Independent comparison of 13 trusted UK bullion dealers. We cover pricing, delivery, storage, Trustpilot scores, LBMA and BNTA membership so you can choose the right dealer for your needs.
13
Dealers Compared
4
LBMA Members
3
BNTA Members
8
Free Delivery
| Dealer | Founded | Trustpilot | LBMA | BNTA | Free Del. | Walk-in | Storage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BullionByPost | 2008 | 5.0 | — | — | — | Best overall choice for most UK gold buyers | ||
| The Royal Mint | 886 AD | 2.5 | — | — | Best for provenance and long-term vault storage | |||
| Chards | 1964 | 4.9 | — | Best for sovereign collectors and numismatics | ||||
| Atkinsons Bullion | 1990 | 4.9 | — | — | — | Best reviewed dealer — huge Trustpilot track record | ||
| Sharps Pixley | 1796 | 4.8 | — | — | Best walk-in experience in London | |||
| Hatton Garden Metals | 2007 | 4.9 | — | — | — | — | Best for in-person buying in central London | |
| Baird & Co. | 1967 | 4.0 | — | — | — | Best for own-brand bars direct from the refinery | ||
| Gold.co.uk | 2012 | 4.7 | — | — | — | Best for VAT-free silver storage | ||
| BullionVault | 2005 | 4.7 | — | — | — | — | Best for low-cost digital gold ownership | |
| The Gold Bullion Company | 1993 | 5.0 | — | — | — | Best Trustpilot-rated dealer (5.0/5) | ||
| Physical Gold | 2008 | 4.9 | — | — | Best for tax-efficient investment advice | |||
| Bleyer Bullion | 2009 | 4.4 | — | — | — | Best buyback guarantee | ||
| ATS Bullion | 2002 | 4.9 | — | — | — | Best for walk-in on the Strand + beginners |
17,850+ reviews
UK's largest online bullion dealer by volume. Gold and silver bars and coins with massive product range.
Free fully insured delivery on all orders. Next-day tracked over £400.
Pros
Cons
Best overall choice for most UK gold buyers
Visit BullionByPost550+ reviews
UK's official mint. Produces Britannias, Sovereigns, and all UK legal tender gold coins. The Vault storage and DigiGold.
Free over £250, £5 below. Dispatched within 5 working days.
Pros
Cons
Best for provenance and long-term vault storage
Visit The Royal Mint1,000+ reviews
British gold sovereigns specialist with 5,000+ dated and graded in collection. Numismatic coins and bullion. LBMA full member.
Fully insured delivery via Lloyd's of London. Collection from Blackpool or Hatton Garden showrooms.
Pros
Cons
Best for sovereign collectors and numismatics
Visit Chards20,500+ reviews
Gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Authorised distributor for Royal Mint, Perth Mint, PAMP, Metalor, Scottsdale Mint and Umicore.
Free fully insured delivery on all UK orders.
Pros
Cons
Best reviewed dealer — huge Trustpilot track record
Visit Atkinsons Bullion2,200+ reviews
Full-service precious metal brokerage. Part of Degussa Group, one of Europe's largest retail physical gold sellers.
Free fully insured delivery. Under £500 via Royal Mail 48; over £500 Special Delivery next day.
Pros
Cons
Best walk-in experience in London
Visit Sharps Pixley1,000+ reviews
Family-run dealer in London's historic jewellery quarter. Gold and silver coins and bars with competitive pricing.
£6.50 (up to £1,000), £9.00 (over £1,000). Free walk-in collection from Hatton Garden.
Pros
Cons
Best for in-person buying in central London
Visit Hatton Garden Metals270+ reviews
UK's largest gold refinery. Produces own-brand bars in-house. LBMA full member since 2000.
Fully insured Royal Mail Special Delivery. ~£11 delivery fee. ~20 business day dispatch.
Pros
Cons
Best for own-brand bars direct from the refinery
Visit Baird & Co.1,600+ reviews
Large-scale gold investment and vaulting. Sister site to BullionByPost (same parent company). Positioned for serious investors.
Free fully insured home delivery. Storage withdrawal: 0.35% + £25 handling.
Pros
Cons
Best for VAT-free silver storage
Visit Gold.co.uk3,000+ reviews
Online peer-to-peer precious metals marketplace. Not a traditional dealer — buy fractional shares of LBMA Good Delivery bars stored in professional vaults.
No physical delivery — bullion stays in professional vaults (London, Zurich, New York, Toronto, Singapore).
Pros
Cons
Best for low-cost digital gold ownership
Visit BullionVault460+ reviews
Gold bullion coins and bars. Official Royal Mint Partner. Authorised distributor for Perth Mint, PAMP and Umicore.
