Orion Metal Exchange Review 2026: Is It Legit? Gold IRA Fees, Minimums, Pros and Cons

Orion Metal Exchange (Orion Precious Metals, Inc., Los Angeles) is a real gold IRA seller with 2 BBB complaints in three years and no regulator action found (Nov. 6, 2026). It is one of the few sellers that posts its coin prices online. So the question is not whether Orion exists, but what its prices, fees and terms mean for your money.

A gold IRA is an individual retirement account that holds physical gold through a custodian, the trust company that runs the account. Orion is one of the gold IRA companies SafeOunce checks with the same records, prices and contract questions. This Orion Metal Exchange review covers its founders, its record and the three lawsuits Orion itself filed. It then turns Orion's posted prices into a premium over the spot price, which is today's market price for one ounce of pure metal. It also covers the fees and minimum Orion does not publish, a $100,000 example, the buyback wording and who Orion suits. This review covers orionmetalexchange.com, phone 1-800-559-0088, not similar names such as orionsmetalexchange.com, Money Metals Exchange or Monetary Metals.

The 13 facts below come from Orion's website, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot (a public review website) and court records, each dated. The last row links to Orion's own site.

Company website links in this table: SafeOunce earns nothing from these links.

Is Orion Metal Exchange Legit? Our Verdict#

Yes: Orion Metal Exchange is a legitimate, operating precious metals dealer with a small complaint record, posted coin prices and no regulator action found, as of November 6, 2026. Its weak spots are what it does not publish: account fees, a minimum, the customer agreement and how it sets its buyback price. Its record holds one dispute worth reading: one customer says she overpaid for collector coins, and Orion says she made a profit. Orion has also filed three lawsuits, against two rival sellers and a review site. SafeOunce found none filed against it.

So is Orion Metal Exchange legit? On the records, yes. Few gold IRA sellers let you check a coin price before you call. Orion does, and on its 1-ounce bullion coins the premium over spot, the amount above the metal's market value, was about 6% on November 6, 2026.

What should a careful buyer get from Orion before sending money? Get four things in writing: the invoice with the price per coin and the spot price used, the custodian's fee schedule, the customer agreement, and the buyback method. Orion says it emails the invoice before you pay. The other three you must ask for.

Look elsewhere if you have less than about $10,000 to move, since flat custodian fees eat a large share of a small account. Look elsewhere too if a sales call steers you toward small coins, proof coins or collector designs. On Orion's own price page, those cost up to about four times the premium of a 1-ounce bullion coin.

Who Is Orion Metal Exchange? Legal Name, Founders and How It Works#

Orion Metal Exchange is a Los Angeles precious metals dealer that sells gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins and arranges precious metals IRAs, operating legally as Orion Precious Metals, Inc. You place orders by phone or through a request form on its website, and you pay by wire, ACH or check. Its About page says the "Owner has 25 years of experience in the precious metal industry", a company claim. Why does the legal name matter? Complaints, court cases and your invoice use the legal name, not the brand.

Orion Precious Metals, Inc.: the name on the paperwork, and names to avoid#

Orion uses two names: Orion Precious Metals, Inc. on its terms, court filings and BBB record, and Orion Metal Exchange as its brand. Its site says it operates as Orion Precious Metals Inc in the state of New York. Search both names, Orion Precious Metals and Orion Metal Exchange, when you check records.

Four names look or sound similar but are not this company.

• orionsmetalexchange.com: a different domain with an extra "s". It appeared in Google results for "orion metal exchange fees" on November 6, 2026, titled "Best Gold & Silver Bullion, 40+ Yrs". SafeOunce could not read the site or connect it to Orion. Type the address yourself and check the phone number, 1-800-559-0088.
• Money Metals Exchange: a separate dealer in Eagle, Idaho (see the section on Money Metals below).
• Monetary Metals: a different company.
• Orion Advisory Services, S.A.: the subject of a 2010 British Columbia Securities Commission order, unrelated to Orion Precious Metals, Inc.

The step-by-step way to check a gold IRA company by its legal name is on our verification guide.

When was Orion Metal Exchange founded? September 2017#

Orion Metal Exchange was founded in September 2017: the BBB lists its business start as September 1, 2017, and its incorporation as May 16, 2017. A 2023 Los Angeles court ruling agrees, saying the founders started Orion "four months later in September 2017" after leaving another company. Review sites print other figures: goldinvestment.us.com says "more than 40 years of combined" experience, and ConsumerVoice says "over 50 years". Orion's own site says its owner has 25 years of experience; the company itself dates from 2017.

