Except for rollover contributions (see the section Rollovers to Your IRA), all contributions to an IRA must be made in cash. No deduction is allowed for any contributions of property other than cash. Cash means currency or negotiable instruments. Once the IRA account is established, the funds can generally be invested in almost any type of investment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: An IRA cannot be invested in collectibles. Collectibles include any work of art, rug, antique, gem, stamp, coins (other than certain gold or silver coins issued by the U.S. and certain state-issued coins), alcoholic beverages (such as vintage wines), musical instruments, historical objects, or any other item the IRS deems to be a collectible.