Abstract: Methods and apparatus for facilitating an exchange of ferrous, non-ferrous and platinum group metals via an electronic network are disclosed. In operation, an authorized metal seller uploads information about one or more physical lots of metal and/or one or more derivative contracts to an exchange server. In addition, the metal seller may upload information about preexisting credit relationships he has established with certain metal buyers. Subsequently, an authorized metal buyer downloads the information. Although the metal seller's identity is preferably unknown to the metal buyer, an icon is placed next to each metal lot which belongs to a metal seller who has a preexisting credit relationship with the metal buyer. In addition, the metal buyer may access other information and services such as price indices, hedging, and financing, from within the same web site or from a separate web site.