Who runs Orion Metal Exchange?#

The BBB names Jacob Blalock as Orion's CEO, as of November 6, 2026. Orion's Terms of Use direct legal letters to Benjamin Novak at the Los Angeles office. Orion Precious Metals, Inc. does not publish who owns what share of the company, so ownership beyond these names is not established.

A 2023 Los Angeles court ruling describes where the founders came from. The tentative ruling in case No. 21STCV30610 says Patriot Gold Group "was founded in April 2016 by Jacob Blalock, Benjamin Novack, Defendant Mike Celano, and three other members." It adds that "Blalock and Novak separated from Patriot in May 2017" and that "They founded Plaintiff Orion four months later in September 2017."

How an Orion Metal Exchange gold IRA works, step by step#

An Orion Metal Exchange gold IRA works in 5 steps, from choosing a custodian to the metal arriving in a vault account in your IRA's name. A self-directed IRA is an IRA that can hold assets other than funds, such as metal. The custodian is the trust company that legally holds that IRA and sends your statements. The depository is the vault. The five steps are listed below.

1. Choose a custodian. Orion's IRA department "can help you choose", and Orion says it works with "every" custodian.
2. Move the money by direct transfer from your current IRA or plan. Orion's IRA department says it "will contact your current retirement account custodian to request the transfer".
3. Pick coins or bars and lock the price on a recorded call. Orion says it emails a transaction invoice before you pay.
4. Sign the custodian's buy direction. The custodian then pays Orion from your IRA.
5. Wait for Orion to ship the metal, insured, to the depository. Then check that it appears on your custodian statement within 28 days.

The tax code requires IRA bullion to stay in a trustee's physical possession (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B)), which is why the metal goes to a depository and not to you. A gold IRA transfer between custodians has no 60-day clock and no once-a-year limit.

Is Orion Metal Exchange a custodian?#

No: Orion is the dealer that sells the metal, while a separate trust company is the custodian that holds your IRA. A custodian must be a bank or a nonbank trustee on the IRS list (Treas. Reg. 1.408-2(e)). That list held 73 names as of April 1, 2026, and the only metals business on it is Lone Star Tangible Assets, LP. Two review sites say Orion "can serve as custodian" or "can work as your custodian"; Orion's own FAQ says its IRA department "can help you choose the best IRA program".

The SEC warns that custodians "generally do not evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment in the self-directed IRA or its promoters" (SEC investor alert on self-directed IRAs).

What the IRS list does and does not cover is on our page about IRS-approved gold IRA custodians.

Orion Metal Exchange's Complaint, Court and Regulator Record#

Orion's record shows 2 BBB complaints in three years, 3 one-star Trustpilot reviews, 3 lawsuits that Orion itself filed and no regulator action found, as of November 6, 2026. No court case found accuses Orion of cheating a customer. The complaint record is small, but one customer dispute and Orion's replies to critics are worth reading before you buy.

The table sums up the record, with the date and source of each line.

BBB and Trustpilot: 2 complaints and 94% five stars, and their limits#

Orion has 2 BBB complaints in three years against 31 BBB reviews, and a 4.9 Trustpilot score from 244 reviews, as of November 6, 2026. On Trustpilot, 94% of its reviews give five stars and 1% give one star. Orion's Trustpilot profile shows no recent history of asking customers for reviews through Trustpilot (November 6, 2026).

BBB accreditation is a paid membership, separate from the grade. The BBB says 90 of the 100 points behind its grade relate to complaints, and customer reviews do not count toward it. Trustpilot adds seven 3.5-star reviews to every company's score, so scores bunch close together.

The table shows BBB complaints per 100 BBB reviews, with the raw complaint count, for seven sellers.

Orion's rate looks higher than Goldco's, yet it has only 2 complaints in three years. The rate is high only because Orion has few BBB reviews.

Why star scores barely separate gold sellers is explained in BBB, BCA and Trustpilot ratings for gold IRA companies.

What the one-star reviews say: premiums, collector coins and the buyback#

One customer wrote two of Orion's three one-star Trustpilot reviews, saying she paid 28% to 46% over spot for collector coins. She also says Orion offered her less than spot to buy them back. A collector coin, also called a numismatic coin, is priced above its metal value for its design or rarity. A buyback is the dealer buying your metal back. The table sets the reviewer's figures next to Orion's public reply (February 2026).

