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Augusta Precious Metals is one of the most searched names in the Gold IRA space, and most of those searches come down to a handful of questions. What does it cost? Is it legitimate? What is the minimum? Who is it actually built for? This review answers those using verified company data, with a clear look at fees, ratings, the famous fee waiver, and how Augusta stacks up against the companies people compare it to most.
2026 Review Snapshot
Founded
2012Over 14 years in business
Minimum Investment
$50,000Same for rollovers
Metals Offered
Gold & Silver
Setup Fee
$50One-time
Annual Fee
$200$100 custodian + $100 storage
Fee Waiver
Up to 10 yrsAll customers qualify
Quick verdict: Augusta is built around education and pricing transparency, with a high $50,000 entry point that aims it squarely at larger rollovers and high-net-worth retirement savers. If your budget clears the minimum, the fee waiver and the documented pricing are the standout features. If it does not, Augusta is not the right starting point.
Augusta Precious Metals is a precious metals dealer founded in 2012 by Isaac Nuriani, who remains the company's CEO. It specializes in helping retirement savers open and fund a Gold IRA, a Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA) that holds physical gold and silver instead of paper assets.
The company's headquarters is in Casper, Wyoming, with a well-known satellite office in Beverly Hills, California. Augusta focuses on two metals only, gold and silver, and pairs that focus with a one-on-one educational model led by its director of education.
Cost Breakdown
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| One-time setup (custodian application) | $50 |
| Annual custodian maintenance | $100 |
| Annual depository storage | $100 |
| Shipping & transit insurance | Free |
| First-year total | $250 |
| Recurring annual total | $200 |
Fee Waiver: up to 10 yearsAugusta covers setup, custodian, and storage fees for up to 10 years, and states that every customer qualifies.
Flat-fee structure: the same $200 per year applies regardless of account size, before the fee waiver is applied.
Augusta uses a flat-fee structure rather than a sliding scale, which makes the math simple regardless of account size.
There are no separate sliding-scale tiers that climb as your balance grows. A $60,000 account and a $600,000 account pay the same flat $200 per year before the fee waiver is applied.
The feature most reviews single out is the fee waiver. Augusta covers setup, custodian, and storage fees for up to 10 years, and the company states that every customer qualifies. For qualifying accounts, this is the main reason the headline $200 per year often does not reflect what a customer actually pays in the early years.
Augusta's minimum investment is $50,000, and the minimum to fund through a rollover is the same. This is one of the highest minimums among the major Gold IRA providers, and it is the single biggest factor in deciding whether Augusta fits. There is no maximum investment limit.
For context, several companies people compare Augusta against set far lower entry points, which is why the minimum comes up in nearly every head-to-head. If $50,000 is out of range, see the full Gold IRA companies comparison for lower-minimum options.
Augusta offers gold and silver only. It does not sell platinum or palladium.
For IRA accounts, eligible products include IRS-approved coins such as American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, the Austrian Philharmonic, and the American Buffalo, along with gold bars (1 oz and 10 oz) from accredited refiners including Credit Suisse, PAMP, and Johnson Matthey.
Augusta carries both bullion and premium products. Bullion coins and bars are priced close to spot. Premium coins (limited edition mint series) carry higher markups above melt value due to scarcity, and both categories are IRA-eligible where marked.
Metals are held in secure, third-party, IRS-compliant depositories. The preferred depository is the Delaware Depository, and Augusta offers additional locations across the U.S. so customers can pick one convenient to them, including options in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Dallas, and others.
You can choose segregated storage, where you retain ownership of specific bars and coins, or non-segregated (commingled) storage, where metals are pooled with others of the same type at a lower cost. Augusta also notes $1 billion in all-risk insurance coverage on stored holdings.
Augusta's preferred custodian is Equity Trust. Supported account types include Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k), 403(b), and TSP.
If you are moving money from an old employer plan, Augusta supports 401(k) to gold rollovers along with 403(b) and TSP transfers. The process is phone-based rather than fully online, with a dedicated representative handling the paperwork. For a step-by-step walkthrough of how these transfers work and the rules to avoid penalties, see the Gold IRA rollover guide.
