SD Bullion is a popular online bullion dealer and is said by many to be one of the best platforms for purchasing gold and silver bullion at a great price. Search for lists of best gold and silver bullion dealers; more often than not, SD Bullion will appear on that list.
What started as a telephone and a promise has grown to be one of the biggest precious metal dealers with a wide selection of silver and gold bullion. They also ship to 28 different countries.
But is this platform worth all the noise? Precious metals are expensive, and you want to know you can trust the platform you are buying from.
In this article, we take a closer look at SD Bullion and its services and finally answer the question: “Is it worth it?”.
A Brief Summary of SD Bullion
SD Bullion is a precious metal dealer specializing in providing its clients with quality, IRS-approved gold, and silver bullion at the most affordable prices.
Founders: Tyler Wall
Year Founded: 2012
Who Is This Platform For? People who are looking to invest in precious metals by purchasing from a company with direct storage options.
Who Isn’t This Platform For? People looking to buy Numismatic coins.
Pros
- Transactions do not attract extra fees or commissions,
- SD Bullion ships to over 28 countries Globally.
- It comes highly recommended and has gotten many positive reviews from clients.
Cons
- Customer support is only available on weekdays during working hours.
- All payments for an order have to be made within a stipulated time. If you decide to cancel, you will be charged up to 5% of the total amount.
- Returned orders are accompanied by a 3% to 5% restocking fee.
What Is SD Bullion?
SD Bullion is an American platform specializing in buying and selling precious metal bullion. It provides a secondary market for gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium bullion.
SD Bullion was founded in 2012 by Tyler Wall and is based in Ottawa Lake, Michigan. It sells and buys bullion in various shapes and sizes. The company also carries a selection of domestic and foreign coins, including rare British coins.
Because of its extensive catalog and below-market prices, SD Bullion has become popular as a leading dealer and provider of precious metals. In its slightly over a decade of operation, the company has provided services to more than 250,000 clients and has made more than a billion dollars in sales.
An advantage SD Bullion has over its competitor is that it has been around longer than most of them. The company started with a telephone line and a promise. Over a decade later and the promise remains the same even though the company has upgraded.
During its early years, sales were made through telephone orders. But SD Bullion soon evolved. It now offers a website purchasing option, further strengthening the company’s desire to provide clients with quick, cost-effective means of purchasing precious metal bullion.
These are a few reasons SD Bullion has a chunk of the industry’s market share and is considered one of the best options for people looking to invest directly in precious metals.
Who Owns SD Bullions
The SD in this company’s name stands for Silver Doctors. Two doctors started the company during their time in medical school when they realized that people looking to purchase bullion had limited options.
Because they, too, were lovers of precious metals and had invested in bullion, they decided to make the process more accessible so that an average person could easily invest. The result was SD Bullion.
The company is still owned by one of the founders, Dr. Tyler Wall, who serves as the company’s CEO.
Where is SD Bullion Located?
SD Bullion is located in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, and is regarded as an American company. On the company’s website, it claims to be the fastest-growing dealer of precious metals in the country.
In 2017, Inc. Magazine listed the company as the 177th fastest-growing business in the United States.
With the number of positive reviews it gets, these claims might hold water.
What Does SD Bullion Offer
SD Bullion offers a wide range of precious metal options. It also has other offerings that aim to make buying and selling precious metals easier for the average person.
Bars
This is the company’s most popular offering. It offers bars of different precious metals, with gold, silver, and platinum bars being the most popular option.
These bars come in different weight ranges depending on the type of metal. Gold bars are usually between 0.5 grams and 1 kilo.
The silver bars weigh between 1 and 1000 oz. Platinum bars are available in 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 grams. You can also get platinum bars of 1 and 10 oz.
Although these are less popular, you can also purchase Palladium and Copper bars on the company’s website.
Each of these bars is a product of several mints, and the specific mint for each bar is shown in the product description.
Coins
While bars are the company’s most popular option, SD Bullion also carries several coins for its customers to invest in. Some of the coins you can find on their websites include the following:
- Gold coins of different mints
- Platinum coins
- Silver coins
- Coins from the Royal Canadian Mint
- American Eagles Coins (Gold, Silver, and Platinum Eagles)
These and other collector coins are available for customers to purchase or invest in on SD Bullion’s website.
The company also has a collection of mint coins under its MintCertified options. This option includes the coins from the latest mints. Purchases made under the MintCertified option will be delivered to the buyer in the same condition as when they were minted.
This is another way for buyers to diversify their portfolios with coins not yet available on other platforms.
And what if you are looking for a particular coin that isn’t on SD Bullion’s website or is currently out of stock? You can request to be notified when the coin is available.
