American Gold Reserve (AGR) is a Houston-based precious metals dealer offering gold and silver coins, bullion, and numismatic products. While the company promotes itself as a trusted source for wealth protection and rare-coin investments, independent reviews from sources like the BBB, RareMetalBlog, and consumer reviews show mixed feedback. This review analyzes the company’s background, pricing transparency, and investor reputation to help determine whether American Gold Reserve is a legitimate option for gold buyers and retirement investors.
Key Takeaways
- Headquarters is located in Houston, Texas
- Services include precious metals sales, numismatic coins, gold, and silver investments
- American Gold Reserve has an established presence, physical address, variety of coin products
- There is limited transparency on pricing, and complaints about misleading sales practices
- Legitimate dealer, but investors should conduct careful due diligence before purchase.
What are Precious Metals Investments?
For decades, some may even argue for centuries, gold and silver have been one of the most common ways that people have preserved their wealth. During times of inflation, market instability, and currency devaluation, investors often turn to precious metals. Diversifying portfolios with precious metals can help mitigate risks.
Today, companies like American Gold Reserve, and others in the precious metals market, offer a range of products such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
Investing in precious metals, however, is not without risks. Market trends significantly affect the timing of buying or selling precious metals. Also, exaggerated pricing models, bloated claims, and inconsistencies have marred the industry as a whole. Because of this, investors must be vigilant.
As someone who has been working in this industry for many years, I know that many companies fail to reach customer expectations. Is American Gold Reserve different?
Keep reading my American Gold Reserve review to find out.
What Is American Gold Reserve?
American Gold Reserve LLC is a precious metals company based in Houston, TX. The company specializes in collectible coins, gold and silver bullion, and precious metals IRA.
The company was founded with the goal of making precious metals more accessible to everyone. American Gold Reserve is one of the companies that can give you access to these products, as well as the tools necessary to protect your wealth for many years to come.
The website isn’t extremely informative, though. There are no products or prices listed for the most part, and when you click on those that are, you are simply advised to call the company.
I will say that the website says it’s mission is to help clients “preserve wealth,” which is important during times of market volatility. On top of this, American Gold Reserve offers buying guides, and resources like market insights.
Another thing that is important to note is that there is not a lot of public information about AGR. It is a small firm that is privately managed, and leadership information is limited. This isn’t necessarily a negative, but I always prefer to promote companies that are transparent and clear about their leadership, products, and priorities.
I checked Texas business filings, and American Gold Reserve is an active business. However, it is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. This isn’t necessarily a negative, though, as companies do need to pay for these accreditations and go through a voluntary vetting process. There are reviews on the company page, and I will get to more consumer reviews later in this review.
What Products and Services are Available from American Gold Reserve?
American Gold Reserve offers a range of precious metals and services on their website. They tend to tailor their services to both collectors and investors. Here are some of the available products and services available from AGR:
- Gold and silver bullion – The company advertises gold and silver coins and bars from both government and private mints. Some of the coins that are available include American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, and Krugerrands.
- Numismatic coins – These are collectible or limited-edition coins that might have higher premiums due to their rarity and historical value.
- Precious metals IRA – They can help set up a gold or silver IRA with a trusted custodian. IRS-eligible precious metals are available from AGR.
- Buyback and liquidation – AGR also offers the ability for people to sell back their metals to the company. This is a positive for investors, as it gives them an exit strategy, if necessary. I think this is important because things can change for all of us at any time.
- Historical coins – American Gold Reserve offers more than investment-grade precious metals. They also offer unique historical coins, but you have to call to learn about their prices and inventory.
In addition to all of the above, the company claims to offer safe and secure shipping, insured deliveries, and live consultations to discuss pricing and availability. This isn’t uncommon in the precious metals industry, but what is uncommon is to not even list the available coins.
I feel like this makes the process a bit less transparent, especially for new investors. Investment pros may be used to this, but most people aren’t.
I also want to mention that, from time to time, AGR offers introductory packages and premiums for new customers. These offers vary greatly, and you cannot get access to them without contacting a sales representative.
These promotions, such as free silver, are very common in the industry, though I recommend verifying the actual weight, purity, and fair market value of the metals available in the promotion.
Does American Gold Reserve Have Good Reviews?
American Gold Reserve has mixed reviews. I always look at ratings and reviews before I work with a company, and you should, too. This is where you can see more about a company’s professionalism and learn more about what other consumers think about the company.
Here are some of the consumer reviews that I found during my research on American Gold Reserve:
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
I’ve already mentioned that American Gold Reserve is not an accredited business in regard to the Better Business Bureau. However, that in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Companies have to voluntarily go through a vetting process and pay a fee to be accredited.
Even though the company isn’t accredited, there are still reviews on the site. As of October, 2025, the company has a 1.55/5 star rating on the BBB website. There are 11 reviews, and 7 customers have filed complaints with the BBB within the past three years.
Most of the complaints here are about pricing discrepancies and misleading sales tactics. For instance, one complaint focused on a promotional offer that the customer didn’t think was explained well. The company replied with an explanation.
