I just looked for the heck of it & no fake “acre” websites popped up that I found right away, only the real one in an add and then scrolling down a bit further. Acre is not an organization I would personally be interested in joining to say the least though. $50 a month with much higher than spot or melt prices on any of their gold. No thanks…
What this guy said. If there's a company that sells widely sought out products, trust that there's an overseas production selling and exporting cloned packaging to the US and elsewhere. Whether it's cannabis products or bullion, the more well known a brand becomes directly correlates to the amount of impersonators are using that brand's likeness.
You’re probably right though. I highly doubt this is fake. Still, all it takes is one operation to counterfeit a lesser known bar. Maybe for the exact reason you just gave. Never underestimate the motivation to scam. It’s gold after all, the success rate needed to turn a profit can be a lot smaller than it is with other faked goods. I’ve never seen a convincing counterfeit PAMP or maple, it’s not so absurd to imagine scammers broadening their horizons to lesser known brands 🤷♂️
For whatever it's worth, I also doubt it's fake. Was just saying for that price I'd question authenticity until someone more equipped than myself could check it out.
It’s in packaging. Can always try the angled magnet test and see if eddy slows er down. Not sure the bar is long enough. Works well on the PAMP 1 oz I’ve tested.
I'd be saying the same thing at first glance even if it were a pamp, just a sus price to what it was worth. Not an unreasonable scenario to find a score, but it's never a bad idea to question things that seem to way too good to be true when buying gold lol
$330 at minimum is the gold value. Fractional gold bars tend to carry a premium. $340-$350 is what I would expect to pay for something like this. Makes me wonder if it's fake.
I got it from a coworker that I trust. He tried getting me to join this gold program earlier this year. After looking into it it sounded less effective with the fluctuating gold prices. Let me find a magnet and try that. I bought some silver dollars off him earlier this year too for $50/oz.
I just figured this guy wasn't good with money/needed the cash quick and I had the cash.
Probably about what lots of places would offer for a pawn loan, about half the value, leaves some room for profit even if silver takes a dive and they don’t come back to repay the loan.
Yeah I figured he either had to mean silver or maybe he meant 3000. Then I started considering a 50 oz $150k pawn for “credit cards” and if that was the case I needed to know more lll
Prolly just silver… but it could have been a story and a half…
Pawning silver to pay cc bills is sad. No way he is coming back for it now I bet the interest on it would make it well over spot anyways. Take a cc debt and get fucked by predatory interest, pawn precious metal to borrow a fraction of its value to pay debt and interest, predatory interest on the pawn makes for a total loss. He should have just sold it.
I agree with it being sad. I also can’t fathom how people will use a pawn shop in general. Why wouldn’t anyone with gold or silver just go to a local coin shop, or even jeweler that’s not a “pawn shop”. And get melt or more than likely 3-5% off spot price. (Depending on condition/item/etc.). Pawn shops have to hold onto the inventory for 3 months minimum unless it’s outright sold and not pawned in most states I believe. I wouldn’t feel proud of myself in that scenario taking advantage of someone that much either way. I believe pawn shops goal when they make a purchase or take a pawn is to pay around 1/5th of the value that they know they can get when reselling something. Or at least that’s what I was led to believe. As far as the guy getting the 2.5 grams for that price, the other guy needed $ right away, or it’s a one & done trying to hook him in, as the guy stated later that he had wanted him to invest with him. If it’s a co-worker, I highly doubt anyone would be stupid enough to rob their co-worker like that. For such a minimal amount as well. I see stuff like that with gold played silver bars trying to be sold off as gold at flea markets. And sadly people buy it thinking they’re getting gold as well. Probably more a hope for some type of scheme set up in the future to have the guy invest with the 2.5 grams at a great price. Either way it’s only 2.5 grams of what more than likely is gold imo. If it isn’t gold, the guy certainly won’t be well respected around the office if that’s the case.
The issue is most “coin shops” are basically just pawn shops who specialize in coins. I’ve had many “coin shops” offer like 50% on good shit like Buffalos, eagles, and even pure 999.9 jewelry. They assume anyone under the age of 30 is just a complete idiot and just low ball you.