Both sides can be true at once. Silver and platinum prices rose after 2020, so a customer can profit and still have overpaid on the way in. She says the premiums ran 28% to 46%; Orion says one silver purchase cost 5.65% in total. Collector coins, such as limited-mintage Canadian silver and platinum designs, are often bought back at metal value, not at the premium paid. The CFTC warns that "'Semi-numismatic' is a made-up industry term" (CFTC, "10 Things", 2024).

Three habits protect you from the same dispute. Ask for 1-ounce bullion coins. Ask for the price per coin and the spot price used, in writing. Ask what Orion would pay for the same coins tomorrow.

How numismatic coin upsells work, and how to refuse one, is on our collector-coin guide.

How Orion answers critics: a libel claim and a cease-and-desist#

Orion answered two of its three one-star reviews with legal threats: a stated libel action in 2026 and a cease-and-desist letter in 2018. In February 2026, Orion's reply said: "We have taken legal action against [the reviewer] for Libel." SafeOunce found no libel case filed by Orion in court searches on November 6, 2026; a state case can take time to appear online. In 2018, Orion wrote of another reviewer: "This reviewer is not a client ... our legal team has reached out and served this reviewer with a cease and desist. Legal action will follow." That reviewer's update says Orion "repeatedly attempts to silence my negative review".

On the other side, Orion replied to every negative review, per Trustpilot, as of November 6, 2026. Its replies give its own figures and dates.

Court cases: Orion as the plaintiff against Patriot Gold Group, Augusta and Money#

SafeOunce found three lawsuits involving Orion, and Orion filed all three: against a rival seller in 2021, another rival in 2024 and a review site in 2026. No lawsuit by a customer against Orion was found in searches on November 6, 2026. The table lists each case with its court, number and outcome.

Orion Precious Metals, Inc. v. Halt Gold Group, LLC, L.A. Super. Ct. No. 21STCV30610, was filed on August 18, 2021. Orion alleges false advertising, unfair competition and interference over Patriot's claim to be "a national silver dealer since 1986". A tentative ruling of September 21, 2023 says: "The Court DENIES Defendants' motion for summary judgment." Patriot's side of the record is in our Patriot Gold Group review.

The ruling says Orion "identifies ten specific potential Orion customers" and that "Patriot obtained at least $124,000 as a result of these transactions." The court granted summary adjudication in Patriot's favor on one claim only, interference with contractual relations, so that one Orion claim failed.

Orion Precious Metals, Inc. v. Augusta Precious Metals appears in court indexes as a Los Angeles Superior Court case filed on March 18, 2024. The indexes describe a dispute between two sellers over names and advertising. SafeOunce has not confirmed the case number or read the docket; outcome not found. Augusta's full record is on Augusta Precious Metals complaints and lawsuits.

Orion Precious Metals, Inc. v. Money Group, LLC, C.D. Cal. No. 2:26-cv-07092, was filed on June 29, 2026. Orion alleges money.com is "paid by these companies to rank their businesses as a top choice". It names American Hartford Gold, Priority Gold, Thor Metals Group, Augusta and Goldco. Orion also alleges its listing said it was "currently unavailable in your area", and that an "invest in gold" button under its logo sent users to American Hartford Gold.

The complaint cites two trademarks Orion registered on March 24, 2026 (Reg. Nos. 8,184,441 and 8,184,443). The CourtListener docket shows service returned on September 1, 2026. It shows four extensions of the time to answer: September 8, October 2, October 24 and November 3, 2026. These are allegations; Money Group has not yet filed an answer on the docket, and no court has ruled.

These are business disputes Orion started. None is about how Orion treats customers.

Regulator actions: none found#

SafeOunce found no CFTC, SEC or state regulator action against Orion Precious Metals, Inc. in searches on November 6, 2026. The searches also covered the brand name, Orion Metal Exchange, and California's financial regulator. Regulator actions can take years to become public, so check again before you buy. Every case SafeOunce tracks is in our list of precious metals IRA enforcement actions.

Awards and "best" labels: Money, Retirement Living and ConsumerAffairs#

Orion's About page cites Money's "Best for low fees" label from 2022, while Money's list of September 25, 2026 ranks Orion eighth, as "Best for Small-Balance Investors". The About page also says Orion was "Nominated as the best in the U.S. by Retirement Living" and calls a Chicago Tribune mention "The best gold IRA service". Its homepage says "Consumer Affairs accredited Since 2018!" and its menu shows "850+ Five Star Reviews". All of these are company claims, read November 6, 2026.

