Do not expect to walk into a branch and buy gold. Most banks that still participate require you to be an existing account holder and may need to order the metal in advance.
Some private banks allow wealthy clients to buy a claim to gold held in their vaults (starting around $250,000), which avoids the hassle of physical handling.
You won't find a wide variety of weights or styles; banks usually stock only standard 1 oz coins or small bars.
Most major U.S. banks do not sell physical gold to the public. You may have better luck with local credit unions or smaller, rural banks that sometimes buy and sell coins received from customers.