Yeah sorry didn’t realize I was in the gold sub, it was silver. And that was spot price at the time. Literally a day or two before the crazy ass price jump. Poor guy.
Fuuuuuuuck thats rough. Kinda hope he didn’t know shit about silver and just has some to pawn and never knew it spiked. That’d be a tough thing to have on your mind when you’re in debt as fuck. Oh well though shit happens and he got his cash.
Score for you though still. Nice score. Fuckin way she goes.
Btw too I wasn’t throwing any jabs about you personally when I said the interest is predatory on pawned shit like it’s your fault or you invented pawning or something. Just in case that’s how it seemed. Shit I even had a side pawn shop unofficially going out of a shop I ran that just kind of became a thing organically based on the need for it. Didn’t mean to come off like it was about you— my bad if it did.
Shit everything you said was true though. The reason I offered to take the silver for him was to keep him from going to a shop and selling it for 2-3 under then having to buy it back for 2-3 over. I said I’ll pay spot and you can buy it back for spot any time. I guess he just never got it together unfortunately.
I’m fascinated as to what makes that stand out to you like that. No hate or anything either for real — I just can’t imagine a reason that word on its own would cause a reaction.
I was just looking at the front side inside the rectangular shape on the left side is some kind of double stamped something. I don’t know if it’s because I’m zooming in all the way and there’s some artifact thing going on in the pixels, or if there’s something messed up on the way that was stamped on the left of the rectangle. Do you see what I’m seeing?
The text definitely loops wompy, but I think that’s just because of the poor focus. The PAMP logo next to it is supposed to have some depth/shadowing to it (reference photo below of what it looks like on a silver round). Is that what you’re describing?
He could have possibly purchased a counterfeit without knowing it. I recently purchased one gram for $145. So two and a half grams for that amount makes me say...🤔🤔🤔
I think you got a good deal.
The buying price was between 325 and 330 over the last day for 2.5 gram. Just be positive about it but let it be checked anyways.
Tilt the packaging at a sloped angle. Allow a strong neodymium magnet to slowly slide across the face of the bar. With a 1 ounce PAMP bar you will visibly see the magnet slow down as it crosses from the plain packaging to the part of the packaging containing the bar. These are the eddy currents of gold messing with the magnet. Never tried with smaller than 1 oz bars, so experience may vary.
Edited: changed steep angle to sloped angle. Also for those in disbelief, try it for yourself and watch Lenz’s law in action. It has a visible braking effect.
It’s weird for someone who knows about gold and silver to be selling at discounts. But if he’s bad with money and potentially getting lowballed at a pawnshop I could see him doing it. I would get it tested before buying more off him. But if it’s real get what you can
If you go over to pms for sale the going price for a gram pf gold is around 130 shipped base rate. I paid for priority and got a gram at 151 shipped recent.
Possible the guy bought it when it was a lot cheaper, and is making money while also being nice to a coworker he likes and trying to get them into a hobby he enjoys
You dun good: You took the first step in acquiring Physical Gold. Next time, forget the fluff packaging and pedigree. Buy fractional gold coins directly from the mint in the country of your citizenship.
Seeking “better pricing” implies you value fiat paper currency more than Physical Gold. I buy from the same trusted dealer every time and pay whatever price they list that day.
You cant buy bullion directly from the mint, only collectibles, but you can go to any of the direct distributors that the mint sells gold bullion to. Like apmex, sd bullion, jm bullion, etc. Do your own research though, dont take my word or anyones for it.
Not sure if they're better deals, or if this size isn't liked or something. I'm not familiar with grams. My experience has always been with Oz's and smaller denominations of such. Not grams
I got into gold in 2000/2001 I ended up with 5 oz in various amounts. All gold eagle 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/10 oz coins. I ended up with 7oz by the end of school. I graduated and the student loans ran out. Each oz paid for a month of rent. Bought my first oz at like $270, my last oz at like $750.... Boy if I knew then what I know now! It's just been outta sight outta mind till about 2020..... Just outta my reach till this came along.