Money's own list carries the line "Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed." Orion uses Money's past label while suing Money over how its rankings work.

Who ranks whom, and who pays, is on gold IRA best-of lists compared.

Orion Metal Exchange's Contract Terms: What Is Public and What Is Not#

Orion publishes its website Terms of Use with a full arbitration clause, but not the customer agreement you sign. So you cannot check its cancellation or delivery terms before you call. The terms were effective December 4, 2025, per our September 2026 read. They say this about the agreement you sign: "In the event you sign a Customer Agreement with Orion and there is an inconsistency ... the Customer Agreement you execute ... shall control and govern."

The table compares the dispute and contract terms of four sellers, from documents SafeOunce read.

Clause-by-clause tables for other sellers are in gold IRA company contracts compared.

Arbitration: AAA rules, Los Angeles County and a $5,000 minimum award#

Orion's Terms of Use send disputes to private arbitration under American Arbitration Association consumer rules in Los Angeles County, with a small-claims option and no class actions. Arbitration is a private hearing instead of a court case. A class waiver means you give up joining a group lawsuit. The terms name the AAA "Commercial Arbitration Rules and the Consumer-Related Disputes Supplementary Procedures". The six terms that matter are listed below.

• Pre-arbitration letter: you must write first and wait. "If the dispute is not resolved within 60 days after the letter is sent, the claimant may proceed."
• Desk arbitration: the arbitrator decides on documents unless either side asks for a hearing within ten days.
• Filing fee: Orion pays any fee above $200 "promptly", and repays the $200 "base fee" if the arbitrator rules for you. You may also ask the arbitrator to waive it.
• Minimum award: if you win more than Orion's last written offer, Orion pays "the amount of the award or $5,000, whichever is greater".
• Small claims: either side may use small claims court instead.
• Class waiver: no class or group claims, and no opt-out.

Among the dispute clauses SafeOunce has read, Orion's fee and minimum-award terms are among the friendliest to a customer. The catch: the customer agreement you sign may say something different.

What cancellation, arbitration and restitution can do is explained on how to get your money back from a gold IRA company.

The customer agreement, cancellation and delivery time: not published#

Orion's website states no cancellation window, no delivery deadline and no shipping time for IRA orders, as of November 6, 2026. Those terms would sit in the customer agreement, which is not public.

The website terms do cover one cancellation case, and it runs in Orion's favor. If a product shows at a wrong price, Orion may "reject any order or ... cancel any orders placed for that product". In plain English: a pricing mistake lets Orion cancel, but nothing on the site gives you a set time to cancel.

Your separate 7-day right to cancel a gold IRA runs against the custodian, not Orion. Treas. Reg. 1.408-6 gives you at least 7 days to revoke a new IRA.

Orion says it ships insured and emails tracking numbers. Its homepage states an "Instant transaction price guarantee in writing prior to payment". Orion says it sends the invoice before payment; SafeOunce has not yet tested this. Under the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, a covered phone seller must state the total cost and quantity before you pay (16 CFR 310.3(a)(1)(i)).

Three requests fill the gaps, and you can make all three before you pay.

1. Ask for the customer agreement by email before you pay.
2. Ask how many days you have to cancel, and from when the days count.
3. Ask for a delivery date to the depository in writing, then check your custodian statement after 28 days. For financed metal sales, the CFTC treats delivery within 28 days as actual delivery (CFTC release 8215-20, 2020); SafeOunce uses it as a benchmark.

The steps to check delivery of IRA metal are on our delivery checklist.

Orion Metal Exchange Prices: What Its Live Coin Prices Show#

Orion posts a live "Ask Price" for each coin on its website, so you can work out its premium over spot before you call. Most gold IRA sellers do not allow that. Only 4 of 15 operating gold IRA sellers SafeOunce checked post live prices: Orion, U.S. Money Reserve, Lear Capital and Advantage Gold (October 2, 2026). Orion's own due-diligence checklist puts it bluntly: "If a company refuses to advertise online product pricing, prepare to overpay."

Three words matter here. The ask price is what the dealer charges you. The premium is the ask minus spot, as a share of spot. The spread is the share of what you pay that is not metal. How the spot price of gold is set, and why every dealer charges more, is explained in our spot price guide.

