A gold IRA is an individual retirement account that allows investors to invest in physical gold and other precious metals such as gold coins, bars or bullion. It is often seen as a safer way of investing and is becoming increasingly popular with people approaching retirement who are looking at ways to diversify their investment portfolios. Converting a 401k to a Gold ira rollover is a popular way to invest in gold. It involves utilizing the services of a gold ira company that will manage the set-up and gold acquisition process.