Mint Builder Review 2.0: Monthly numismatic sub recruitment
BehindMLM first reviewed Mint Builder back in 2018.
A reader left a comment on our review last month to advise there have since been several changes made to the MLM offering.
Today we revisit Mint Builder for an updated review.
The Company
Mint Builder is still run by founder Matt Barkes (right).
In 2018 Barkes had an active Facebook account, revealing he ran Mint Builder from Indiana in the US.
Barkes’ two known Facebook accounts were abandoned roughly a month after we published our initial review.
Location information has been scrubbed from both of Barkes’ Facebook profiles. According to Barkes’ LinkedIn profile, he’s now based out of Michigan.
Mint Builder provides a virtual UPS store address in Florida on its website.
Mint Builder’s Products
Mint Builder markets a range of bullion, semi-numismatic assets and numismatic assets.
Most of the products featured in Mint Builder’s store are coins, although there are some more exotic purchasable items:
Mint Builder’s Compensation Plan
Mint Builder pays retail commissions on any sales made through its online store.
The bulk of Mint Builder’s compensation plan however is weighted towards recruitment, both direct and residual.
Retail Commissions
Mint Builder affiliates earn 1% on the sale of bullion to retail customers.
Recruitment Commissions
Mint Builder affiliates are paid 10% of membership fees paid by personally recruited affiliates.
Residual Commissions
Mint Builder appears to pay residual commissions via a unilevel compensation structure.
A unilevel compensation structure places an affiliate at the top of a unilevel team, with every personally recruited affiliate placed directly under them (level 1):
If any level 1 affiliates recruit new affiliates, they are placed on level 2 of the original affiliate’s unilevel team.
If any level 2 affiliates recruit new affiliates, they are placed on level 3 and so on and so forth down a theoretical infinite number of levels.
Mint Builder caps residual commissions at 5 unilevel team levels.
Residual commissions are paid as 50% of retail and recruitment commissions earned by downline affiliates across these five levels.
Joining Mint Builder
Affiliate membership options provided in Mint Builder’s compensation plan do not match up with what’s on their website.
The lowest affiliate membership tier in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation is basic membership for $39 ($37 on Mint Builder’s website).
The lowest affiliate membership subscription tier on Mint Builder’s website is Micro Saver.
Micro Saver is $17 a month and includes “$7 coin value”.
The lowest affiliate membership subscription tier in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation is Silver Piece.
Silver Piece is $47 a month and includes “$17 coin value”.
Silver Piece and higher subscription affiliates gain access to wholesale pricing in Mint Builder’s online store.
Here are the rest of Mint Builder’s affiliate subscription membership tiers:
- Silver Saver (not in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation) – $65 a month, includes “$33+/- bullion value
- Platinum Gram (not in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation) – $85 a month, includes “$63+/- bullion value”
- Around the World – $97 a month, includes “$80 coin value”
- Gold Gram Bundle (not in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation) – $117 a month, includes “$95 +/- bullion value”
- Bullion & Numismatic Bundle (not in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation) – $127 a month, includes “$30 +/- bullion value and $80 +/- numismatic value”
- The Select Few Bundle – $177 a month, includes “$180 coin value”
- Global Elite Bundle (not in Mint Builder’s compensation documentation) – $497 a month, includes “asset valued well in excess of $595 +/-, access to wholesale pricing and “secret discounts”
Conclusion
Executive and product details of Mint Builder remain mostly unchanged since our January 2018 initial review.
There’s more on offer in Mint Builder’s online store, as opposed to the handful of bars and coins they had two years ago.
Out of curiosity I punched in the Palau Skull into into Google. It seems to go for just shy of $1500, which makes Mint Builder’s $1157 “member’s price” pretty competitive.
If you’re in the market for a silver skull that is.
On the compensation side of things retail is mostly a gimmick. 1% of retail bullion sales is dwarfed by the rest of Mint Builder’s compensation plan, which is geared to signing affiliates up on a monthly subscription.
In this sense nothing much has changed since ISN Coins; Mint Builder is still operating as an autoship recruitment scheme.
As per the FTC, MLM companies who don’t derive the majority of sales revenue from retail customers are pyramid schemes.
The easiest way to verify this yourself is ask your potential Mint Builder upline what their verifiable retail sales volume has been over the past three months.
If they can’t provide this information to you or won’t, assume the majority of their earned commissions are tied to recruitment.
If they’ve made some retail sales, compare that with what they’re earning on recruited affiliates each month.
If retail doesn’t at least match their recruitment commissions, that affiliate is running their Mint Builder business as a pyramid scheme.
Given Mint Builder’s history dating back to ISN Coins, outside of product expansion and compensation simplification, the core recruitment-focused business model has remained intact.
