People must always go for reliable, fast, and transparent services when it comes to buying silver or gold bullion. These have been considered safe but significant investments for years, meaning all investors must be careful with whom they trust their money.
Thanks to the digital era, investors are now able to buy precious metals from the comfort of their homes; all they have to do is choose their preferred provider, place their order, and wait for the product to arrive or be stored.
IMPORTANT – before we get too far in this review, we’d like you to know we’ve vetted quite a few companies in this space.
We know that selecting a company to work with is a major financial decision and something not to take lightly. InvestingInGold.com has put in extensive research spanning many years in order to compile a list of the 5 highest recommended companies for this year.
==> See our #1 recommended company for precious metals investing
We urge you to view the links to see where GoldDealer stacks up against the competition.
Choosing the Right Dealer
Unfortunately, choosing the right precious metal dealers isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are dozens of these providers on the market, and not all of them provide the features or products the user may need. This website aims to guide gold or silver bullion investors to the right path in choosing the right precious metal dealers for them.
Today, this guide covers GoldDealer (formally known as California Numismatic Investments) and its most important features, prices, and other details investors may need to be aware of.
What Is GoldDealer.com (California Numismatic Investments)?
Overall, this is a web dealer that focuses on gold IRA investments. People who want to invest in silver bullion, gold bullion, or platinum bullion may benefit from the services this website has to offer.
Additionally, this is one of America’s largest dealers, meaning it’s nationally recognized by many professional organizations, such as the California Coin and Bullion Merchants Association and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. CNI has been working in the precious metals industry since 1982, making it one of the oldest websites.
Still, the fact that this company has worked for over 30 years already makes it a reputable company among several customers. There are many features and details to go over in this article first, but it’s already looking like a safe option for investors.
Interestingly enough, CNI has a trusted newsletter for those who like catching up to the latest information about buying gold, numismatic coins, and live bullion quotes. It’s written every day by Richard Schwary and Ken Edwards.
What Does This Company Offer in Precious Metals?
As mentioned before, this company offers a wide range of metals for investors, and these metals may be placed in a self-directed IRA without any problems. However, it’s vital to note that CNI is not considered a proper IRA custodian since it doesn’t have a personal storage facility. Still, this company has a partnership with CMT, which offers storage services.
Some of the most popular IRA-approved metals offered at CNI include the following:
- Gold bars from Credit Suisse or PAMP
- Gold coins
- Pre-1933 bullion gold like the Swiss 20 Franc and the British Sovereign
- Silver coins
- Canadian gold maple leaf
- Gold krugerrand
- Chinese gold panda
- Lunar gold coins
- Austrian philharmonics
- US gold eagle series
- Miscellaneous PCGS certified rare coins
Moreover, CNI also claims to offer different features to improve customer experiences, such as market insights and free appraisals for those who are interested.
What Are CNI’s Most Remarkable Features?
As mentioned before, CNI comes with many useful features that most customers may appreciate, such as the daily newsletter by Richard Schwary and Ken Edwards. The section below covers some of the most important things most people may want to keep in mind.
Pricing
According to several reviews, this gold dealer offers some of the most reasonable prices on the market. Additionally, this company offers free insured shipping and no commission sales. Thanks to that hallmark approach, people are able to get great national pricing for all the products available on the website.
It’s vital to note that the prices may vary depending on what people sell or purchase. Still, many people claim that the company offers a good price for its products in comparison to other dealers.
Website Education
Aside from having great national pricing, CNI’s website offers a lot of educational pieces that new investors may read to know more about the gold dealer and how they can ensure the best value or deal based on what they’re looking for.
Generally speaking, these pieces made for informational purposes focus on buying bullion or collecting rare coins.
Transactions
According to customer reviews, order confirmations and transactions in CNI are easy to make. In essence, everything the investor needs to do is to go into the website and sign up for an account. Later, they may fill their order out with the sales staff.
It’s vital to note that the company doesn’t include tax or paperwork for purchases that go over $1,500, which is excellent for those looking for bigger investments.
Purchasing Gold Bullion and Silver Bullion with CNI
Investors may request live bullion quotes from this nationally-recognized business at any time they consider appropriate. On the other hand, they may place their first purchase for bullion and get free shipping with FedEx Express or USPS. Aside from the free shipping, people don’t have to pay for commission sales.
Once the investor creates an account at the website, they may choose the best deal according to their needs, place their order, and get an order confirmation to their email address. Each email comes with all the details the person must know about their investment, such as the delivery package’s tracking number.
