Clarity is the point.
A lower headline price is only useful if it is the price you can buy. Here is how we make the comparison fair.
We rank verified offers by the one-unit ACH price per fine troy ounce, within each metal. Commercial relationships never determine the order.
One unit. The price you can actually use.
We compare the price for exactly one sale unit paid by electronic bank ACH. An advertised “as low as” price or a higher-quantity tier does not qualify. One unit may be a single piece or an explicitly identified pack; every piece and its fine weight must be accounted for.
Every price, on the same scale.
We divide the quantity-one ACH price by the fine troy ounces in that sale unit. Grams are converted using 31.1034768 grams per troy ounce. Prices are compared within the same metal, so gold dollars are never ranked against silver dollars.
Spot comes from independent observations.
Our reference is calculated from fresh independent spot-feed observations, rather than relying on a dealer’s product-page ticker. Sources and times are retained. A missing or stale reference leaves the premium unverified; it does not become a zero.
A premium you can read at a glance.
Premium equals (one-unit ACH price per fine ounce ÷ independent spot − 1) × 100. Positive means above spot; negative means below it. A low premium is a useful comparison, but does not promise a resale profit or a future price.
Real products. Real conditions.
Gold, silver and platinum must meet the documented purity requirement of at least .999 fine. Offers need an authentic product photo, verified fine weight, current price and direct dealer link. Promotional terms, new-customer restrictions and condition are retained. A production cap is stated only when supported; “limited stock” is not a mintage limit.
A history built one observation at a time.
Each completed category run records its actual observation time, including a new point when the price has not changed. Missing observations remain gaps. Retries do not create duplicate runs, and old observations are preserved rather than rewritten with today’s prices.
One-unit ACH price ÷ fine ounces÷Independent spot per ounce− 1× 100
Calculated separately for gold, silver and platinum.Shipping, tax & checkout
The primary comparison uses the item price. Verified shipping is shown separately in each offer’s price details; delivered price is calculated only when shipping is known. We do not assume shipping is free.
Tax is excluded from research and rankings. Checkout may still add tax or other charges. The dealer’s checkout confirms the final payable amount and order eligibility; an observed listing is not a guaranteed price lock.
Freshness & commissions
Current top picks use observations no more than 90 minutes old. Stale offers are removed from current comparisons. Spot and research connection status are visible, and failed checks do not generate estimated prices.
Some dealer links may earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Dealer approval, price-feed rights and photo rights must be verified separately. A non-paying dealer can still be the best deal.