Plain-English guides to buying, storing and understanding gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Investment gold is exempt from VAT in the UK, the EU and Switzerland, while silver, platinum and palladium are taxed at the standard rate. This guide explains the rules, the 1 g bar exception in France and Italy, the rates in a selection of countries and how VAT appears on your order.
Read the guideSelling bullion is simple once you know how the price is worked out. This guide explains when selling makes sense, how buy-back prices are set, what can lower the price you get, how selling to us works step by step, how to post your coins and bars safely and what to check about tax.
Read the guideSilver, platinum and palladium can sit alongside gold or replace part of it, but they behave differently and usually cost more to buy relative to the market price. This guide explains what drives each metal, how VAT and premiums change the maths, and how to compare them before you buy.
Read the guideOnce your gold or silver arrives, it needs a safe place to live. This guide compares storing at home, in a bank safe deposit box and in a professional vault, and explains insurance, handling and the records worth keeping.
Read the guideEvery coin and bar is priced from the spot price of its metal, plus a premium, converted into your currency. This guide explains where the spot price comes from, what the premium pays for, why exchange rates matter and how a price is built step by step.
Read the guideGold coins and gold bars contain the same metal, but they differ in what you pay above the gold price, how easily they resell and how finely you can split your holding. This guide compares the two side by side so you can choose what fits your plans.
Read the guideGold is weighed in troy ounces and grams, and its purity is given in parts per thousand or carats. This guide explains the units, shows a conversion table and explains why a 22-carat coin still contains a full ounce of fine gold.
Read the guideBuying physical gold online takes a few minutes from choosing a coin to placing your order, and a bank transfer then completes it. This guide walks through each step, which currency to pay in, how VAT works and what to check before you pay.
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