One major change from ISN Coins was Mint Builder introducing bitcoin.
Today there’s no mention of bitcoin in Mint Builder’s compensation plan or on their website.
That side of the business appears to have been quietly dropped.
In late 2019 BehindMLM reviewed QuickSilver, which we noted was the second ISN Coins spinoff.
Like ISN Coins and Mint Builder, QuickSilver was affiliate autoship recruitment focused.
Alexa traffic analysis reveals traffic to QuickSilver’s website plummeted in September 2020.
Update 24th February 2025 – A reader in the comments below has informed me that Mint Builder now goes by MB Bullion.
I was able to confirm this by visiting Mint Builder’s original website domain, which now redirects to “mbbullion.com”. Not MB Bullion still uses Mint Builder branding.
The reader also claims Mint Builder has ditched MLM and gone with a single-level affiliate model.
I wasn’t able to confirm this owing to MB Bullion hiding compensation details from consumers.
Update 5th March 2025 – MintBuilder affiliates are being urged to migrate to MB Bullion as “the old MintBuilder website will be taken down soon”.
MintBuilder affiliates are being enticed to sign up for MB Bullion with a 50% lifetime discount on MB Bullion’s $39 a month, $299 annual or $999 lifetime memberships.
A February 24th, 2025 MB Bullion marketing video also confirms MintBuilder’s MLM compensation plan has been dropped:
As per the video screenshot above, everything sold within MB Bullion has a corresponding “MBP” value. Affiliates earn a percentage of this value on their personal sales.
The exact percentage is determine dby how much they’ve earned through MB Bullion.
There is a 5% bonus pool but qualification is tied to personal volume as per MB Bullion’s affiliate model.
Can you do an updated review?
Thank you.
I’ve added Mint Builder to the review list for an update.
Note it’ll probably take a while as the longer review list has been backlogged for some time.
Went to their website to check out their offerings. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, about 4% of the offerings were close to a 7. I did not see any 10’s. 80% were in the 4-5 range, and the rest were 2 at best.
The pricing for the silver coins clearly were for lower grade quality of coins, and this was in their collectible series. Their pricing reflected it as it was close to the spot price of 1oz silver. A collectible would demand a much higher price.
A big turnoff was to see the membership information, you had to signup. Big no-no, red flag, and a violation of the FTC rules.
In short low grade quality of coins and collectibles. You do not get to take possession of your gold or silver bars. Another red flag for me. They disappear and so does your bars.
Mint Builder is no longer an MLM company. They are now a straight “Affiliate” company. Their new name is MBBullion……….for Mint Builder Bullion.
Thanks for the update!
Was able to confirm the new MB Bullion domain. Wasn’t able to confirm the switch to a single-level compensation plan.
Review updated to confirm MB Bullion reboot is non-MLM.
Hello Lynn,
Thank you for taking the time to review our site and share your feedback.
I would like to respectfully clarify a few points regarding your comments:
Product Quality:
All of our bullion products at MintBuilder are sourced exclusively from trusted, globally recognized mints such as Asahi, Scottsdale Mint, the U.S. Mint, and others.
We guarantee a minimum purity of .999 fine silver and .9999 fine gold on all bullion items, with full transparency on product specifications.
Our collectible coins are also clearly categorized by type and condition, and we do not list lower-grade bullion as collectible-grade unless specifically noted.
Membership Requirement:
Purchasing precious metals from MintBuilder does not require a membership. We welcome both retail customers and VIP members.
Membership is purely optional and provides additional savings and benefits for those who choose to participate. Also please note that our Affiliate platform is free and not attached to a requirement of the VIP membership.
Physical Delivery of Metals:
It is incorrect to state that customers do not take possession of their metals. MintBuilder ships physical gold and silver directly to customers’ designated shipping addresses.
For our customers that choose to store their metals we do offer a secure storage option with our partner IDS of Delaware.
Transparency and Compliance:
We are committed to operating fully within FTC guidelines and take transparency very seriously. Our membership program details, pricing, and policies are openly shared to ensure an accurate understanding of the benefits being offered.
We truly appreciate constructive feedback and continuously strive to provide an outstanding experience for both new and returning customers.
If you have any specific concerns or would like to learn more about our products and services, we would be happy to provide further clarification.
It should be noted Lynn was commenting on Mint Builder, which definitely operated in violation of the FTC Act as an autoship recruitment scheme.
Changing your comp plan and then addressing criticism of your previous model as if said criticism was directed at the changed you made is disingenuous.
Hello Oz and readers,
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respectfully address the conversation.
First, for full transparency:
The feedback Lynn originally shared contained inaccuracies that I feel are important to clarify for anyone seeking to understand our company today.
