Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

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Padlin
Posts: 1274
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:46 pm
Location: MA

Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

Post by Padlin »

A family member tried buying a single bond on the secondary market yesterday, the webpage said it needed to be 5 or more. I’ve read the minimum is 1, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’ve never tried a low number like that so I have no personal experience. May be because it was a weekend, or that’s just the limit. Has anyone bought a single?

He’s just trying out the process.
Regards | Bob
exodusing
Posts: 2908
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 7:32 am

Re: Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

Post by exodusing »

Padlin wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:44 am A family member tried buying a single bond on the secondary market yesterday, the webpage said it needed to be 5 or more. I’ve read the minimum is 1, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’ve never tried a low number like that so I have no personal experience. May be because it was a weekend, or that’s just the limit. Has anyone bought a single?

He’s just trying out the process.
It depends on what's available in the market for the TIPS in question. Sometimes you can buy a single bond, sometimes the minimum is much higher. It varies depending on which bond you want and trading the day you want to buy. Some other brokerages may have different availability, again it depends.
DukeBlue
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2024 9:10 pm
Location: TX

Re: Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

Post by DukeBlue »

Although I buy through Fidelity, I have bought as little as 1 TIP. The availability of such a small order definitely depends on having the full market open (more sellers), and I find that I can’t place such small orders during the last hour the market is open (as though some sellers have left or don’t make transactions late in the day).
Geologist
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Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:35 pm

Re: Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

Post by Geologist »

I think your family member needs to try when the market is open and not on the weekend.
Topic Author
Padlin
Posts: 1274
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:46 pm
Location: MA

Re: Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

Post by Padlin »

Thanks, he’s supposed to try it tomorrow when they are open.
Regards | Bob
Coffeeinthemorning
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2024 8:33 am

Re: Can I buy just 1 tips bond through Vanguard

Post by Coffeeinthemorning »

I have not bought just one but I believe the issue is that secondary market offerings are at different prices and the price may be slightly different depending on volumes.

If you click on a particular bond it reflects the best priced offering but if you click the "show more" under the bond listing it then shows a listing of the offerings which provides the bid and ask details. Here is where you will see quantity available at that price and also a minimum quantity which is the minimum purchase requirement. There are not many with just 1 but on the first random offering I checked right now there was a TIPS maturing Jan 2033 with a 1.976 yield to maturity but that is for a minimum of 200 but this does have another offering where the total available is 940 and the minimum is just 1 - see below. The price is slightly different and so the this yield to maturity is 1.972:

Action Qty. Min. qty. Price Yield to worst
Buy 5,000 200 93.769 1.976
Buy 940 1 93.796 1.972

So always check the show more and look at the minimum quantity required to be purchased.
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