Orion's posted price is a listed ask. The price on your invoice can differ with the payment method, the quantity and minutes of market movement. How close to spot are those posted prices? The next sections show them coin by coin.

Orion's gold prices on November 6, 2026, compared with spot#

Orion's 1-ounce gold bullion coins cost 5.42% to 6.16% over spot at about 17:30 UTC on November 6, 2026. Those figures cover buying only. At SD Bullion, a large online dealer, the 1-ounce Gold Eagle cost 2.91% over its on-page spot of $4,159.52 on September 29, 2026, when Orion's was 5.90%. Buying and selling back that coin at SD Bullion cost 5.39% in all that day; Orion's round trip is its premium plus however far its unpublished bid sits below spot. The table shows Orion's posted ask prices for 1-ounce and tenth-ounce gold coins on two dates, against a logged spot price.

Orion's 1-ounce premiums barely moved between the two dates (5.90% to 6.03% on the Eagle), while gold fell about $83. The tenth-ounce proof moved about 3.8 points in five weeks, from 28.95% to 25.12%. In this snapshot the small proof price moved far more than the 1-ounce price, one more reason to get the price per coin in writing. The CFTC puts typical bullion premiums at "5-10%" over spot and numismatic premiums at "40-200%" (CFTC release 8215-20, 2020).

How does Orion compare with other dealers on the same coin and day? The table shows the price of a 1-ounce Gold Eagle at seven sellers on September 29, 2026, for one coin paid by check or wire.

Orion sat in the middle. It was about 6.5 points cheaper than U.S. Money Reserve, a phone-sales IRA seller, but about 3 points above the cheapest online bullion dealers. Orion's About page cites Money's "Best for low fees" label; on this day, four online dealers sold the same coin for less.

Every published spread range is on gold IRA markups and spreads.

Small coins and proofs: why the same gold costs up to 25% more#

On November 6, 2026, Orion's fractional and proof Gold Eagles cost 8.62% to 25.12% over spot per ounce, against about 6% for a 1-ounce Gold Eagle. Small coins cost more per ounce at every dealer, and proofs cost more again. The table converts each coin's price to a price per ounce of gold and shows what $100,000 would buy at spot on day one.

A proof coin is a specially struck coin with a mirror finish, sold in a case. The same $100,000 in 1-ounce proofs would lose $12,023 to the premium on day one; in 1-ounce Maple Leafs, $5,138. What custodians accept for proof coins in an IRA, and the markup problem, is on our proof coin page.

How much gold must rise before you break even#

If Orion bought your coins back at spot, gold would have to rise 6.03% to recover the premium on a 1-ounce Gold Eagle, and 21.67% on a tenth-ounce Eagle. Orion does not publish its buyback bid, so the real break-even can be higher. The table shows the rise in gold needed to get back what you paid, before account fees, if the buyback is at spot.

Account fees push the line higher. Take $100,000 in 1-ounce Eagles, which buys $94,311 of gold at spot, and add ten years of custodian fees paid outside the IRA. Gold must then rise about 8.6% (GoldStar), 9.4% (Equity Trust) or 9.9% (STRATA) to get back $100,000 plus the fees, selling at spot.

Silver costs more to buy. Orion's 1-ounce Silver Eagle was 15.3% over spot on November 6, 2026, so silver must rise about 15.3% before a spot buyback covers the premium.

Test your own coin and bid in the gold IRA break-even calculator.

Orion Metal Exchange Fees: Setup, Annual and Storage#

Orion publishes no account fees: the setup, yearly and storage fees come from the custodian and depository you choose, as of November 6, 2026. Orion's own charge is built into its coin prices, about 6% over spot on 1-ounce bullion coins that day. A custodian fee is the yearly charge to keep the IRA open. A storage fee is the vault's yearly charge.

Orion's About page claims "more metal for your money and more money for your metal"; its homepage does not state a fee figure. Every custodian's and seller's charges are compared on gold IRA fees.

What other sites say Orion charges, and why the figures disagree#

Three review sites, on four pages, print four different sets of Orion fee and minimum figures, and none matches anything on Orion's own website. Money's figures are not confirmed by Orion or by any published metals custodian fee schedule SafeOunce holds. SafeOunce could not match Money's $190 a year to any such schedule. The table lists what each source says about Orion's fees and minimum, with its date.