1. Product Quality and Delivery:
MintBuilder (now operating primarily through MBbullion.com) has always shipped physical precious metals directly to customers who choose delivery.
We also offer secure storage through IDS of Delaware for clients who prefer professional vaulting. All of our metals are sourced from globally recognized mints, and product specifications — including purity and weight — are clearly listed.
2. Memberships and Purchases:
It has never been a requirement to hold a membership in order to purchase from us.
Memberships have always been optional, offering customers access to additional discounts and exclusive benefits if they choose to participate. Our affiliate platform is also completely free, with no VIP membership required.
3. Compensation Structure and Compliance:
MintBuilder has always operated with a focus on the sale and delivery of real precious metals to retail customers, with optional memberships for those seeking additional savings.
We do offer a monthly auto-ship option, which is a common and FTC-compliant practice across many industries, including precious metals. At no time was purchasing a membership or participating in auto-ship required to buy from us.
Our transition to a simplified single-level affiliate model was a strategic decision to create even greater transparency and ease of understanding for our affiliates who bring new customers to MintBuilder.
This change reflects our long-term commitment to making precious metals ownership and earning opportunities as simple and accessible as possible, while continuing to operate fully within FTC guidelines.
We always welcome honest reviews based on accurate information. Our mission is to make precious metals ownership simple, affordable, and transparent for everyone — whether retail customer, wholesale member or affiliate.
Mathew, since you want to imply that I was not using “accurate information” when I posted, thus making my comments invalid. So let me clarify my initial post. As Oz said, I was basing it on your website at the time I wrote my comments.
At that time you were operating as a MLM, and you did have to sign up to view the membership information. Nowhere on the website was it stated you could have your coins shipped to you. I was only commenting on the information that was provided on your website at the time I made my post.
Now to your website today. Since you did not like my comments about the “quality of your coins” when I reviewed the old site, I just visited your new site and only looked at your silver coin offerings. But before I state what I saw, a little background for you.
I have been collecting silver coins for more years that probably you are old. So I am very familiar with NGC and PCGS grading services. In fact I have been to the PCGS facility several times.
I am also very well versed in the grading system of coins. So I am not a novice when it comes to numismatic collectables and trading. My comments were based on my years of coin collecting, and as I said it was MY OPINION.
So let’s fast forward to today. I went to the new website to take a look at your coin offerings, since that was what I commented on in my first post.
There were more offerings than when I visited the old website over a year ago. As to the quality of coins, they have improved. But what hasn’t improved is the pricing. I am only going to give one example which I picked at random:
The listing for the 2007 American Silver Eagle Proof – Brilliant Uncirculated (No OGP)W is listed for $69.95. For those that don’t know, OGP means Official Government Packaging, except this coin is not in OGP as clearly stated.
It appears to be presented in a cardboard display case with a clear insert. It is also not graded by any rating service.
All of that is fine and good, but so what? Well, the so what is this same coin can be bought today for 1/2 the price listed for your sale price. This is according to the USA Coin Book. And their coin comes in a circular plastic case.
As I said in my original post, it was MY OPINION as to the quality of the coins offered at that time. Just as it is MY OPINION as to the quality and pricing of the coins listed on the website.
The Market decides on the value of a coin, not my opinion or yours; and the market says your coin is overpriced. Which begs the question: How many of your other coins (silver and gold) are also overpriced?
@Mathew
Lynn wasn’t providing feedback on Mint Builder post-pyramid collapse and reboot. And the Mint Builder reboot doesn’t even go by Mint Builder so…?
What you’re actually doing is trying to rewrite history. Mint Builder, as reviewed here, was as an autoship recruitment scheme.
Said recruitment scheme collapsed, prompting a non-MLM reboot as MB Bullion.
You know as well as I do the majority of Mint Builder subscribers were affiliates. If you had a sizeable retail customer base Mint Builder wouldn’t have collapsed.
Hello Lynn,
Thank you again for the follow-up, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify your ongoing concerns.
Let me address a few key points directly:
1. Website Access & Shipping (Past vs. Present):
You stated that “nowhere on the website” did it mention customers could receive physical delivery of metals. Respectfully, that was never the case.
MintBuilder has always shipped physical gold and silver directly to customers’ homes, as is standard across the industry. Like most retail sites, coins could be added to the cart and checked out — no “instruction” was required to explain that delivery was part of the process.
2. Membership Visibility & Model:
You noted that our site once required login to view full membership details. That functionality, again, was never tied to product access or purchasing ability.
It simply gated deeper membership benefit descriptions — a common UX practice at the time. Our current site reflects a more open layout for convenience, but nothing about our core operations changed in terms of customer access or product delivery. We’ve always operated with transparency, and any suggestions otherwise are inaccurate.
