The research desk · working paper
Put two quotes on paper.
The purchase is only half the story. Keep the exit costs beside it.
One product. One currency. The whole cost.
Compare the same product, unit, quantity, payment method and capture time. Different quantities produce different totals; the worksheet does not rank dealers. Enter all amounts in the same currency, using a decimal point and no currency symbols or commas.
Blank means unknown, never zero. Enter 0 only when a written quote confirms no charge. Quantity must be greater than zero; other inputs must be finite and non-negative.
Keep a comparison on this device — optional
Nothing is saved unless you opt in below and press Save or Import backup. This stores both quotes, including dealer labels and notes, in this browser only; it is not uploaded or synced. Device storage is not encrypted and can be read by anyone using this browser or scripts on this site. Do not enter passwords, account numbers, payment details or other secrets. Browser clearing or private browsing may erase it. Downloaded CSV files remain on your device even after you clear saved comparisons.
Up to 20 comparisons. No automatic saving or restoring. Restore replaces the current worksheet after confirmation. Unchecking consent stops new saves; use Clear all to remove previous saves.
Move your saved comparisons
Download backup JSON keeps all saved comparisons for later import; CSV is for reading, not restoring. Only the file you select is read, on this device, with no upload. Import adds comparisons without replacing your worksheet or saved entries. Identical quote fields (regardless of save date or ID) are skipped; different quotes with the same ID get a new ID. The entire import is rejected if it would exceed 20 comparisons or storage limits. Backups must be Goldrush version 1 JSON, at most 250,000 bytes. Blank amounts stay unknown.
Backups include dealer labels and notes, are not encrypted, and remain on your device after clearing saved comparisons. Do not include secrets. Save current edits first to include them in a backup.
Read the arithmetic, not a prediction.
Before entering a sales claim as a quote, read the journal note on requesting written evidence. It helps organize document requests, not verify a seller or guarantee a selling price.
Total purchase = quantity × unit purchase price + total shipping + other purchase fees.
Cost-recovery bid per unit = (total purchase + total selling fees) ÷ quantity. This is the hypothetical bid needed to cover only these entered costs, in your chosen currency per quoted unit; not a market bid, forecast or investment break-even. It does not need a buyback entry. Missing, invalid or out-of-range required amounts remain Unknown. Rounded to two decimals, not a guaranteed minimum price; use unrounded arithmetic when checking a quote. Ongoing costs and taxes on a sale are excluded unless entered. This extra result appears on screen and print; CSV keeps its existing columns.
Net resale = quantity × per-unit buyback bid − total selling fees.
Round-trip difference = total purchase − net resale. A positive figure is a cost gap; a negative figure means the entered resale exceeds the entered purchase, not a promised profit. Screen, print and CSV use the same two-decimal formatting, with decimal half-cent ties rounded away from zero (1.005 becomes 1.01), without thousands separators. Calculations use unrounded inputs.
Include taxes, insurance and payment charges in other fees where applicable. Ongoing storage, IRA administration, future price movements and taxes on a sale are not automatically modeled. A missing input leaves the dependent result unknown. A bid can expire or depend on inspection.
Sources & editorial status
Worksheet edition: . Formulas are disclosed above; all quote evidence must come from your written dealer documents. No current dealer figures have been sourced or independently verified. This is an educational tool without professional financial or tax review.
For background, see the bullion buying notes and IRA guide and official IRS source links. Those links are starting points, not evidence of a fresh regulatory review.