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.
Missouri does not charge sales tax on purchases of bullion or investment coins. The exemption applies to both state sales and use tax and to all local sales taxes, and it has no minimum purchase amount.
What Qualifies as Bullion in Missouri
Bullion means gold, silver, platinum or palladium held in a bulk state. The metal is valued on its content rather than its form, and it must have a purity of at least 900 parts per 1,000. Bars, rounds and similar bulk metal that meet that purity standard fall inside the exemption.
What Qualifies as an Investment Coin
Investment coins are numismatic coins, or other money or legal tender, made of gold, silver, platinum, palladium or other metals, whose fair market value is greater than their face value. A coin that trades above the amount stamped on it is treated as an investment coin under this rule.
No Dollar Threshold
Missouri’s exemption does not set a dollar threshold. A qualifying purchase is exempt regardless of the amount spent, so a single small coin and a large bullion order are treated the same way under the statute.
Local Sales Taxes
The statute expressly exempts these purchases from all local sales taxes as well as state sales and use tax. That means a city, county or other local jurisdiction does not add its own sales tax on top of a qualifying bullion or investment coin purchase.
Missouri gold and silver tax treatment at a glance
| Item | Missouri treatment |
|---|---|
| Bullion (gold, silver, platinum, palladium; bulk state; purity at least 900/1,000) | Exempt |
| Investment coins (numismatic coins or other money/legal tender with fair market value greater than face value) | Exempt |
| Dollar threshold | None |
| Local sales taxes | Exempt from all local sales taxes |
| Effective date of current version | August 28, 2001 (first enacted 2000) |
What Buyers Commonly Get Wrong
One common mistake is assuming a minimum purchase is required before the exemption applies. Missouri’s rule has no dollar threshold, so the size of the transaction does not decide whether tax is charged.
Another is treating the exemption as state-only. The statute also specifically exempts these purchases from all local sales taxes, so local add-ons do not apply to qualifying bullion and investment coins.
A third is overlooking the purity and valuation tests. Bullion must be in a bulk state, valued on content rather than form, with purity of at least 900/1,000. Investment coins must have a fair market value greater than face value. Items that do not meet those descriptions are not covered by the exemption as written.
Finally, some buyers assume the rule is new. The current version dates to August 28, 2001, though the provision was first enacted in 2000.
The rule was checked in October 2026 and can change with new legislation. Confirm the current treatment with the Missouri Department of Revenue before a large purchase. For general background on how precious metals are taxed federally, see sales tax on gold. The official source is Missouri Revised Statutes section 144.815.
For advice about a specific situation, consult a tax professional or your own preparer.
Common questions
Does Missouri charge sales tax on gold and silver bullion?
No. Missouri exempts purchases of bullion and investment coins from state sales and use tax and from all local sales taxes.
Is there a minimum purchase amount for the Missouri bullion exemption?
No. The exemption has no dollar threshold, so qualifying purchases are exempt regardless of the amount.
Do local sales taxes still apply to bullion in Missouri?
No. The statute expressly exempts these purchases from all local sales taxes as well as state sales and use tax.
What counts as bullion or an investment coin in Missouri?
Bullion is gold, silver, platinum or palladium in a bulk state, valued on content rather than form, with purity of at least 900/1,000. Investment coins are numismatic coins or other money or legal tender of those or other metals with a fair market value greater than face value.
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