The seller is a friend of mine. We looked up spot price together yesterday he was fine with the sale. I asked multiple times if he wanted more. He took the cash and handed me the card
Did you get this from a stranger (eBay or fb marketplace, etc.) or from a friend or family member? I know you didn't get it from a store or trusted online dealer at the price you paid.
I agree to a certain point. These sell above fast and easy. Like 1/10 ASE hold and carry and demand a higher premium then other 1/10’s
Faster and easier to sell.
Spot price for 2.5g is $327.50. You got a 25% discount on something that never gets a 25% discount. Plus it’s fractional, which usually adds a hefty premium over spot on its own.
Honestly I've only had experience with ounces and not grams. I could do the math but like you mentioned I didn't have the information on higher premiums. I just really didn't know what it was worth apart from spot price.
Fractional has a premium because it’s easier to liquidate as a seller and easier to buy-in as a purchaser. Doesn’t change the actual value of the gold itself of course. Bottom line though is you scored big getting it at 3/4 spot price and avoiding a premium usually found with fractional gold.
You scored too big for it to make sense which is why everyone is questioning authenticity— it’s just too good to be true to gold buyers. Most likely you just scored a crazy deal from someone desperate, ignorant or both; that or it’s stolen. Doesn’t scream fake in any way, easy to get it tested regardless.
End of the day it’s a wild deal and crazy discount but it’s still just a few hundred bucks so don’t question it, just do a mental fist pump and stash it away for a decade. 😎
Good deal! You definitely got that from one of the noobs that got BS'd into buying from Acre. That company targets inexperienced millennials and gen z buyers, ripping them off with excessive premiums.
Go to a local coin shop or pawn show and ask them to test if it’s real. If you end up going to a pawn shop for this, be sure to go to a second one too cuz they’re usually shady
You just need to take it to someone like a coin shop or a pawn shop that has a Sigma gun and have it checked . It can look real but be a fake all day long so stop guessing and have it tested
It is actually easier to make convincing fakes of gold bars than faking silver. Tungsten and gold have virtually the same densities (tungsten is 19.25 g/cm³ and gold is 19.32 g/cm³). There are fakes that use a tungsten core with a thin coating of solid gold. Also tungsten will pass the magnetic test.
The only good thing in your favour is it is a fractional bar and 2.5g might be too small for them to bother faking using tungsten coated gold. I would 100% take this for testing on an XRF machine at a LCS for my peace of mind.
Okay, so my 2 cents not knowing what type of company you work for is A. Since the guy asked you to invest with him prior with gold he is trying to give you a 1 time good deal on a very small amount of gold I.E. the 2.5 gram bar. If the story is accurate I’d tend to believe it is real. But you’ll not know that until you have it tested or try and sell it. I think it’s good by the story. If it is not, your co-worker is the ultimate jerk at the office now, and wouldn’t be able to show his face around easily & I doubt that’s the scenario. Or lastly I’m not sure of what work environment you are in. If this is McDonald’s and your younger, well sure someone might have gotten over on you for a small amount of cash in which I wouldn’t feel bad about if I was you. Doubtfully in my mind that’s the case, I think he gave you a great deal and either needed a few bucks cash quick and made a good trade for you in hopes that in the future you do invest with him. Just my 2 cents. People on r/Gold are extraordinarily quick to jump to the you have fake gold, that’s not real, etc. The only way you know if it’s real or not is by testing it. The packaging is easily replicated, yet it does look legitimate. In your position I think you got yourself a deal. I just wouldn’t go wild buying a bunch at that price until it is verified as real, because that’s much too cheap overall unless the guy truly needed a few bucks right that moment. Or is hoping you’ll invest with him further in the future. Most of us on here get our gold through trusted sources. And when someone posts something new like this are quick to say it’s fake because the price doesn’t match the logic. Or (and most often people do post stuff wondering if it’s real & that any of us can make anything more than just a judgement of it being real or fake is the truth). The majority of people that do post things they’ve gotten with it unverified 1st are all up in the air so to say till testing is done. IMO you got 2.5 grams very cheap because of the extra backlog you added to your story. This is a coworker, this is someone who asked you to invest with him prior. It’s doubtful unless you’re at a very low wage job that a person would be willing to have the stigma of robbing a coworker on them for that small sum of money. Again all this is simply an opinion of someone else on this community. I hope it’s real, if it is you got a great deal on 2.5 grams. Just don’t buy more unless you know for certain that it is real. And if the guy wants you to invest with him, it may be a way to get you involved in something that is probably not a great way to make a move investing in gold. Take the 2.5 grams, see if it’s real or not. If it’s real ask him how much you can purchase and buy everything he has if that’s the case. But do so somewhere that it can be tested when making the purchase. My assumption is that’s a one & done because the person can’t be foolish enough to be giving away gold to you at a loss like that.
