Bullion Dollar-Cost-Average Stack Calculator

Bullion Dollar-Cost-Average (DCA) Stacking

DCA stacking means buying a fixed dollar amount of bullion every month, regardless of price. You buy more ounces when prices are low and fewer when they’re high — averaging out volatility over time.

The math: Ounces this month = (Monthly Budget − Premium) / Spot Price

Premium over spot (typical at retail):

• Generic silver rounds: 8-15% over spot
• American Silver Eagle: 25-40% over spot
• 1 oz gold bars: 3-6% over spot
• 1 oz American Gold Eagle: 4-8% over spot
• Junk silver (90% pre-1965 US coinage): 5-10% over melt
• 100 oz silver bars: 4-8% over spot

Why DCA works for bullion:

1. Removes timing decisions, no need to predict bottoms
2. Lower average cost basis than lump-sum during volatile periods
3. Builds a meaningful position over years without large upfront capital
4. Forces consistent acquisition through both bull and bear cycles

Stacker math examples (rough):

• $200/month silver at $30 spot + 12% premium = ~6 oz/month = 72 oz/year
• $500/month gold at $2,300 spot + 5% premium = ~0.21 oz/month = 2.5 oz/year
• $100/month silver at $25 spot + 10% premium = ~3.6 oz/month = 43 oz/year

Premium reduction strategies:

• Buy in larger quantities (10 oz, 100 oz bars have lower per-oz premium)
• Buy from secondary market (estate sales, online forums)
• Stack pre-1965 90% junk silver: usually lowest premium
• Wait for sales: major dealers run premium-cuts during slow markets

This calculator assumes constant spot price. Real-world stacking benefits more during price dips because you accumulate more ounces — the long-term average works in the stacker’s favor.