The custodian fee schedules you would actually pay#

At three common metals custodians, an IRA holding $100,000 of gold costs $215 to $325 a year in account and storage fees, under fee schedules dated 2026. SafeOunce has not confirmed which custodian Orion suggests; these are examples of what a custodian you choose would charge. Commingled storage keeps your metal with other customers' identical metal. Segregated storage keeps your pieces apart, and you get the same pieces back. The table shows each custodian's published metals fees and 10-year total at $100,000, including the exit fees.

Equity Trust's four schedules are explained on our page about Equity Trust fees.

Orion Metal Exchange Minimum Investment: Not Published#

Orion publishes no minimum for a gold IRA, as of November 6, 2026. Money reports $5,000 in its September 2026 list and $10,000 in its 2023 review; neither figure appears on Orion's site.

The IRS sets no minimum balance for an IRA. Custodian fees are flat, though, so a small account pays a much larger share of its value each year. A seller's minimum is a business choice, and the custodian's fees decide whether a small account makes sense at all.

Seller minimums range widely across the industry. Every published figure is compared on gold IRA minimums by company.

Money's figures have not been confirmed by Orion or a custodian. Even so, the math shows why a gold IRA rarely suits a balance of a few thousand dollars. At 3.8% a year, the fees alone would take $1,900, or 38% of the account, over ten years if gold stayed flat.

When a gold IRA is too costly for a small balance is covered in best gold IRA companies for small investors.

What a $100,000 Orion Metal Exchange Gold IRA Costs: Year 1 and 10 Years#

A $100,000 Orion gold IRA in 1-ounce Gold Eagles loses $5,689 to the premium on day one and costs $8,099 to $9,339 over ten years. Those totals include custodian fees and assume Orion buys back at spot. The premium is the largest single cost, and you pay it on the first day. The table adds Orion's posted premium to three custodians' published fees, with the gold price held flat.

Each 1 point that Orion's buyback bid sits below spot costs about $943 more on this account. A bid 3 points below spot, for example, would add about $2,829 to each total.

Your first custodian statement values the metal at market value, not at what you paid. Equity Trust's disclosure says statement values "do not include any markups, commissions or premiums from the precious metals dealer". At 6.03% over spot, your $100,000 shows as about $94,300 of metal on day one. That gap is the premium, not a loss in the gold price.

The dealer matters too. On September 29, 2026, $100,000 at Orion's 5.90% bought about $94,429 of gold at spot. At Blanchard's 2.69% it would have bought about $97,380, or $2,950 more; at U.S. Money Reserve's 12.4%, about $88,934, or $5,495 less.

The same $100,000 in tenth-ounce Eagles would lose $17,810 on day one (see the small-coin table above). Over ten years, that one choice costs more than the custodian fees at any of the three custodians. Run your own amount in the gold IRA fee calculator.

Orion Metal Exchange Buyback: What "Commission-Free" Means#

Orion's "commission-free buyback policy" means it charges no separate fee when it buys your metal back, but it does not publish the price it pays. Its homepage says: "No commission charged at liquidation and we provide an invoice at time of sale." Its services page says clients "will receive whatever the market is rendering at the time of liquidation". It adds: "you can guarantee your buyback price with a 30-second phone call" and "Please allow 4-7 business days for payments to be processed."

A dealer's bid, the price it pays you, sits below its ask, the price it charges you. That gap is the dealer's margin, whether or not anyone calls it a commission. Orion's "guarantee" wording means a quoted price is locked once you agree on the call. It does not promise that the price will be at or near spot.

One reviewer reports what Orion offered her in February 2026: spot for her silver and about 12% below spot for her platinum. That is one customer's account, and Orion disputes her figures. No published bid formula lets you check either side.

A stated payment time of 4 to 7 business days, an invoice at the sale and no extra fee are more than most sellers put in writing. Orion's own checklist tells buyers to use "companies that offer a commission-free buyback policy in writing". Its policy is in writing on a web page, though not in a contract you can read.

What each seller's contract says is on gold IRA buyback programs compared.

What Orion's Website Gets Wrong, and Right, About IRA Rules#

Orion's website makes two kinds of IRA rule errors, a wrong history date and repeated "IRS-approved" claims, and gets the home-storage rule right. None of these changes your cost directly. They show how carefully the site's rule pages were checked. The table sets three statements on Orion's site against the tax code.

The 1975 date skips a ban that lasted from 1982 into 1987 for coins and into 1998 for bullion. The full timeline is in our history of gold in IRAs.