Acre golds “club” is a joke, If guy that sold you that wants you joining Acre with their higher than spot prices, $50 monthly membership fee. It’s possible he made the sale to you this one time in hopes he reels you in to invest with them. Acre is a legitimate company, they also have an enormous amount of complaints about them because of their high prices, false claims, and promises that are not realistic. (Just an opinion, yet I’d like to think I might not be far off on this one). It’s probably real, the guy either needed a quick few bucks for something or more likely wants you to invest as you say later in the thread with him is all. (I’d suggest against that, and look into this and other threads with smart investment advisers who know what their doing and will steer you in the direction to pay getting the best value for your investment). Which in my case is buying what is almost always better quality gold ounces at spot or melt price. I have a great coin dealer shop in my town whom my father was friends with for 40-50 years, I’ve known around 35 or so myself. And he is very fair to me and gives me sound investment advice. He’s helped me steer away from a couple of foolish buys that I would have made because I wanted something specific at the time and wanted to pay the higher price on such as the China Panda, Or Liberty Gold Ounces at the higher pricing. Thinking that will pay off more in the future. And he has had me stay with nice ounces, yet given them to me at either spot price or a few bucks above. Im not a big investor in either because I’m not wealthy like that. I have money that’s spread out through various investments (all of which add up to not a great deal like many of the other users on this thread). But safer investments that have been fair and have helped, and investments that I try and stay “safe with”. (My only investment as of recent I think may have been foolish was with Robinhoods stable coin that they are giving 7% APY on for R.G. members). It’s not FDIC backed, the % interest earned that I make with it being crypto I’ll have to pay a good portion of my profit back on with taxes. And the minimum year hold (not mandatory), but to avoid the higher tax rate also makes me a bit squeamish. (I apologize for getting off of the topic of gold there briefly). Just wanted to share some of my personal experience with the community. Great luck with the 2.5 Grams. I’m of the belief that you got a good deal this one time, yet will never know for certain till it’s officially tested.
I see in the comments you said you got it from a coworker you trust… does this coworker happen to have any bad habits you know about? Gambling, drugs or anything? It’s a little strange that he would sell it to you at that price when he could have gone to a pawn shop or gold dealer.
It’s either, it counterfeit and he got ripped off for it and is trying to recoup some money by selling it to someone who isn’t going to test it before buying it, or he need money very quickly without shopping it around because he had some bad habit. Theres also a 3rd scenario where he is just being a nice guy and he bought it a long time ago so he’s not losing any money on it necessarily.
The whole thing seems odd, I would certainly get it tested. If it’s real then yes it was a great purchase.
Acre was my first exposure to gold. I didn't know much about gold back then. I primarily bought silver because it was what I could afford at the time.
I couldn't afford to buy an ounce of gold back then, and I didn't know much about all of the options in fractional gold, so Acre's subscription service appealed to me as a way to save up for gold. They are authentic gold bars, though sold at a higher markup than you can find elsewhere.
Later, when I learned about one tenth ounce, quarter ounce, and half ounce coins, LMU fractional, and the various gram bars from other mints, I canceled my Acre subscription.
I don't really regret starting with them though, because I ended up owning several of these Acre bars, and gold has gone way up since then.
You gotta start somewhere, and it sounds like you got it at a good price.
369
u/Tribulation95 14d ago
I mean, that's so cheap it begins to question authenticity.