Finding an experienced and reputable gold bullion dealer that keeps its mark-ups to a minimum is crucial for anyone considering gold as an investment or collectible. The U.S. Mint operates an online search engine for gold bullion dealers by region, and you can cross-check Mint listings with rankings and report cards from the Better Business Bureau.

Here are some options for prospective gold buyers.

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1. Fidelitrade
Based in Delaware, Fidelitrade buys and sells gold bullion in coin and bar form to individuals and institutional investors. The U.S. Mint, in its Buyer's Guide for American Eagle gold coins, lists Fidelitrade as a national dealer. "Taking Stock" syndicated investment columnist Malcolm Berko names Fidelitrade as a go-to for buying gold.

2. ScotiaMocatta
An arm of Canada's ScotiaBank, ScotiaMocatta is cited by Forbes contributor Nathan Lewis as "one of the largest bullion dealers in North America." ScotiaBank itself has a long history with gold, as a core member of the influential London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), which sets a widely followed gold trading twice every weekday for a group of buyers and sellers.

3. California Numismatic Investments
With its online hub, GoldDealer.com, California Numismatic Investments is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 1981 and has an A+ ranking.

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4. American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX)
APMEX has its headquarters in Oklahoma and counts itself as one of the U.S. Mint's authorized purchasers, able to buy gold in bulk from the federal government and sell it on the open market, according to CoinWeek. The Mint sells proof coins, uncirculated coins and certain collectibles directly to the general public, but official gold bullion coins for general circulation are sold only in bulk through this authorized network of official distributors.

5. MTB
MTB in New York is another default gold seller often cited by financial advice columnists such as Bob Frick, writing for Kiplinger.

6. Dillon Gage
Dillon Gage in Dallas buys gold in bulk from many of the world's mints, including the U.S. Mint, which lists the company as a National Dealer in its Buyers Guides for American Eagle gold coins.

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