THE SHORT ANSWER
Enter real holdings, export the record, and keep sensitive custody details elsewhere
This privacy-first worksheet starts empty, accepts coins, bars, jewelry, scrap or other lots, calculates fine-gold totals and a source-labelled USD metal value, and exports CSV or a restorable JSON backup. Nothing is uploaded or silently persisted.
PRIVATE INVENTORY TOOL
Build the current session from your own documents
This worksheet lives only in the current browser tab. Download the JSON backup to continue later. CSV and JSON files are unencrypted; store them securely and avoid full vault locations or account credentials.
Price reference
Shows the source and observation time of the metal price used here. Product premiums, dealer quotes and taxes are separate.
- Source
- No provider
- Observed
- Observation time unavailable
- Age
- Checking age…
- Delivery
- No data layer available
Checking the current market reference.
Add one real inventory line. GoldObserve does not seed sample assets or fabricate cost basis.
FIELD METHOD
One line should represent one economically consistent lot
Split holdings when acquisition date, cost basis, product, condition, custodian or ownership differs. Combining ten identical coins bought in one order can be efficient; combining inherited coins, recent purchases and proof collectibles into one row destroys the evidence needed for sale, insurance and tax work.
Product, issuer, size and year when relevant.
Not gross alloy mass.
Resolve missing evidence separately.
Short file or holder identifier only.
EXPORT BOUNDARY
JSON restores the worksheet; CSV supports review
The JSON backup preserves the structured lines and quote captured in the export. CSV opens easily in spreadsheet software but may transform dates or long identifiers, so it is not the authoritative restore format. Both files are ordinary unencrypted text.
Keep at least one protected backup separate from the device used to maintain the inventory. Test the import after material changes. Do not email a full holdings file casually or store it beside unencrypted photographs that reveal location.
VALUE LIMIT
Metal value is a measurement, not an appraisal
The worksheet multiplies fine ounces by one USD gold reference. It does not value stones, manufacturing, collectible scarcity, condition, taxes, buyer spread or policy settlement. A proof coin, antique jewelry item and refinery lot can require three different valuation workflows even if each contains one fine ounce.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Why these fields exist
- IRS Publication 551 for basis records.
- NAIC home inventory guidance for item documentation and export.
- U.S. Mint consumer awareness for product verification and transaction evidence.
FAQ
Gold inventory questions
Does GoldObserve save my gold inventory?
No. Entries remain only in the current browser tab. Download the JSON backup before closing or refreshing, then import that local file later. GoldObserve receives no inventory payload.
Why is the backup not stored in localStorage?
A physical-gold inventory is sensitive owner data, not a preference. Explicit files make storage and deletion visible and avoid silently treating one browser profile as an authoritative vault record.
What does current metal value include?
Quantity multiplied by fine-gold ounces per item and the displayed USD price per fine ounce. It excludes collectible premium, stones, workmanship, tax, delivery, assay, bid spread and sale costs.
Is metal value minus cost my taxable gain?
No. It is an unrealized comparison using the current reference. Tax gain generally requires a disposition and depends on amount realized, adjusted basis and applicable rules.
Can I put exact storage details in the reference field?
Avoid it. Use a short internal label and keep precise locations, access codes and credentials in a separate protected system.