The tax you pay when you buy
Sales tax is a state question and the exemptions change by legislative session. The categories and tests states use, and what to check for your own.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Alabama
Alabama exempts refined bullion and money from state sales tax through May 31, 2028, if it meets purity and pricing conditions. Jewelry does not qualify.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Alaska
Alaska has no state sales tax, but about 110 local governments levy their own. Whether bullion and coins are taxed depends on the local ordinance.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Arizona
Arizona's state transaction privilege tax excludes precious metal bullion and monetized bullion. City taxes can still apply, including to numismatic coins.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Arkansas
Arkansas exempts coins, currency and bullion from sales and use tax under Ark. Code 26-52-454. Learn what qualifies and what does not.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in California
California exempts gold and silver bullion and coins from sales tax only when a single transaction totals $2,000 or more. Below that, the sale is taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Colorado
Colorado exempts precious metal bullion and qualifying coins from state sales tax, with no dollar threshold. Learn what qualifies and where local rules differ.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Connecticut
Connecticut exempts gold and silver bullion and rare coins from sales tax, but only when the retailer's total sale is $1,000 or more. The rule changes July 1, 2027.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Delaware
Delaware imposes no state or local sales tax, so buying gold and silver bullion or coins carries no sales tax. A gross receipts tax applies to sellers.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Florida
Florida exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion from sales tax in any amount since August 1, 2025, and adds a coin exemption from July 1, 2026.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Georgia
Georgia exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion and coins or currency from sales tax. Jewelry and artwork are taxable. The coin exemption expires in 2029.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Hawaii
Hawaii has no sales tax; instead a general excise tax applies to sellers' gross proceeds, and no exemption exists for bullion or coins.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Idaho
Idaho exempts precious metal bullion and monetized bullion from sales tax. Learn what qualifies, what does not, and how the rule applies to coins and jewelry.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Illinois
Illinois exempts legal tender, government-issued gold and silver coinage, medallions and bullion from sales tax, with no dollar threshold. Jewelry is taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Indiana
Indiana exempts qualifying coins and bullion from sales tax when they meet IRA fineness rules. Learn what qualifies, what does not, and why rare coins are taxed.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Iowa
Iowa exempts coins, currency and bullion from sales tax under Iowa Code 423.3(91). No dollar threshold or purity test applies. Learn what qualifies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Kansas
Kansas exempts gold and silver coins and gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion from sales tax, with no purity test and no dollar threshold.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Kentucky
Kentucky exempts currency and bullion from sales tax, including gold and silver bars and coins. Jewelry and collectibles stay taxable. Rule checked October 2026.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Louisiana
Louisiana excludes platinum, gold and silver bullion from taxable tangible personal property, and numismatic coins up to $1,000. See what qualifies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Maine
Maine charges sales tax on gold and silver bullion and coins. No exemption exists, and a 2025 bill to create one died in the Legislature.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Maryland
Maryland exempts precious metal bullion and coins from sales tax only when the sale price is greater than $1,000. Smaller purchases are taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Massachusetts
Massachusetts exempts gold and silver bullion, coins and rare numismatic coins from sales tax when the sale totals $1,000 or more. Smaller sales are taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Michigan
Michigan exempts investment coins and bullion from sales tax. Learn what qualifies, purity rules, and what buyers often misunderstand.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Minnesota
Minnesota exempts only 99.9% precious metal bars and rounds from sales tax. Coins, jewelry, works of art and scrap metal remain taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Mississippi
Mississippi exempts coins, currency and bullion from sales tax under SB 2862, effective July 1, 2023. No dollar threshold or purity test applies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Missouri
Missouri exempts bullion and investment coins from state and local sales tax, with no dollar threshold. Learn what qualifies and what does not.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Montana
Montana has no general sales tax, so no state sales tax applies to gold or silver bullion and coins. Learn what that means for buyers.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Nebraska
Nebraska exempts gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion and currency coins from sales tax. No dollar threshold or purity test applies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Nevada
