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This is a potential avenue of purchasing gold bars at lower prices in expectation of their value going up. But there are higher risks. "We Buy Gold" type places may not sell gold bars. These businesses may only buy your jewelry, so you will want to look elsewhere. Pawn shops are another place you can look, but this is also extremely risky. The dealer may overcharge or undercharge you for the gold bars. Knowing the right price will be as much up to your own research. Additionally, pawn shops may not have a wide selection of purchasing options, or have an accurate account of the history of the product. Sometimes the goods can even be stolen, and you may not be able to verify the weight and purity of the gold. Personal or local sellers can at least offer a more relaxed shopping environment than other choices. This will offer both you and the seller time to explore collecting options, work out details of shipment and storage, and this method offers the benefit of potentially faster fulfillment of your order. These sellers will likely be experienced at negotiating deals. Go in prepared. Have accurate price listings for the sellers you're interested in. Keep the price list out of sight to avoid looking like a newcomer. Don't rush or feel rushed by other hurried buyers and collectors. Be prepared to come back late in a show to take advantage of last minute sales. Have multiple means of payment prepared including cash. You should take an early look around to gauge how much money you will need to have prepared. If you can find a specialty shop, then this is a potential option to buy gold bars. Like the pawn shops, these specialty gold shops are a limited option. Local gold/coin shops may have limited selections and may not even have gold bullion in the form of bars. There could be a price trade off using a local shop. The local shop may help you save on shipping and handling fees by allowing you to pick up your order immediately. But the costs of the seller running the shop, and taxes, will be factored into the sale price. Local shops do have the advantage of the security of a direct transfer of the gold bar product to the purchaser, rather than shipping to an intermediary. You can see the product you will buy immediately. You will not have the rush or hectic situation you would encounter during a show, but you may still have to engage in some negotiating for price. However, you will be able to get more individualized attention including exchange of knowledge about the gold bars you are dealing with. Investment advice may also be exchanged. For example, you might go to a local dealer and ask about his selection of bars, but start off saying, "Is this a good time to buy gold bars compared to other precious metals like silver or platinum?" or "How do your rates compare to the market rate of gold prices?" Payment options will vary, so be prepared to have many options available including cash and credit. There is a great risk for scams with this option. This is a method that should generally be avoided unless you have thorough knowledge of the person you are dealing with, and the technical ability to evaluate the gold bar(s) product for authenticity. Get accurate specifications for each bar you are purchasing. Have means to measure the size and weight of them when you are ready to take possession. Calipers and a scale are good ideas to bring along for the latter. Have up-to-date information on the market price of gold. If the seller is charging much less than the market price, then the deal may be "too good to be true." There is frequently a risk that you will pay and get sold nothing. Have some arrangement of secure payment for goods set up. PayPal is a possibility. PayPal is at least a secure form of payment, but does not guarantee you will receive goods. Walking around with cash in large amounts for the exchange, while feasible, is dangerous. You and the seller need to make arrangements, besides payment, for a safe place to exchange the gold bars (or ship them) that allows you a reasonable amount of security to track and confirm the order. Because both of you are private owners, insurance for the gold bars will need to be arranged early in this process, either on the seller or buyer end. Trust your instincts. If anything about the seller or deal seems uncertain, call it off. You want to be sure that the bars you bought have the proper certification. Gold bars can come brand new from the mint or have passed through several owners before they get to you. Gold bars direct from the mint have the highest "visual" appeal, and lowest chance of being counterfeit. These bars should come with a certificate of authenticity from the mint. Online dealers usually sell these bars. Second-hand gold bars, ones that have lost some shine due to oxidation, do not lose their gold value. These bars are usually sold by local shops and/or collectors. If you buy these bars, insist on getting their assay certificates or "Certicards" issued by the original mint upon their resale.
Look up offers of gold selling from smaller or private dealers. Go to a gold/coin selling show. Go to a gold/coin shop. Buy from a private listing. Confirm authenticity of your gold bar purchase.