Another customer complained about the amount the company was contacting her. She said that she was “harassed by numerous staff” via phone because they wouldn’t stop calling. AGR replied and said they blocked her number and added her to the “do not call” list.
Google Reviews
Google reviews are a bit kinder to American Gold Reserve. Reviewers give the company 3.9/5 stars. The reviewers who were happy are very happy. They praise the company’s knowledgeable customer service and fast shipping.
Some of the positive reviews have come from customers who have been working with the company for several years. One review I saw referenced her nine year relationship with the company and how grateful she was for their direction with her portfolio.
There were several 1-star reviews here, too. As with the other reviews, complaints mostly focus on the amount of times AGR calls the reviewer and their sales tactics. One reviewer, for instance, said this: “They call [at] 7am, 9am, 12pm, 5pm, 7pm…”
Another reviewer said “I paid this company $8,000 for a $10 gold coin that is only worth $900 on the market.”
Though there are positive reviews, and many people seem happy with American Gold Reserve, I do recommend researching any deals you are offered if you take the step to work with them. You don’t want to enter into one of these deals if you don’t fully understand what they are offering.
What are the Pros and Cons of Working with American Gold Reserve?
Every investment company has it’s own strengths and weaknesses, and American Gold Reserve is no exception. Here are the pros and cons of working with this company:
Pros
- American Gold Reserve is a legitimate company based out of Houston.
- The company has a wide range of gold and silver coins, bars, and rare collectible coins. It also offers gold and silver IRA services.
- Personalized service is one of the things people like best. Clients can speak to a sales rep one on one for tailored guidance. The company explains on the website that they offer personalized consultations, which help investors select products that are specific to their financial goals.
- The buyback program gives investors the ability to sell back their gold and silver to American Gold Reserve.
Cons
- Pricing for the metals the company sells is not listed on the website. In fact, even the available products are not listed. You must call for information on the products and the prices.
- Nothing can be done on the website other than reading the educational material the company has. There is an online chat option, but it’s more of a “here’s my number, call me,” type of thing. There is also no visible email address; only a phone number.
- Some people truly love American Gold Reserve, but there is almost an equal number of people who don’t. With mixed reviews, I recommend more research. Yes, this might be a great match for you, but it also might not be.
- Though the company offers gold and silver IRAs, there is no information about which custodian or custodians the company works with.
- There is limited transparency here. The company doesn’t have a lot of media coverage, there are very few mentions of the company on major review sites, like TrustPilot, and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of public communication from the company.
How Do American Gold Reserve Prices Compare to Other Companies?
One thing that most investors should pay great attention to is the pricing a company offers. Keep in mind that most of these companies offer the same exact products, but their premiums, or mark ups, will be different.
For instance, as of this review, the price of an ounce of silver is $48.24. One company that I trust is selling a 1-ounce bar for around $53. The $5 difference is the premium the company adds. If you look at another company, the price for a 1-ounce bar might be higher or lower.
American Gold Reserve doesn’t list prices online. You have to call for a price quote. Because of this, I recommend doing some research on the prices from other companies, or at least the spot price, before you give the company a call.
I also think it’s important to mention that many customers have reported getting high quotes from this company. Also, some people report buying a product from American Gold Reserve and then receiving another product.
While I cannot personally verify these claims, they are out there, so if you buy from American Gold Reserve, make sure to ask about these things to ensure you are getting a fair price and the right product.
My Expert Opinion on American Gold Reserve
As an expert in precious metals investing, I find American Gold Reserve to be a legitimate company, but it’s standards might not align with other companies that I also recommend. I have some concerns in the company’s sales tactics and other areas.
Some investors may do very well with American Gold Reserve. If you want to give it a try, here are some pieces of advice that I want to offer:
- Get all price quotes and product specifications in writing
- Verify that the coins are authentic through an independent third party
- Use a reputable IRA custodian if you are investing your retirement funds
- Diversify your holdings across more than one dealer instead of putting all your eggs in one basket
American Gold Reserve offers real gold and silver coins, but the lack of online transparency, unresolved customer complaints, and limited educational content prevent it from ranking among the top-tier precious metals firms in my opinion.
Investors seeking convenience and one-on-one service may appreciate AGR’s hands-on approach, but those prioritizing transparency, IRA integration, and educational support may find better value with firms like Augusta Precious Metals or Goldco, which I also recommend.
For experienced collectors or small private purchases, American Gold Reserve may be worth considering — but only with strict due diligence and written documentation.
Company Name: American Gold Reserve LLC
Address: 7100 Regency Square Blvd, Suite 275, Houston, TX 77036
Phone: 1-866-852-3346
Website: www.americangoldreservellc.com
About Tim Schmidt Sr.
Tim Schmidt is an Entrepreneur and Serial Investor. Since 2012 he’s been an advocate of alternative investments using a Self Directed IRA. His work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, USA Today, Business Insider, and Tech Times, among others.