While CNI sells a lot of precious metals that can be placed into a self-directed IRA, it’s important to note that the business isn’t a custodian since it doesn’t have storage facilities. Investors would need to find an independent storage depository, which may be an inconvenience for some investors.
Payment Methods and Fees
People may choose from a wide range of money payment methods to place their order, such as a wire transfer or payment processor. In essence, the investor must review these options at the time of placing their order and choose the one that feels more convenient.
As for the fees, here’s a list of some of the fees people must pay to enjoy benefits from CNI.
- Setup Fees – $150+
- Annual Storage – up to $225, depending on the purchase
- Admin Fees – from $75 to $295, depending on the purchase
- Depository – not available, although the business recommends using CNT
- Minimum Purchase Amount – not disclosed by the gold dealer
It’s important to note that the business allows investors to sell their metals to it. In case the investor is interested, the business has a complete page on its website that explains the process. Additionally, it’s not clear whether this website is only available for US residents or other people worldwide.
CNI Reviews
This is the part where things get a bit complicated for CNI since there are some mixed reviews. While the overall customer satisfaction is good, there are also some negative reviews that no one may overlook.
Fortunately, both the Better Business Bureau and the Business Consumer Alliance granted CNI the highest ratings possible, which is great news for people looking to buy gold coins or gold bars. However, it’s important to note that there are few user reviews from customers on these websites.
While CNI has a great score on these websites claiming excellent service, there are some independent review websites where several negative reviews are talking about the company’s customer service. The following section is going to cover these problems.
CNI Disadvantages
Unavailable Staff
Several users have claimed that they had issues getting in contact with GoldDealer’s staff through the live chat function. According to these reviews, the website always said that there was no staff available at the moment, which is a problem.
There aren’t any problems during the purchase and sign-up part. Unfortunately, many people have claimed the staff isn’t as responsive when a problem comes around. Getting friendly answers when having a problem is one of most companies main selling points, and the fact that this brand doesn’t have those can be a problem for some users.
Unreliable Shipping Updates
Aside from getting friendly answers from the support team, it’s also important to get constant updates on a product’s spot price and shipping details. However, some reports claim that GoldDealer.com isn’t consistent with its updates, making users have to call the staff directly to try and solve the problem
Outdated Website
CNI has over 30 years on the market, which is great. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t taken the time to update the website, meaning it’s not so convenient to browse. According to some reviews, there are some technical problems while browsing the website, and apparently, the current price updates don’t always work accordingly.
Considering that investing in these products is a delicate subject, having an unreliable service in the prices area can be a huge disadvantage.
Lack of Custodian Facilities
As mentioned before, CNI doesn’t have any custodian facilities, which can be a nuisance to many investors. Still, the team works in partnership with CNT, which is an independent storage provider. Some people may not enjoy having to go for a particular independent provider, but that’s all the brand offers.
Long Delivery Times
Some people have mentioned that the delivery times tend to get long. On the other hand, some investors claim that the delivery doesn’t arrive in good condition, which can be disappointing for everyone.
Pros and Cons
The following is a general overview of the advantages and disadvantages of using GoldDealer.com (or CNI):
Pros
- Great prices
- Educational pieces for investors
- Easy transaction platform
- High-quality precious metals
- Versatility in purchases
- High ratings in reputable websites
Cons
- Unreliable staff
- Lack of storage facilities
- Mixed reviews
- Slow delivery in some cases
Is It Worth It to Invest in CNI?
After reviewing all the information written for this review, it’s safe to say that GoldDealer.com (CNI) is a reputable dealer for most people. However, investors must be aware of the customer service since not many people like it.
Generally speaking, CNI is a great place to enjoy benefits such as free shipping, getting the best value for some products, and collecting rare coins, such as:
- Gold bars from Credit Suisse
- British Sovereign
- Gold Krugerrand
- US gold eagle series
- Canadian gold maple leaf
- Lunar gold coins
- Chinese gold panda
- Platinum bullion
- Austrian philharmonics
Investors interested in this service may go to GoldDealer’s website or visit its physical store at Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA to get the best deal from one of America’s largest gold dealers.
About Tim Schmidt
Tim Schmidt is an Entrepreneur who has covered retirement investing since 2012. He's also a published author, and his views on investing have been featured in USA Today, Tech Times, The Huffington Post, Nasdaq, and many more.