Education is Augusta's central pitch. New customers are offered a free one-on-one web conference led by the company's Harvard-trained director of education, Devlyn Steele. Alongside that, Augusta provides a free Gold IRA guide (the "kit" many searchers look for), spot price charts, a comparison checklist, and ongoing market updates, all at no cost and with no obligation.
Support is described as lifetime, meaning a dedicated account representative continues to assist after the initial purchase rather than only during the sale.
Augusta states that prices are disclosed upfront and documented, with no additional commission added on top. The price quoted by the order desk is the price you pay, and it is locked in during a recorded confirmation call.
On the spread (the difference between the buy price and the sellback price), Augusta discloses the exact spread per product in writing in its transaction agreement. As a worked example: a $3,300 purchase at a 5% spread means a buyback price near $3,135, so the metal would need to rise about 5% to break even.
Augusta operates a buyback program where it offers to repurchase metals from customers. The program is not guaranteed, and Augusta is transparent about that rather than promising a future price.
This is where the "is Augusta legit," "complaints," "scam," and "lawsuit" searches usually land. Here is what the verified ratings show:
On the compliance side, Augusta states it deals only in IRS-approved gold and silver, partners with regulated depositories, and maintains an anti-money-laundering policy compliant with the Bank Secrecy Act. Those ratings and the documented compliance posture are the most objective answer to whether the company is a legitimate operator. A privately held dealer with an A+ BBB and AAA BCA standing over a 14-plus year history is, by the standard industry markers, a credible one.
A note on common complaints: the most frequently cited drawbacks in customer feedback are the high $50,000 minimum and the gold-and-silver-only product range, not service or delivery failures. Those are structural choices rather than red flags, but they are real reasons Augusta does not fit everyone.
Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana is a paid corporate ambassador and a customer of Augusta. According to Augusta's own 2021 announcement, Montana found the company after asking his financial team to identify a precious metals firm, attended the one-on-one web conference, and became a customer before taking on the ambassador role. It is a genuine endorsement and paid partnership, which is worth knowing when you see his name attached to the brand in advertising.
The Verdict
+Pros
−Cons
Augusta is most often weighed against four companies. Short version:
To model fees and account growth across providers before you decide, use the Gold IRA fee and growth calculator.
Is It Right For You?
Augusta fits if you
Look elsewhere if you
Augusta fits if you:
Augusta is not ideal if you:
Augusta's process runs through a representative by phone. The typical path: request the free Gold IRA guide (kit), attend the one-on-one web conference, then work with your dedicated rep to open the SDIRA, fund it through a transfer or rollover, and select your metals and storage. Before committing, it is worth reviewing the most common Gold IRA scams and red flags so you know what transparent pricing should look like in any company you consider.
Is Augusta Precious Metals legit?
By the standard industry markers, yes. It holds an A+ BBB rating, a AAA BCA rating, and a 4.8 on Trustpilot, and it has operated since 2012.
Where is Augusta Precious Metals located?
Its headquarters is in Casper, Wyoming, with a satellite office in Beverly Hills, California.
Is there Augusta Precious Metals stock?
No. Augusta is a privately held company founded and run by Isaac Nuriani. It is not publicly traded, so there is no Augusta Precious Metals stock to buy.
What does Augusta cost?
A one-time $50 setup fee and $200 per year ($100 custodian plus $100 storage), with a fee waiver covering up to 10 years for qualifying accounts.
What is the minimum?
$50,000, including for rollovers.
Does Augusta offer a free gold coin or promo?
Promotions vary over time and the fee waiver is the standing offer. Ask a representative about any current promotion rather than relying on third-party ads.
What about Glassdoor reviews?
Glassdoor reflects employee reviews rather than customer experience. For the customer-facing picture, BBB, BCA, and Trustpilot are the relevant sources.
Is Augusta the same as APM?
"APM" is a common shorthand for Augusta Precious Metals. Confirm you are on the official augustapreciousmetals.com domain when signing in or requesting information.
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