Fully insured delivery. Many customers report next-day. Secure collection from Wolverhampton.
Pros
Cons
Best Trustpilot-rated dealer (5.0/5)
Visit The Gold Bullion Company500+ reviews
CGT-exempt gold coins and tax-efficient investment advice. Led by Daniel Fisher with 25+ years in finance.
Free fully insured tracked delivery anywhere in the UK, or insured segregated storage.
Pros
Cons
Best for tax-efficient investment advice
Visit Physical Gold200+ reviews
Gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium. Personal boutique service with strong buyback guarantee.
Free fully insured UK delivery.
Pros
Cons
Best buyback guarantee
Visit Bleyer Bullion420+ (eKomi) reviews
Investment-grade gold and silver with heritage rooted in Spink (est. 1666). LBMA Good Delivery refiner products.
Royal Mail Special Delivery, fully insured.
Pros
Cons
Best for walk-in on the Strand + beginners
Visit ATS BullionAll UK gold dealers charge a premium above the spot price. Here are typical premiums for the most popular products:
| Product | Typical Premium | CGT Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1oz Gold Britannia | 3–6% | CGT Free | New coins carry slightly higher premiums than secondary market |
| Gold Sovereign | 3–10% | CGT Free | Efficient online dealers ~3–5%; high street 8–10% |
| 1oz Gold Bar (LBMA) | 1–5% | Subject to CGT | Lowest premium; larger bars (100g–1kg) at 1–3% |
| 1oz Krugerrand | 3–7% | Subject to CGT | World's most traded gold coin; not UK legal tender |
Independent Research: This comparison is based on publicly available information including dealer websites, Trustpilot reviews, LBMA and BNTA membership directories, and Companies House records. We update this guide regularly.
How We Make Money: Some links may be affiliate links in future. Currently this guide earns no commission. This doesn't affect our ratings or recommendations.
Important: Prices, delivery terms, and stock availability change frequently. Always verify current details directly with the dealer before making a purchase. Gold can go down as well as up in value. This guide is for informational purposes and is not financial advice.
It depends on your priorities. BullionByPost is the largest by volume with free delivery and a perfect 5.0 Trustpilot score. The Royal Mint offers ultimate provenance as the official UK mint with vault storage. Atkinsons has 20,500+ Trustpilot reviews at 4.9/5. If you want to buy in person, Sharps Pixley and Hatton Garden Metals have walk-in showrooms in London.
Yes, buying from established UK dealers is safe. Look for BNTA membership (Atkinsons, ATS Bullion, Physical Gold), LBMA membership (Royal Mint, Chards, Baird & Co, Sharps Pixley), Companies House registration, and strong Trustpilot reviews with high volume. All 13 dealers in our guide have physical UK presence. Never buy from unverified social media sellers.
Gold Britannias typically carry 3–6% over spot, Sovereigns 3–10% (commonly 5–6%), and 1oz gold bars 1–5%. Premiums are higher during strong demand periods. CGT-exempt coins like Britannias often provide better after-tax returns despite their higher premiums, especially for 5+ year holding periods.
BullionByPost, Atkinsons, Sharps Pixley, Bleyer Bullion, Physical Gold, Gold.co.uk, and The Gold Bullion Company all offer free fully insured delivery on all orders. The Royal Mint offers free delivery over £250. Chards includes insured delivery on all orders. Hatton Garden Metals charges £6.50–£9 but offers free walk-in collection.
The British Numismatic Trade Association (founded 1973) requires members to follow a strict Code of Ethics covering authenticity, transparency and fair dealing. BNTA actively combats forgery and theft, and provides dispute resolution for customers. It's an important trust signal — current members in our guide are Atkinsons, ATS Bullion, and Physical Gold.
UK legal tender gold coins (Britannias and Sovereigns) are CGT-exempt, so you pay no Capital Gains Tax on profits. Gold bars have lower premiums (1–5% vs 3–6%) but are subject to CGT. For most UK investors, CGT-free coins provide better after-tax returns over 5+ year holding periods, despite their higher upfront premium.
For physical gold, look for dealers offering free delivery and competitive premiums. BullionByPost and Atkinsons both offer free insured delivery with no minimum order. For the absolute lowest cost per gram, BullionVault's peer-to-peer marketplace charges commissions from 0.05% with storage at 0.12% p.a. — but you won't hold the physical gold yourself.
Options include home safes (ensure adequate home insurance), bank safety deposit boxes (£200–500/year), or allocated storage with dealers. The Royal Mint's Vault (1–2% p.a.) is government-backed and independently audited. BullionVault offers the cheapest vaulting at 0.12% p.a. Gold.co.uk provides VAT-free silver storage with Brink's.