3. Your Coin Price Comparison:
You referenced our 2007 American Silver Eagle Proof (BU, No OGP) listed at $69.95 and claimed that “the market” has it for “half the price.” With respect — that’s misleading.
Let’s break it down:
A raw, ungraded Silver Eagle Proof still trades above the price of a standard bullion coin. Spot price is not the metric — these are numismatic coins, not melt-value bullion.
Even basic raw examples of this coin without OGP typically sell between $55–$75 on major retail sites (eBay, APMEX, JM Bullion, etc.).
Our VIP members pay just $55.95, which is extremely competitive.
And yes — all proof coins come in protective capsules (not cardboard, as you suggested).
If this coin were graded PF70 by PCGS or NGC, as you referenced, it would be listed over $100–$200. We never claimed this was a graded coin, and our pricing reflects that.
We work hard to ensure our retail pricing aligns with national averages and always offer deeper discounts for members who choose to access our VIP savings.
4. Industry Experience:
I appreciate you sharing your background in coin collecting. I’ve also been in the precious metals industry for nearly 30 years (despite the nearly 20 year old screen shot of a video Oz is using to show case me), and like yourself, have toured the PCGS and NGC facilities many times.
MintBuilder maintains an active partnership with NGC, and we offer both bullion and numismatic products tailored to a wide range of collectors and investors. Our experience is not theoretical — it’s built on over two decades of hands-on business and customer service in the metals space.
Final Thought:
I welcome constructive dialogue. But it’s important to clarify incorrect assumptions when they could mislead potential customers — whether about our product quality, shipping policy, pricing structure, or business model.
We are focused on serving real customers with real products — not debating anonymous opinions from individuals who are not and never have been part of our platform.
Oz,
Let’s be clear: you’re not reporting facts — you’re expressing personal assumptions presented as truth.
MintBuilder did not “collapse.” We made a strategic business decision to evolve our brand and structure based on industry demand and long-term positioning. The move to MBbullion.com was part of that growth — not a response to failure, but to better align with market interest in bullion, improve SEO reach, and streamline how we serve both customers and affiliates.
To address your other inaccuracies:
Less than 8% of our total sales were from affiliate purchases. The overwhelming majority came from retail customers purchasing precious metals — not from affiliate autoship, as you incorrectly suggest.
At no time was our model based on forced recruitment or required purchasing to earn commissions. Autoship was optional and fully transparent — just as it is in countless FTC-compliant subscription models.
We are not “rewriting history.” We are correcting false narratives that mislead readers — narratives based not on data, but on your assumptions about our business.
The truth is simple:
Our mission — then and now — is to get as much physical precious metal into the hands of the public as possible, especially as a hedge against persistent inflation. We’ve refined our platform to do this more effectively, efficiently, and transparently.
You’re free to express your opinions, but let’s not confuse opinion with evidence. If your goal is to protect consumers, accuracy should matter.
This will be my final comment. At some point, your readers may reasonably begin to ask what your real purpose is when constructive, fact-based conversation is dismissed in favor of narrative.
MLM + insignificant retail sales = pyramid scheme. 100% fact, no opinion.
Denying commonsense and, more worryingly, the law is an opinion. Which is why you’re here – giving your opinion on the fact Mint Builder is a collapsed pyramid scheme.
Obvious pyramid scheme collapsing is obvious. Mint Builder having no website traffic prior to the reboot betrays any excuses.
And none of this should be surprising. Mint Builder was a clone reboot of ISN Coins, another collapsed MLM pyramid scheme.
Not as far as the MLM opportunity goes. Otherwise MintBuilder wouldn’t have collapsed.
What you did or didn’t sell outside of the MintBuilder MLM opportunity is neither here nor there.
Nobody said it was. If you’re running an MLM company which, as reviewed here, has an autoship recruitment centric compensation plan – you’re running a pyramid scheme.
Denying Mint Builder was anything but a collapsed pyramid scheme is rewriting history. There’s two BehindMLM Mint Builder reviews spelling out the pyramid scheme.
But hey, you’ve been strawman ignoring Mint Builder being an obvious pyramid scheme since you first showed up on here –
https://behindmlm.com/mlm-reviews/mint-builder-review-isn-coins-reboots-with-bitcoin/#comment-422518
I don’t know why you bothered to turn up with your nArRaTiVeS. Mint Builder is a collapsed pyramid scheme you’ve moved on from.
Between ISN Coins and Mint Builder you’ve demonstrated twice when your MLM autoship pyramid schemes collapses, you change the name and reboot. Thankfully this third time without MLM so I don’t have to waste any more time on you.
People are out of pocket or they aren’t but someone got paid. Save it for Judgement Day Mathew.