IRAs can buy shares in trusts invested in gold or silver without triggering collectibles tax:
IRS has privately ruled that the acquisition of shares of a trust invested in gold or silver by either an IRA or an individually-directed account under a qualified retirement plan won’t be considered the acquisition of a collectible and thus the amount invested won’t be treated as a distribution. IRS reached this result even though trust shares are designed to mirror the physical market in gold or silver as the case may be. PLR 200732026 , PLR 200732027