Our complete review of Schiff Gold

Updated: August 9, 2026

OPRS may receive compensation when readers open an account through partner links on this page. Our analysis is based on independent research, BBB data, and IRS publications.

Verdict: SchiffGold, 2026 status

What it is: a bullion-first dealer founded by Peter Schiff, headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, that will help route IRA-eligible metals to a self-directed IRA held with Equity Trust.

What it is not: an IRA custodian, a full-service turnkey gold IRA provider with in-house account opening, or a firm that publishes a fee schedule online.

OPRS view: the company is legitimate and active. The missing public pricing plus a small IRA footprint keep it off our shortlist. 3 of 27+ gold IRA dealers reviewed by OPRS make the 2026 trusted list, and SchiffGold is not one of them. Verify fees and minimums by phone before you send any money.

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Company snapshot (verified 2026)

Field	What we confirmed live in 2026
Brand name (current)	SchiffGold (one word)
Predecessor entity	Euro Pacific Precious Metals, launched 2010, rebranded to SchiffGold in 2015
Founder / public face	Peter Schiff
Headquarters	Westport, Connecticut
Business model	Precious metals bullion dealer (coins and bars), not an IRA custodian
IRA route	Self-directed IRA via Equity Trust, metals stored with AMGL depository
Customer phone	1-888-465-3160 (published on their IRA service page)
Site status	Live, operated on WP Engine hosting, product catalog updated 2025-2026
Published fee schedule	No public list of costs; quotes provided by phone
Published account minimum	None visible on public site

What SchiffGold actually sells

SchiffGold is a dealer. That word matters. When you buy from SchiffGold you buy coins or bars. You do not open a retirement account with SchiffGold itself. If you want the metals inside a tax-advantaged IRA, you need a separate self-directed IRA custodian that accepts precious metals, plus an approved depository.

On the retirement side, their site guides buyers to open a self-directed IRA with Equity Trust and to list AMGL as the depository. SchiffGold then acts as the authorized dealer that fills the order and ships the metal to that depository. This is a common bullion-dealer setup, but it is not the same as a full-service gold IRA provider that walks the paperwork for you.

Their product catalog is bullion-first. Coins and bars in the IRA-approved fineness ranges dominate, and the site links from each product page to eligibility notes. This is consistent with what the IRS allows in Section 408(m)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

How the IRA route actually works

Based on SchiffGold’s own service page, the process is a three-step chain that puts SchiffGold at step three, not step one:

Open a self-directed IRA with a compatible custodian. SchiffGold points buyers to Equity Trust Company (trustetc.com). Setup, annual fees, and transaction fees are set by the custodian, not by SchiffGold.
Fund the account. A rollover from a 401(k) or a transfer from another IRA is the usual path. IRS Publication 590-A covers what qualifies as a rollover and the 60-day rule.
Place the metals order. SchiffGold quotes the price, the metal ships to the depository the custodian has approved, and the metal stays there until you take a distribution.

Two things are worth flagging. First, SchiffGold does not seem to publish which other custodians it will work with beyond Equity Trust, so if you already have a self-directed IRA elsewhere, call before you commit. Second, the fee structure is fragmented across three parties, dealer spread on the metal, custodian setup and annual fees, and depository storage. Ask each side for a written quote before you fund.

Pricing transparency: what is missing

The most important gap for a retirement buyer is the fee schedule. As of the 2026 review, SchiffGold does not publish an IRA account minimum, a written spread on metals, or a full custodian fee table on its public site. Everything routes to a phone conversation.

That is not automatically a scam signal. Many smaller dealers price by phone because bullion spreads move intraday. It is, however, a friction point for buyers who want to compare on paper. If you request a quote, ask for the buy price, the sell-back price on the same coin, and the depository storage fee in writing before you send funds.

For context on why fee opacity matters more inside an IRA than at a regular bullion counter, see our framework on the gap between the gold spot price and IRA markup. Small spread differences compound over the years the metal sits inside the account.

Regulatory and complaint record (what we did and did not find)

OPRS reviews public sources: state secretary of state filings, SEC EDGAR, CFTC and FTC enforcement dockets, and Better Business Bureau profile pages. As of the 2026 review, we did not find a public consent order, enforcement release, or class action tied to the SchiffGold entity in the CFTC or FTC dockets.

A common source of confusion is that Peter Schiff is publicly associated with other, separate ventures. Any regulatory matter tied to a different corporate entity is not, by itself, a matter tied to SchiffGold the dealer. When someone quotes a Peter Schiff headline at you, ask which corporate entity the story is actually about before you draw a conclusion about your metals purchase.

The Better Business Bureau profile for SchiffGold, when public, is the best single third-party check for accreditation status and complaint volume. Look it up under the current name and the Westport, Connecticut address before you send funds. The FINRA precious metals investor alert linked at the bottom of this page also sets baseline red flags to watch for at any dealer.

Who this dealer fits and who it does not

May fit: a self-directed buyer who already understands how a self-directed IRA works. Comfortable phoning for quotes. Wants standard bullion coins and bars. Has already picked Equity Trust as custodian, or is willing to.

Poor fit: a first-time rollover buyer who wants one company to walk the whole paperwork chain. A buyer who needs a published fee schedule to compare on paper. A buyer who expects a large team of dedicated account reps and a written concierge process.

Before comparing dealers head to head, it helps to know what to look for in a custodian, since the custodian sets the fee that will follow you for decades. Our framework for choosing a gold IRA custodian walks through the criteria that matter, none of which are set by the metals dealer.

Better-fit alternatives

SchiffGold is a legitimate dealer, but for a retirement buyer starting from scratch, it is often not the shortest path. The 2026 OPRS dealer list names the operators we currently clear and the ones we warn against, with the reasoning attached to each. Use that list to filter, then run the shortlist against the custodian framework linked above.

If you are still at the rollover-mechanics stage, our gold IRA rollover overview covers the 60-day rule and the 20 percent mandatory withholding on an indirect rollover. It also explains why the direct trustee-to-trustee path is the safer default.

Frequently asked questions

Is SchiffGold still in business in 2026?
Yes. As of the 2026 review, the site is live, the product catalog was refreshed in 2025 and 2026, and their IRA service page publishes a working phone line at 1-888-465-3160.

Does SchiffGold act as an IRA custodian?
No. SchiffGold is a dealer. It refers IRA buyers to Equity Trust Company as the self-directed IRA custodian and to AMGL as the depository.

What is the account minimum at SchiffGold?
No account minimum is published on the SchiffGold public site. Get the current number by phone before you plan the rollover.

What are SchiffGold’s fees?
SchiffGold does not publish a fee schedule on its public site. Expect three separate fee streams: the dealer spread on the metal, Equity Trust custodial fees, and AMGL storage fees. Ask each party for a written quote.

Is SchiffGold BBB accredited?
Verify the current status directly on the Better Business Bureau site under the SchiffGold name and Westport, Connecticut address. BBB accreditation and letter grade can change, so a live check on the day of purchase is the only reliable signal.

What is the connection between SchiffGold and Peter Schiff’s other businesses?
Peter Schiff is publicly associated with multiple companies. When you read news about him, the story is often about a different corporate entity than SchiffGold the dealer. Before you draw a conclusion about your metals purchase, check which entity the reporting names.

Does SchiffGold sell numismatic or premium coins?
SchiffGold’s IRA path is bullion-first, which is what the IRS actually allows inside an IRA. Standard eligibility rules for IRA metals are in IRC Section 408(m)(3). Numismatic coins and collectible-grade coins do not qualify for IRA holdings.

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