<prompt> Human: Why would I buy a coin of silver or gold instead of just the gold or silver? Are coins minted from private companies actually worth anything more than just the metal itself?Are these really worth putting in your IRA?Is the Government minting these or companies with Government sounding names minting these?If I simply purchased the metal itself, isnt it entirely possible I can avoid capital gains taxes by selling in small increments in cash?So confused. Thanks  <response>: They sell you these coins for far more than they are worth, netting themselves a nice profit.No, dont invest in them and dont buy gold coins via an IRA.See this article from AARP 