Palladium And Copper
Although less popular than gold, silver, and platinum, many people want to invest in these two precious metals. The United States Mint recently produced the first official palladium-based coin. This has created further interest in the precious metal.
SD Bullion believes these metals are a great and cost-effective way to diversify a precious metal portfolio. This is why it offers palladium and copper coins and bars on its website for users to purchase.
Specialty Precious Metals
SD Bullion carries a range of specialty precious metals. This offering is a novel one by SD Bullion.
Some of the popular options in this category are ammunition. The company’s website has several silver bullets in different weights and calibers. However, we should point out that these are not actual bullets. They are replicas and are not meant to be used.
These unique treasures are a unique way to invest in silver.
Precious Metal IRAs
Self-directed IRAs are a great option for people saving and investing for retirement. SD Bullion offers customers the option of creating and funding a precious metal IRA with gold, silver, and platinum.
The company also has a range of IRS-approved precious metals to purchase and add to your IRA. If you’d rather fund your precious metal IRA the traditional way, SD Bullion can connect you with trustworthy custodians.
Storage For Your Precious Metals
With SD Bullion, you can buy precious metal and have it shipped to your home. However, the company also has a solution for customers who would rather not risk keeping their investments close to home.
It has created the SD Depository, a precious metals storage offering, so customers who opt for the service can store their precious metals in a non-bank depository. SD Bullion’s depositories are fully insured and designed to store precious metals.
If you opt for this service, you can store your precious metals in one of these depositories for as low as $19.99. It is top-notch security at the lowest prices.
Accessories
You can also purchase several precious metal accessories on SD Bullion. Items like storage boxes and air-tight cases for storing your precious metals are available on the website. You can also purchase cleaners and coin magnifiers.
How Do I Buy From SD Bullion?
The company has made it easy to purchase your precious metals from them. The steps are broken down into tabs on the website’s homepage. Here are the steps to make a purchase:
- Pick out the item you want to purchase and choose the quantity to add to your cart.
- At checkout, input your shipping and email address.
- Choose a shipping method.
- Pick a payment option and enter the necessary information.
- Confirm your order.
Once payment is confirmed, SD Bullion will ship your products to you.
What Payment Options Does SD Bullion Accept?
SD Bullion aims to make purchasing precious metals as seamless as possible. This is why they offer different payment methods for you to choose from when purchasing from them. Some of the available payment options include the following:
- Wire Transfers: Buyers can use this option when purchasing over $20,000. Each order gets up to a 4% discount. However, payment has to be completed before 72 hours.
- Personal Check: Best for orders up to $20,000. It comes with a 4% discount, and payment has to be completed within 7 business days.
- Card Payments: Buyers can pay with their debit or credit cards for orders up to $5,000. Payment is usually immediate.
- E-check: Payment with E-checks can also be used for orders below the $20,000 mark. This method comes with a 4% discount.
- Paypal: Can be used for orders up to $5,000. Payment is immediate and does not come with a discount.
- Money Order: Buyers can use this payment option if their purchase is under the $10,000 mark. It comes with a 4% discount. However, payment should be completed within 7 days.
- Cashier’s Check: Can be used for purchases up to $20,000. Payment has to be completed within 7 business days.
- Bitcoin: SD Bullion also accepts the popular cryptocurrency. You can make purchases of up to $250,000 and make payments with cryptocurrency. Payment is typically completed within 15 minutes.
If you do not complete payment after the stipulated times, you will be liable for all market loss and will pay a 3-5 percent cancellation fee.
Can I Return Precious Metals?
If you change your mind about a purchase after it has gotten to you, you can return them and request a refund.
To do this, you must make a return request within three business days, and this must be through a representative. If SD Bullion accepts the request, it will notify you to ship the order back to them in pristine condition and the original package. However, it is not guaranteed that your return request will be accepted.
You have to bear shipping costs. You must also bear the market loss and pay a stocking fee of up to 5%.
How Do I Sell To SD Bullion?
You can sell your precious metals to SD Bullion using its buyback option. Contact them and get the buyback price and purchase order. Package your precious metals and include the purchase order.
Ship your package to the company; if they accept it, you will receive a payment within three business days.
Is SD Bullion Safe?
SD Bullion is a recognized bullion dealer in the United States. It is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. There are no complaints against the company in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau database.
SD Bullion buys and sells precious metals and accessories and ships to over 28 countries across the globe. It is safe. However, before you decide, ensure you talk to a financial expert.
Final Thoughts
SD Bullion is a leading voice among online bullion dealers. The company buys and sells precious metals and offers related services.
It has positive reviews from most customers. However, potential customers have to look out for cancellation and restocking fees.
