Let's start with the cons. The obvious downside to storing precious metals at a depository is that the metal is not on your person. In the event that you need your metal in a hurry, it will not be immediately accessible to you. Additionally, there is a “carry cost” to storing at a depository – a monthly fee to securely store and insure your metal at a facility like TPMD's. The cost of storage and the lack of access to your metals are the two negatives to depository storage.
The first benefit to storing precious metals in a bullion depository is insurance coverage. It is not possible to insure the metals in your home from theft, fire, natural disaster or other calamity. For those with significant precious metals holdings, any loss of this metal could be a financial catastrophe. The same circumstances apply to safety deposit boxes, which are non-insurable, and carry the additional risk of bank closures – which have occurred numerous times in the past – due to levered risk.
The second benefit is personal safety. If a bad actor or actors were to become aware of any sizable fortune kept in a personal residence, it could put the occupants of that home in danger of great personal risk.
The third benefit (one that is unique to TPMD compared to other depositories) is the option of instant liquidity. Unlike other facilities that lack a trading desk, where an individual is required to pay a shipping expense and incur the time delay of shipping metals elsewhere in order to liquidate, the TPMD companion trading desk offers competitive market rates as a market maker in the industry. This means that liquidation is fast and expense-free, with funds being made available within days.
Insurance, safety, and ease of liquidity are advantages of storing with TPMD.
