I have an account with
APMEX. Traditional financial advice is to put 10% of your investments in Bullion. I recommend an in hand mix of silver and gold. The 10% figure is probably too low with the sovereign debt crisis.
Bullion is not an investment, but insurance that your capital will be maintained during high periods of inflation or fiat currency collapse.
Beans, Bandaids, Bullets and Bullion (4Bs)