The "IRS-approved" phrase also appears on Orion's IRA page ("an IRS approved depository") and About page ("IRS-approved accounts, depositories"). A seller can use it in good faith, since much of the industry does. It still misleads a buyer who reads it as a government check on the coins or the vault.

What the tax code actually allows is listed in IRA-approved precious metals, coin by coin.

Orion Metal Exchange Products: Bullion, Proofs and Collector Coins#

Orion sells 16 gold coins on its gold price page, from 1-ounce bullion coins to proofs and collector designs, plus silver, platinum and palladium. BU, short for brilliant uncirculated, means a new bullion coin in mint condition. A fractional coin is one smaller than 1 ounce. Orion's 16 gold coins fall into the four groups listed below, with their premium over spot per ounce on November 6, 2026.

• 1-ounce bullion coins: the Gold Eagle (IRA-eligible by name under 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(A)), the Maple Leaf and the Queen's Beast (eligible as bullion of at least .995 gold under 408(m)(3)(B) when the trustee holds them). Premium: 5.42%-6.16%.
• Fractional coins: 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 oz Eagles and Maple Leafs. Premium: 6.65%-21.67% per ounce.
• Proof Eagles: 1 oz down to 1/10 oz. Premium: 13.67%-25.12% per ounce. Custodians decide which proofs they accept.
• Collector designs: the 2017 Grizzly Bear 1/3 oz, the 2015 Polar Bear and Cub 1/4 oz and the Rose Crown Guinea 1/4 oz. Premium: 12.31%-14.88% per ounce. Ask the custodian before buying any of them for an IRA.

The Gold Eagle is 22-karat gold, yet it qualifies because the tax code names it. Why the American Gold Eagle in an IRA is allowed at .9167 purity is explained on its product page.

Orion's own checklist tells buyers to "demand BU condition coins". That is sound advice, and it applies to Orion's catalog too.

The Maple Leaf and the Queen's Beast take the other route: they qualify by fineness, not by name. Each must be at least .995 gold and held by the trustee.

The fineness rule behind the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf in an IRA is on its product page.

For an IRA, ask for 1-ounce bullion coins and the spot price used on your invoice. On November 6, 2026, those were the cheapest gold per ounce on Orion's page.

Orion Metal Exchange Custodians and Depositories#

Orion names no custodian or depository on its website; it says it works with "every IRS-approved precious metal custodian and depository in the nation". Its services page says it works with "every legitimate precious metal IRA custodian and depository".

One review site names Equity Trust, STRATA, Brink's, Delaware Depository and IDS as Orion's partners (goldinvestment.us.com, May 18, 2026). Orion has not confirmed that list on its site. Every custodian's charter and fees are compared on gold IRA custodians.

Orion's services page also says: "Every IRA commercial depository we work with is insured by Lloyd's of London for the value of the precious metal holdings." That is a company claim. Depository insurance pays the metal's value, not the premium you paid, and it has exclusions. FDIC and SIPC insurance never cover IRA metal.

Orion's own checklist warns, "Beware of companies that offer in-house storage services." Orion stores nothing itself, which counts in its favor. Three questions pin down your storage before you buy.

• Which custodian do you suggest, and may I use another?
• Which depository, and is the account titled to my IRA?
• Segregated or commingled storage, and at what yearly price?

Letting you choose the custodian is a plus: you can pick the cheapest schedule in the custodian table above. GoldStar's commingled storage, for example, cost $215 a year in account and storage fees under its January 2026 schedule.

Vault insurance and locations are compared on gold IRA depositories.

Orion Metal Exchange Pros and Cons#

Orion's six strengths are about open prices and fair dispute terms; its six weaknesses are about what it leaves unpublished and how it treats critics. The table lists them side by side, as of November 6, 2026.

Who Orion Metal Exchange Suits, and Who Should Walk Away#

Orion suits a buyer who wants 1-ounce bullion coins at a price they can check online, and who gets the custodian's fees and the buyback method in writing. It suits less well anyone steered toward small, proof or collector coins. The table gives a verdict by reader situation.

For balances under $10,000, see gold IRA vs gold ETF.

You should ask Orion six questions before you pay, in this order.

1. Ask for the invoice with the price per coin and the spot price used.
2. Ask what Orion would pay for the same coins today.
3. Ask which custodian it suggests, and for that custodian's fee schedule with its revision date.
4. Ask for the customer agreement by email before paying.
5. Ask how many days you have to cancel.
6. Ask for the delivery date to the depository in writing.