Nevada generally taxes gold and silver bullion and collector coins. Learn what qualifies for the medium-of-exchange exception and how NAC 372.170 applies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no general sales tax on goods, so buying gold or silver bullion and coins there does not add a state sales tax at checkout.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in New Jersey
New Jersey exempts qualifying investment metal bullion from sales tax with no dollar threshold, but investment coins need a fair market value of at least $1,000.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in New Mexico
New Mexico has no deduction for investment bullion or coins, so gold and silver purchases are subject to gross receipts tax. SB 174 (2026) was not enacted.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in New York
New York exempts investment bullion and coins over $1,000 from sales tax when price limits are met. See the rules, thresholds and common mistakes.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in North Carolina
North Carolina exempts investment metal bullion, investment coins and non-coin currency from sales tax, with no minimum purchase amount and no local tax.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in North Dakota
North Dakota exempts legal tender coins and precious metal bullion refined to at least .999 purity from sales tax. No minimum purchase amount applies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Ohio
Ohio exempts investment metal bullion and investment coins from sales tax, with fineness tests for gold, silver, platinum and palladium. No minimum purchase.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Oklahoma
Oklahoma exempts bullion coins, bars and legal tender sold for precious-metal value or as an investment. Jewelry and artistic metal are taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Oregon
Oregon has no general sales tax, so buying gold or silver bullion and coins does not trigger a state sales tax. Learn what this means for buyers.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania exempts investment metal bullion and investment coins from sales tax, with no minimum purchase. Jewelry and commemorative medallions remain taxable.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Rhode Island
Rhode Island exempts precious metal bullion and coins with numismatic or investment value from sales tax. Learn what qualifies and what does not.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in South Carolina
South Carolina exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion, legal-tender coins and currency from sales tax, with no minimum purchase and no local tax.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in South Dakota
South Dakota exempts coins, currency and bullion from sales tax under SDCL 10-45-110. No purity minimum and no purchase threshold apply.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Tennessee
Tennessee exempts coins, currency, and bullion made of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, or other materials from sales tax under Public Chapter 1092 (2022).
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Texas
Texas exempts gold, silver and numismatic coins and platinum, gold or silver bullion from sales tax. No minimum purchase applies. Learn what qualifies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Utah
Utah exempts legal-tender coins and gold, silver or platinum bullion with 50% or more metal content from sales tax. No minimum purchase amount applies.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Vermont
Vermont charges sales tax on gold and silver bullion, ingots, wafers, and most coins. A 2026 exemption bill was never enacted. Confirm with the state before buying.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Virginia
Virginia exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion and legal tender coins from sales tax, with no minimum purchase. The exemption sunsets July 1, 2028.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Washington
Washington began taxing retail sales of precious metal and monetized bullion on January 1, 2026. See what qualifies, what stays exempt, and what buyers get wrong.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. charges sales tax on retail purchases of gold and silver bullion and coins, with no exemption in the D.C. Code for precious metals.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in West Virginia
West Virginia exempts investment metal bullion and investment coins from sales and use tax under W. Va. Code 11-15-9r. Learn what qualifies and what does not.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Wisconsin
Wisconsin exempts precious metal bullion that is at least 35% gold, silver, copper, platinum or palladium and marked or minted by weight, purity and content.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Wyoming
Wyoming charges no sales tax on specie and specie legal tender, including gold and silver coins and stamped bullion. See what qualifies and what does not.
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Sales Tax on Gold and Silver: State Rules
Sales tax on gold and silver varies by state. Learn the common exemptions, thresholds, and product tests, and how to check your own state's rules.
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State Tax on Gold Gains: The Mechanism, Not a List
Most states start from federal taxable income and pick up the gain automatically. Separate from sales tax, and the details vary by state.
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States That Exempt Precious Metals from Sales Tax
Learn how states exempt gold and silver from sales tax, the types of exemptions, and what to check for your state's current rules.
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Tax on Buying Gold: Sales Tax by State
Understand when sales tax applies to gold purchases, how it varies by state, and why selling gold triggers a different tax. Learn the rules and exceptions.