How to buy gold, silver, and other precious metals from Costco online and in-store

Costco sells millions of dollars' worth of gold and silver, both online and in some warehouses. The buying process is a little different from picking up a gallon of milk, though. Here's how to buy precious metals from the wholesale club. Two dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, 30 rolls of toilet paper - and one ounce of 24 karat gold. While that might be one of the more expensive grocery runs a Costco shopper might make, it is one that could realistically happen. Costco sells hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of gold and silver each month. There are two ways to buy bars and coins from the wholesale club: online and in-store at certain warehouses. Here's what that looks like. The first step - step zero, if you will - is to get a Costco membership, since precious metals are exclusively available to members. The basic Gold Star membership gives you access, but if you're planning to spend several thousand dollars on gold and silver, it might make sense to spring for the executive upgrade . For the additional $65, executive members get 2% rewards on most purchases, including precious metals. At the recent price of about $4,480, the reward on a one-ounce gold bar or coin would be around $89, which is more than the price of an upgrade. ( Executive members can also shop early at the warehouse, but that's another story.) Equipped with a membership, the options to buy precious metals depend largely on the availability of supply. How to buy gold and silver from Costco online Gold, silver, and platinum are listed on Costco.com on a precious metals page in the jewelry and watches category. (The items were previously listed under sports memorabilia and collectibles, which made them a bit harder for the casual buyer to track down.) When products are priced at or near the commodity market's "spot" price, they can sell out extremely quickly. Silver also tends to sell out quickly and follows a similar pricing pattern. In fact, silver's market rally of more than 130% year-to-date as of Tuesday morning has outpaced gold's nearly 70% increase. Plus, silver's lower unit price - it's at an all-time high of $69 per ounce - means more options for shoppers who are curious about buying metals but don't want to fork over the price of a well-used car just yet. Costco has responded to fluctuations in demand by limiting the quantities of a particular item a member is allowed to purchase in one transaction and over a 24-hour period. Once an online purchase is completed, Costco estimates about three to five days for delivery, typically via UPS or FedEx. Same-day grocery orders must be placed separately, via Instacart. Comments on the CostcoPM subreddit indicate that some packages can take longer to deliver, especially around periods of high demand and near the end of the week. How to buy gold and silver at a Costco warehouse Precious metals are also occasionally available at some warehouses...

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