BUYER'S GUIDE
Storing physical gold: packaging, records and custody
Plan where gold will be kept and how you will record it before handover. Storage involves more than choosing a box: access, documents, costs and custody terms also matter. The steps below are a planning guide, not an AURELIS storage-service offer.
Start with handover and packaging condition
Check the piece count, markings and condition of protective packaging against the confirmed order. Record any discrepancy and contact the seller. Avoid opening a protective pack merely for a routine look unless there is a reason and you understand the manufacturer's guidance.
For your private inventory, record the maker, type, weight, fineness, any individual number and handover date. Add the purchase record and a packaging photograph. This helps identify an individual piece later; it is not itself a professional authentication.
Keep handling to a minimum
Keep original protective packaging in accordance with the maker's instructions. Loose pieces can mark one another through contact, so keep them separate and avoid abrasive cleaning. Do not start by polishing a decorative coin: appearance and metal content are separate attributes, and intervention can be irreversible.
The Royal Mint highlights damage and theft risks in home storage, as well as limitations of ordinary household insurance. The practical step is to ask your own insurer what your policy actually covers, under which conditions and up to which amount.
Home storage and third-party custody
For home storage, consider security, access restrictions and document availability. With third-party custody, ask in writing what is recorded in your name, whether the same individual pieces are returned, who may request release and how long it takes. A rented box and a metal-custody agreement can have different terms.
Total recurring fees, insurance and any release or transport charges. ‘Safely stored’ is not a complete description: ask about insurance limits, exclusions, inventory checks and the process for ending the service. These questions do not assume that every gold seller provides custody.
Protect the records as well
Keep a private backup of your records and decide who may access it. Do not publish complete documents or storage locations on social media. Update the inventory whenever custody changes. Confirm the handover method and date in your AURELIS offer before finalising your storage arrangements.
| Area | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Access | Who can retrieve the gold, and when |
| Records | Piece identification and backed-up documents |
| Cover | Insurer, limits and exclusions |
| Costs | Storage, insurance, release and transport |
Before sending an enquiry
- Have I arranged a location and access rules?
- Do I know the actual insurance cover?
- Can I link each piece to its records?
Sources and further reading
This guide helps compare products and order terms. It does not promise future returns or buyback.