APMEX Review

The precious metal dealer that sells (almost) everything

APMEX is a leading dealer of precious metals that is based in Oklahoma City. It celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2015 and was rated by Internet Retailer® as one of the best internet retailers in the United States of America. APMEX offers precious metal coins (bullion, historic and commemorative), bars and rounds out of gold, silver, platinum, palladium and copper. It also sells ancient silver and bronze coins, historic coin & paper US currency, coins and banknotes from around the world, storage and other supplies, books and jewelry. APMEX specialists can also assist customers to invest their assets in a Precious Metals IRA. With their first purchase, customers are automatically enrolled in the APMEX Club (free of charge) which provides tangible benefits such as free shipping, discounted storage, advance notice of promotions etc. APMEX also provides maximum security storage of precious metals through its wholly-owned subsidiary Citadel Global Depository Services. This private and secure storage solution is managed by Brink's, one of the world’s leading security companies. When choosing to store the purchased precious metals with Citadel, APMEX provides free shipping to their vaults.

What sets APMEX truly apart from its competitors is the unrivaled choice between different bullion products it offers. Any coin that has been minted to bullion standards by any of the major mints, APMEX probably sells or sold at some point before. So, if you are looking for a specific bullion coin and can't find it anywhere else, APMEX is probably your best bet.

Pricing

The prices on the APMEX website fluctuate along with the relevant spot price of the precious metal. On each product page, prices are clearly stated on the right side of the page. Volume discounts are available for nearly all products (additional discounts may be possible on orders of more than $100,000) and a 4% cash discount will be applied to orders that are paid by check, money order, cashier's check, bank wire, cash or trade (when the customer trades in earlier purchased precious metals). APMEX doesn't charge any commissions, service charges or other hidden fees. Shipping charges are added to orders under $99. However, orders that the customer wants shipped to the secure vaults of the APMEX subsidiary Citadel Global Depository Services don't incur shipping charges.

Ordering

Beyond the information on the APMEX website, customers can inform themselves by contacting the sales (salesquestions@apmex.com) or precious metal IRA department (ira@apmex.com) via email. The APMEX website also has a live chat function. Besides ordering online 24/7, customers can also place their orders between Monday and Friday by calling the APMEX sales department toll-free (800 375 9006) between 8 am and 8 pm (6 pm on Fridays) Eastern Time. There is no minimum order amount. A credit card number must be given to lock in the price (regardless how the order will be paid for later), which will remain locked in for up to 5 business days (orders under $25,000) or 3 business days (orders exceeding $25,000). Full payment must be received during this period. Customers receive a confirmation number upon completion of the order process and can track the progress of their order by logging into their APMEX account online. APMEX informs its customers of all order status changes by email.

Orders can only be cancelled over the telephone during normal business hours (Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm EST). Customers will then be given a cancellation number and will have to pay a $35 cancellation fee plus possible market loss fees. Market gains on cancellations remain the property of APMEX.

Payment

APMEX accepts payment in US Dollars through personal check, certified check, cashier's check, money order, bank wire, credit card (Visa or MasterCard) as well as PayPal (not for phone orders and only for U.S. addresses, up to $10,000 order amount). Bank wire payments must be made at the latest on the next business day. APMEX will provide wiring instructions after confirming the order. Only established customers can pay by credit card or PayPal for orders exceeding $5,000. Check or money order payments must be received within 5 business days (mail to: APMEX, P.O. Box 269073, Oklahoma City, OK 73126). Orders of $25,000 and above must be paid within 3 business days. APMEX will send a confirmation email once payment is received. When paying by check, there will be a holding period of 5 to 10 banking days before shipment of the ordered items. Payments by cash or by trading in precious metals are also possible in some cases. A 4% cash discount will be applied to orders that are paid by check, money order, cashier's check, bank wire, cash or trade.

Shipping

Shipping on domestic orders is free when spending $99 or more. Credit card orders will only be shipped to the credit card billing address. After full payment has been received, APMEX will inform its customers by email of the expected date of shipment. Whereas bank wire, credit card and PayPal orders typically ship out within 1 business day after payment has been received, orders paid by check and money order will be shipped after a holding period of 5 to 10 business days. Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped. Packages are carefully and discretely wrapped and shipped fully insured via Registered/Insured U.S. Mail (to street addresses or P.O. boxes) or UPS (to street addresses only). Deliveries take on average between 1 and 10 business days and a signature may be required to take possession of the shipment.

APMEX also ships internationally and customers from the following countries can order directly online: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cayman Islands, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. A minimum order amount of $1,500 (Canada: $250) applies for international orders.

APMEX customers that are not satisfied with their received products should call the Customer Service Department (800 375-9006) within 14 days after receiving shipment. The Customer Service Department will then issue a Return Authorization Number and provide instructions how to return the purchased items in their original packaging (5% restocking fee on all credit card orders). Customers can request to have the purchase price refunded (but shipping and handling charges are non-refundable) or the returned items exchanged. Customers that return items may be required to pay for a possible market loss but do not have to pay the $35 cancellation fee.

Customers can also choose to have their precious metals shipped directly to a private storage facility by the APMEX subsidiary Citadel Global Depository Services (free shipping).