Golden State Mint Review

Golden State Mint is a family-run precious metals dealer known for low premiums and unique direct-from-mint products.

While it’s appealing to cost-conscious investors, the company doesn’t have a buyback program and can be slow to fulfill orders.

This Golden State Mint review breaks down everything you need to know.

The Verdict for Golden State Mint

I’ve given them a rating of 8.4 out of 10.

Golden State Mint is a family-owned precious metals mint that offers low premiums, unique designs, and direct-from-mint pricing.

While the company has been in business for decades, it doesn’t have many reviews.

Before placing an order, read more to decide if Golden State Mint is the right fit for your investment goals.

Category	Rating (out of 10)
Product Offerings	8.5
Pricing & Fees	9
Security & Insurance	8
Customer Experience	8.2
Shipping & Delivery	7.8
Partnerships & Affiliations	8.5
Reputation & Reviews	8.3
Overall Rating	8.4

In this review of Golden State Mint, I’ve followed GIC’s detailed criteria for evaluating a precious metals dealer.

About Golden State Mint

Golden State Mint is a family-run mint founded in 1974 by Jim Pavlakos. Based in Sanford, Florida, the company has over 50 years of experience producing high-quality products for investors and collectors.

Golden State Mint serves customers across the United States and ships internationally to select countries.

The company prioritizes high-volume minting with a commitment to efficiency, precision, and customer satisfaction.

Its mission is to offer exceptional gold, silver, and copper products directly to consumers at competitive prices while maintaining full control over quality and delivery.

Golden State Mint emphasizes reliability and has a long-standing reputation for fulfilling customer orders, even if it’s delayed.

Golden State Mint is privately-held and has remained under the leadership of the Pavlakos family. Jim’s son, Andrew Pavlakos, manages the company and is supported by a team of industry professionals.

Golden State Mint holds memberships in major industry organizations, including the American Numismatic Association and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets.

It has maintained an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited since 2019.

Product Offerings

Golden State Mint offers a wide selection of gold, silver, and copper products, including coins, rounds, and bars.

Some of the company’s top offerings include:

• Gold and silver American Eagle coins 
• Gold American Buffalo coin
• Gold and silver Canadian Maple leaf coins 
• Gold South African Krugerrand coins
• Silver Austrian Philharmonic coins
• Gold Chinese Panda coins
• Gold Australian Kangaroo coin
• Silver British Britannia coin

The company also offers platinum and palladium products but availability is often limited.

Golden State Mint does not sell numismatic or graded coins. Instead, it focuses on minting its own investment-grade bullion.

Golden State Mint collaborates with independent designers to produce exclusive rounds like the Silver Shield collection.

Golden State Mint offers precious metals IRAs. Its preferred custodian is Equity Trust which charges separate administrative and storage fees.

All of Golden State Mint’s products meet IRS purity standards and are eligible for inclusion in a precious metals IRA.

The company adheres to the following purity standards:

• Gold: 99.99% fine gold
• Silver: 99.9% purity
• Copper: 99.9% purity

Everything sold by Golden State Mint is minted in-house and shipped directly from their facility. The company does not source inventory from the secondary market.

This ensures investors have access to premium, uncirculated bullion. 

Inventory availability is stated on the company’s website. For many products, Golden State Mint is only filling prior orders.

Some payment methods may affect availability due to processing times.

Pricing & Fees

Golden State Mint has a direct-to-consumer pricing model allowing the company to offer low premiums on gold, silver, and copper.

Because Golden State Mint mints its own bullion and handles fulfillment in-house, it has lower markups than third-party dealers.

The company accepts a variety of payment methods including:

• Secured bank payments
• Check
• Wire transfer
• Credit card
• Debit card
• PayPal

Check and wire payments receive a discount. Credit card and PayPal transactions are higher to include processing fees. Checks take up to 10 business days to clear before the order ships.

Shipping is free on orders over $199. Orders below that incur a shipping fee that varies based on current carrier rates.

There is no minimum order requirement however some payment methods have certain thresholds. Orders paid by wire must be at least $1,000, while credit card purchases are limited to $40,000.

Golden State Mint does not sell products from the secondary market and does not have an official buyback program.

The company handles buybacks on a case-by-case basis and buybacks are not guaranteed.

Security & Insurance

Golden State Mint adheres to industry security standards to protect customer transactions and personal information.

Its website is secured with SSL encryption to protect data transmitted during checkout.