Orion's own "7 Points" due-diligence list is a fair test of Orion itself. Online prices: met. Buyback policy in writing: a web page, with no bid formula. "Demand BU condition coins": ask for them. Shipping and insurance included in the price: not stated, so ask. Third-party storage only: met.

The full list of 12 questions is on how to choose a gold IRA company.

How SafeOunce Rates Orion Metal Exchange#

Orion Metal Exchange shows "Rating pending": SafeOunce has not yet scored it on the 7 criteria worth 100 points, as of November 6, 2026. The rating card above is computed by the build from the evidence file, never written by hand. SafeOunce scores a company from public records and a written price quote requested the way a buyer would; a company does not have to answer us to be scored. The table lists each criterion and what public records already show about Orion, without points.

None of the record-based exclusion gates applies to Orion as of November 6, 2026: it is not closed or sanctioned, has no settled pricing or disclosure case in the last 5 years, and has no non-delivery complaints filed with the BBB or a regulator. Items that need the quote test, such as the written quote and the customer agreement, are not yet checked. Orion's own lawsuits as plaintiff do not count against it under any gate.

Weights and evidence rules are on how SafeOunce rates gold IRA companies.

How Does Orion Metal Exchange Compare With Other Gold IRA Companies?#

Orion shows more about its prices than almost any gold IRA seller, and less about its account fees and contract than the sellers that publish full agreements. On complaints, its count is among the lowest, though its review base is small. Which company is the best for a gold IRA? SafeOunce ranks sellers by total cost, contract terms and legal record, not by labels. Rankings by real cost are on best gold IRA companies.

Sellers that publish live prices: Orion, U.S. Money Reserve, Lear Capital and Advantage Gold#

Four of 15 operating gold IRA sellers SafeOunce checked post live prices online: Orion, U.S. Money Reserve, Lear Capital and Advantage Gold (October 2, 2026). Of the four, only Lear Capital also prints a spread range in its contract. The table compares the four on price openness and complaints.

Full records: U.S. Money Reserve review, Lear Capital review and Advantage Gold review.

Are Orion Metal Exchange reviews on other sites paid?#

Some are: two of the ranking Orion reviews state that they are paid by companies they feature, and one runs Goldco banners on its Orion page (read November 6, 2026). ConsumerVoice says: "This site earns commissions from listed companies which impacts our rankings." The owners of goldinvestment.us.com say they "may be paid to recommend Goldco or other companies". Money's 2023 Orion review says Money "may be compensated if you click this ad", and Orion's own lawsuit alleges paid rankings at Money. SafeOunce found no published Orion affiliate program in its searches.

Why so many gold IRA reviews are paid is explained in are gold IRA reviews paid.

SafeOunce takes no money from any company named on this page. No company can pay to change its rating or its place.

How this site is funded is on who pays SafeOunce.

Is Orion Metal Exchange the same as Money Metals Exchange?#

No: Money Metals Exchange is a separate dealer, Money Metals Exchange, LLC of Eagle, Idaho, and Monetary Metals is another, unrelated company. Google's "People also ask" box mixes them with Orion. The Idaho dealer has its own Money Metals Exchange IRA review.

Can you buy from Orion Metal Exchange online?#

Not fully: you can see prices and submit a purchase request online, but Orion confirms the order and locks the price by phone. Orion says it then emails an invoice before you pay by wire, ACH or check. Orion's site says: "Once you place your order, our team will contact you shortly."

Can you keep Orion Metal Exchange IRA gold at home?#

No: IRA bullion must be in the physical possession of a trustee, and Orion's own FAQ answers this question "No". The Tax Court treated home-stored IRA metal as a taxable distribution in McNulty v. Commissioner (2021). The court case is covered on home storage gold IRA.

Does Orion Metal Exchange sell silver, platinum and palladium for IRAs?#

Yes: Orion lists silver, platinum and palladium coins; its 1-ounce Silver Eagle cost $59.99 on November 6, 2026, 15.3% over silver spot of $52.04. That figure covers this coin on this day only. The rules for the American Silver Eagle in an IRA are on its product page.

What is the downside of a gold IRA with Orion Metal Exchange?#

The main downside is cost you cannot see in advance: Orion's coin premium is posted, but the custodian fees, the buyback price and the contract are not. Gold also pays no interest or dividends, so your return depends on the price alone. The general case is on gold IRA pros and cons.