially when prices are temporarily under pressure and uncertainty is increasing, it is important that the sale fits within a pre-planned asset plan and is not the result of unrest or the feeling that things are 'getting too hot'.

Reasons for selling precious metals include:

• Realising profits after a sharp rise in prices
• Rebalancing
• Temporary need for liquidity, for example for another investment
• Investment goal has been achieved

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How does selling precious metals work at GoldRepublic?

When you hold precious metals through GoldRepublic, the selling process is simple, transparent and completely digital.

Step 1: You place a sell order

Via your personal account, you indicate which precious metal (gold, silver or platinum) and what weight you want to sell. You will immediately see the current selling price, based on the live market rate.

Step 2: Immediate price, no negotiation

GoldRepublic uses clear spreads with no hidden costs. You do not need to negotiate or request quotes. This prevents uncertainty and wasted time.

Step 3: Settlement and payment

After the sale has been completed, the amount is usually credited to your linked bank account within one working day. Your precious metal is administratively debited from the vault.

Because your precious metal is already stored in an independent, externally managed vault, physical transfer is not necessary. This makes the process faster, safer and cheaper.

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Selling precious metals outside GoldRepublic

Have you purchased precious metals from another provider or have you stored them yourself? Then you are responsible for the sale.

This usually involves uncertainty about quality. If precious metals cannot be proven to have been stored directly from the smelter and have not been under continuous external control, there is uncertainty about the purity, origin and condition of the metal. This uncertainty almost always works to the disadvantage of the seller.

In physical sales, valuation is often based on visual inspection and random sampling. The final price therefore depends on the buyer's interpretation, which can lead to varying outcomes and less transparency.

In addition, you are responsible for transport and insurance, which not only makes the process more cumbersome, but also entails additional risks.

Investors who value certainty, speed and control therefore often opt to sell from a professional vault environment, as is standard practice at GoldRepublic.

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What should you pay attention to when selling precious metals?

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Selling gold, silver or platinum: are there any differences?

Yes, there are clear differences between selling different precious metals.

●        Selling gold: Gold is known as the most liquid precious metal in the world. The market is large, transparent and active. This means you can almost always sell gold quickly at competitive prices. At GoldRepublic, you can always sell your gold back to us, regardless of market conditions.

●        Selling silver: There is also (much) industrial demand for silver. This precious metal also tends to experience greater price fluctuations than gold. Silver that has been physically delivered within the United States may be less flexible to sell than silver stored in an international vault. In the US, sales tax (where applicable) varies by state — some states exempt precious metals from sales tax, while others do not. This cost is not recoverable by private investors and may affect resale pricing.

●        Selling platinum: Platinum is generally the most volatile of these three precious metals. It is scarcer and more sensitive to economic conditions. In addition, the platinum market is smaller than those for gold and silver, which can lead to greater price fluctuations and spreads. This requires a longer investment horizon and careful timing. State sales tax may also apply to platinum upon physical delivery, depending on your state of residence. This does not apply to platinum stored in vaults outside the US, for example in Frankfurt or Zurich.

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Selling precious metals and tax

In the United States, precious metals are not subject to a federal wealth tax. When metals are sold, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) may apply. The IRS classifies gold bars, silver bars and platinum bars as collectibles. This means gains on bars held longer than one year are taxed at a maximum federal rate of 28%, rather than the lower standard long-term capital gains rate that applies to most other investments. Short-term gains on bars held under one year are taxed as ordinary income, according to your personal tax bracket.

Note that gold bars, silver bars and platinum bars are generally not eligible for preferential capital gains treatment, unlike certain IRS-approved coins (such as American Eagle coins) which may qualify for lower rates in specific circumstances.

Additionally, state sales tax may apply to the purchase of silver and platinum bars depending on your state of residence. Rules vary significantly by state — some exempt precious metals entirely, while others apply full sales tax. Gold bars are more widely exempt from state sales tax across the US.

Tax regulations may change and depend on personal circumstances. If unsure, professional tax advice is recommended.

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Why sell through GoldRepublic?

For many investors, it is not only important that they can sell, but above all how.

GoldRepublic offers:

• A buy-back guarantee on all precious metals purchased through GoldRepublic
• The first party in the Netherlands to obtain an AFM licence for physical precious metals
• More than $1.7 billion in precious metals in storage
• Storage in independent, externally managed vaults
• Fully transparent prices and spreads
• Fast and reliable payouts