Payments made with credit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers are processed using PCI-compliant systems.

While Golden State Mint does not currently offer two-factor authentication for customer accounts, large transactions may be subject to manual verification to prevent fraud.

All orders are shipped fully insured. Coverage is included at no additional cost and protects your order during transit until it is safely delivered and signed for.

Packages are shipped in plain, unmarked boxes to maintain discretion and reduce the risk of theft.

Golden State Mint does not sell customer information to third parties and follows internal policies to protect data privacy.

Customer Experience

Golden State Mint offers multiple customer support channels including phone, email, live chat, and support via social media. 

Phone support is available Monday through Friday during regular business hours from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST at (800) 320-8260. Email support is available at [email protected].

The company’s live chat feature is available for quick questions, and its website includes an extensive FAQ section covering topics like payments, shipping, and order status.

Customer reviews frequently cite Golden State Mint’s friendly and knowledgeable support staff. Buyers describe customer service interactions as personable and professional. 

While the majority of customer experiences are positive, there have been occasional complaints regarding order issues. Golden State Mint has responded and resolved the issues in a prompt manner.

The website is user-friendly and makes it easy to browse, place orders, and track shipments.

You can create an account to manage your orders. Golden State Mint does not offer a mobile app at this time.

The company does not have a formal loyalty program, but investors can take advantage of regular promotions and sales, especially around holidays.

The company also offers a discount for military service members and veterans.

Golden State Mint provides educational content through its blog and product descriptions, but does not maintain a resource library on its website.

Shipping & Delivery

Golden State Mint ships all orders from its Florida-based facility via Fedex, UPS, and USPS.

Orders over $199 qualify for free shipping within the United States, while orders under that will incur shipping fees based on carrier rates. 

Golden State Mint also offers international shipping to select countries, though buyers outside the U.S. may be responsible for any customs duties or taxes imposed by their local government.

Customers report fast delivery times, however, shipping speed can vary significantly depending on payment method and product availability.

Orders paid by check may be delayed due to a 10-business-day clearing period, and some products marked “in stock” on the website may still be in production increasing fulfillment times.

During large promotional sales customers have experienced longer wait times.

Investors are consistently pleased with the shipping experience. Products are shipped in plain, unbranded boxes and are securely wrapped to prevent damage during transit.

All shipments are fully insured and require a signature upon delivery.

Partnerships & Affiliations

Golden State Mint is a member of several respected organizations within the industry.

The company is a member of:

• American Numismatic Association 
• Florida United Numismatists 
• International Precious Metals Institute 
• Certified Coin Exchange 
• Industry Council for Tangible Assets 
• Polygon Network 
• Token and Medal Society 
• North American Collectibles Association Inc.

The company doesn’t prioritize formal brand partnerships or celebrity endorsements, but it has been featured in online publications, helping it establish itself as a reliable precious metals provider.

Reputation & Reviews

After several decades in business, Golden State Mint has established a strong reputation among investors. That being said, it doesn’t have many customer reviews.

The company has a 3.9-star rating from six reviews on Trustpilot and a 5-star review from seven customers on BBB. It does not have any reviews on Google.

Investors appreciate access to unique products, particularly copper rounds, and low premiums.

Some customers have reported issues with placing their orders, but these issues seem to be more the fault of the customers rather than Golden State Mint.

Whenever complaints have arisen, the company has been prompt to find a quick resolution.

Golden State Mint maintains social media profiles on YouTube, Facebook, X, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Golden State Mint Alternatives

Golden State Mint is a unique option for investors but it’s not the only precious metals dealer out there.

If you’re looking for other options, here are a few alternatives to consider.

Goldco

Goldco offers a large variety of gold and precious metals to purchase.

Get access to their free gold and silver kit

APMEX

APMEX is one of the largest and most established online precious metals dealers in the industry.

APMEX offers competitive rates and free shipping for orders over $199.

U.S. Gold Bureau

U.S. Gold Bureau offers investment-grade bullion and rare coins.

Like Golden State Mint, it also works with Equity Trust to manage gold IRAs.

Is Golden State Mint a legit precious metals dealer?

Golden State Mint is a legit precious metals dealer. The company has been family-owned and operated since 1974 and brings five decades of experience to precious metal investors.

It’s a member of several industry organizations, solidifying its reputation among investors. Golden State Mint is a reliable source of precious metals with unique designs and low premiums.

Check out Golden State Mint to see how the company can support your financial goals.

FAQs