Live Precious Metals Spot Prices

Understanding Precious Metals Spot Prices

The spot price is the current market price at which a precious metal can be bought or sold for immediate delivery. It is the benchmark that every dealer, investor, and institution uses to value gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and copper worldwide. Spot prices are set by global futures exchanges, primarily the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA).

Prices update continuously during market hours: Sunday 6:00 PM ET through Friday 5:00 PM ET, with a brief daily settlement pause. The charts on this page reflect real-time data from TradingView, sourced from major global exchanges.

Spot Price vs. Dealer Price (Premium)

When you buy physical precious metals from a dealer like MintBuilder, you pay the spot price plus a premium. The premium covers minting, refining, shipping, insurance, and dealer margin. Premiums vary by product: generic rounds and bars typically have lower premiums than government-minted coins like American Eagles or Canadian Maples. Our complete guide explains how premiums work and how to compare products effectively.

What Moves Precious Metals Prices?

Several factors drive daily price movements across the precious metals complex:

• Inflation and real interest rates — Gold and silver tend to rise when inflation outpaces interest rates, as investors seek stores of value that preserve purchasing power. Read our gold-and-inflation analysis.
• US dollar strength — Precious metals are priced in dollars, so a weaker dollar typically supports higher metal prices. See how the dollar moves gold.
• Federal Reserve policy — Rate decisions and forward guidance from the Fed have an outsized impact on gold and silver. Our Fed-and-metals explainer covers the mechanics.
• Central bank buying — Central banks worldwide have been net buyers of gold since 2010, with purchases accelerating in recent years. Track central bank gold buying.
• Geopolitical risk — Wars, sanctions, trade disputes, and political instability drive safe-haven demand for gold and, to a lesser extent, silver.
• Industrial demand — Silver, platinum, palladium, and copper all have significant industrial applications. Silver is critical for solar panels and electronics; platinum and palladium are used in catalytic converters; copper is essential for EVs and electrical infrastructure.

Gold-to-Silver Ratio

The gold-to-silver ratio measures how many ounces of silver it takes to buy one ounce of gold. At current prices ($4,896.70 gold / $73.61 silver), the ratio is approximately 67:1. Historically, the ratio averages around 60-70:1. When the ratio is high, silver may be undervalued relative to gold; when it is low, gold may offer better relative value. Learn more about the gold-to-silver ratio.

How to Buy Physical Precious Metals

Buying from a trusted dealer is the most straightforward way to own physical gold and silver. At MintBuilder, you can browse best sellers, compare premiums, and place orders that lock in today's spot price. For retirement accounts, IRA-eligible gold and silver can be held in a self-directed precious metals IRA. Our step-by-step buying guide walks through the entire process.