Richmond, California, is part of a conglomerate of cities that comprise the surrounding hub of San Francisco. Richmond is a part of Contra Costa County, but its historical significance vastly exceeds any discussion of its locality.
The lands where Richmond is positioned were settled by an indigenous people approximately 5,000 years ago. That tribe, the Ohlone Indians, was among the earliest known cultures in the United States. These people were a society of travelers who impressively settled more than 50 landholdings.
In 1849, Edmund Randolph became the first representative from San Francisco at the California legislature. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he successfully lobbied this early council to name a region outside of San Francisco in honor of his hometown. More than 50 years later, Richmond was incorporated with the name that Randolph had requested.
During its genesis, Richmond became a fascinating location due to its odd combination of industry and wine vineyards. Standard Oil based its West Coast operations in Richmond in 1901, and vestiges of this business remain to this day. Similarly, Richmond claimed the title of “largest vineyard in the world” prior to the introduction of Prohibition in 1919. Neither of these circumstances would have been possible if not for the town being the terminus of the legendary Santa Fe railroad, which brought all types of industry to Richmond’s border.
As of the 2010 census, Richmond claims a population of 103,701. Since its border is only 17 miles away from the outer boundary of San Francisco, Richmond offers all of the opportunities of a major urban lifestyle with less of the overhead. Due to this proximity, there is a bustling precious metals marketplace in the region. If you plan to visit Richmond, let JM Bullion guide you through some of the popular gold and silver coin shops in the area.
For sales tax information related to precious metals sales in California, please refer to our analysis located here.
Despite its size, the city of Richmond is not overrun with precious metals retailers. In fact, a bullion buyer will probably have to trek outside the city border to find a business that will satisfy your needs. Listed below are some of the popular coin shops in the greater Richmond area.
Only 20 minutes away from Richmond in San Rafael, Gold Hill Coin specializes in coin collections as well as foreign and rare coins. They are an authorized dealer for the PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service), so you can feel confident that they are among the best in the area. In addition to coins, they also sell silver, bullion, and estate jewelry.
(415) 457-9722
1537 4th Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
Also located in nearby San Rafael, California, San Rafael Rare Coin Company has been in business since 1973. They call themselves “treasure hunters” and say that they find real satisfaction in finding the perfect buyers for their products. Rare coins, gold coins, and precious metals are their particular area of expertise, but they also deal in jewelry, books, and coin collecting supplies.
(415) 457-2646
1219 4th Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
For those willing to make the 11-mile drive to Oakland, the Oakland Coin Exchange offers 30 years of experience and knowledge to clients wishing to buy and sell coins, bullion, and currency. They also give free appraisals on estates and large collections.
(510) 832-7358
1725 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612
This is a relatively bare-bones operation, but the establishment does offer “high end” merchandise. The company buys and sells gold and silver including coins, bars and rounds of all sizes. They also have a lively social media presence.
(510) 601-0436
3929 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
We appreciate you visiting our guide to buying gold and silver in Richmond, California. If you’re aware of any other local coin or bullion shops in the area, please let us know so we can update our directory.