re: Looking for recommendations for sites to buy gold and silver from.

Apmex is okay. SD Bullion and JM Bullion usually have better pricing and are closer to spot. I usually go with SD bullion, but keep a look out for sales and stuff they have deals on. Especially if you aren't looking for anything specific.

That said, I really wouldn't go deep with stacking gold or silver as an investment. I buy a few things a year, really just as a hobby. I like having some gold coins around and maybe they might be a hedge against a large scale economic failure, but that's doubtful.