Bullion sales tax · Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sales tax on gold and silver
Is gold taxed in Pennsylvania?
No.
Pennsylvania charges no sales tax on investment precious-metal bullion or on investment coins, meaning government-issued coins (numismatic or bullion) worth more than face value.
- Investment gold & silver
- Tax-free
- Order threshold
- None
- Metals covered
- Gold, silver, platinum and palladium
- Jewelry
- Taxed · about 6.34%
What's taxed in Pennsylvania
| What you're buying | Sales tax | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gold and silver bars and rounds | No sales tax | No sales tax in Pennsylvania, whatever the order size. |
| Gold and silver bullion coins (Eagles, Maple Leafs, Krugerrands) | No sales tax | No sales tax in Pennsylvania, whatever the order size. |
| Platinum and palladium bullion (bars, rounds and coins) | No sales tax | No sales tax in Pennsylvania, whatever the order size. |
| Rare and graded (numismatic) coins | No sales tax | No sales tax in Pennsylvania, whatever the order size. |
| Jewelry | Sales tax applies | Taxed like other goods in Pennsylvania. |
| Medals, collectibles and accessories | Sales tax applies | Taxed like other goods in Pennsylvania. |
The rule, in plain English
Pennsylvania charges no sales tax on investment precious-metal bullion or on investment coins, meaning government-issued coins (numismatic or bullion) worth more than face value.
What counts: "Investment metal bullion": any elementary precious metal (including but not limited to gold, silver, platinum and palladium) that has been smelted or refined and whose value depends on its content and not its form. It excludes precious metal assembled, fabricated, manufactured or processed for specific and customary industrial, professional, aesthetic or artistic uses. "Investment coins": numismatic coins or other forms of money and legal tender made of gold, silver, platinum, palladium or other metal, of the US or any foreign nation, with a fair market value greater than any nominal value. Excludes jewelry or works of art made of coins and commemorative medallions.
Still taxed: Jewelry; jewelry or art made of coins; commemorative medallions; fabricated precious metal for industrial, aesthetic or artistic use; coin banks and coin holders; paper money (DOR: legal-tender US paper money is taxed on the amount over face value, and non-legal-tender paper money on the full price).
This rule took effect on September 6, 2006.
What you would pay: three Pennsylvania examples
| Purchase delivered to Pennsylvania | Sales tax |
|---|---|
| Silver coins, $500 | $0 exempt investment bullion |
| Gold coins, $5,000 | $0 exempt investment bullion |
| A gold necklace, $1,000 | about $63 jewelry is taxed |
Using Pennsylvania's 6% state rate plus the average local rate, 6.34% combined (Tax Foundation, January 2026). Your city or county rate may be higher or lower.
Pennsylvania and its neighbors
- Delaware No sales tax
- Maryland Tax-free on orders over $1,000
- New Jersey Partly tax-free
- New York Tax-free on orders over $1,000
- Ohio Tax-free
- West Virginia Tax-free
Different rules next door: Delaware (no sales tax), Maryland (tax-free on orders over $1,000), New Jersey (partly tax-free) and New York (tax-free on orders over $1,000). Same as Pennsylvania: Ohio and West Virginia. Tax follows the delivery address, not where you live.
Buying from Bullion Trading LLC with delivery to Pennsylvania
Our checkout applies Pennsylvania's rule, so no sales tax is added to investment bullion delivered there.
Orders ship insured and discreetly packed: USPS under $1,000, FedEx with adult signature from $1,000, usually within 2–3 business days after payment clears. Bank transfer and check are our best price; card and PayPal add 5% (up to $7,500).
Tax-free in Pennsylvania: popular coins and bars
The large price is the check/wire price; the card/PayPal price is listed under it. Prices follow the live spot price.
Selling gold in Pennsylvania
Selling gold to a dealer is not a retail purchase, so no sales tax applies. A profit is a capital gain: the IRS taxes gains on gold and silver bullion as collectibles, at up to 28% when held more than a year. Pennsylvania taxes the gain as ordinary income (top rate 3.07% in 2026).
Dealers have to report some larger sales to the IRS on Form 1099-B; keep your purchase receipts to show your cost.
We buy bullion at our counter at 20 West 47th Street in New York: walk in with a photo ID and we pay by same-day check. How selling to us works
Local taxes
The Philadelphia (2%) and Allegheny County (1%) local sales taxes follow the state tax base, so the exemption applies to them as well.
Common questions about Pennsylvania
Is gold taxed in Pennsylvania?
No. Pennsylvania charges no sales tax on investment precious-metal bullion or on investment coins, meaning government-issued coins (numismatic or bullion) worth more than face value.
Is silver taxed in Pennsylvania?
No. Investment silver bullion and coins are exempt from sales tax in Pennsylvania.
Is gold jewelry taxed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Jewelry is taxed like other goods in Pennsylvania (about 6.34% on average with local tax), even when it is made of gold, silver or platinum.
Do I pay tax when I sell gold in Pennsylvania?
Selling gold to a dealer is not a retail purchase, so no sales tax applies. A profit is a capital gain: the IRS taxes gains on gold and silver bullion as collectibles, at up to 28% when held more than a year. Pennsylvania taxes the gain as ordinary income (top rate 3.07% in 2026).
Selling to a dealer
No sales tax
A gain on the sale
Taxed by the IRS as a collectible, up to 28% when held more than a year
Sources
- 72 P.S. § 7204(65) — Exclusion for investment metal bullion and investment coins, with definitions (checked October 19, 2026)
- Pa. Dept. of Revenue, Notice of Taxable and Exempt Property, 55 Pa.B. 3967 (June 7, 2025) — NT: Bullion, investment metal; NT: Coins, investment (numismatic coins and legal tender); T: coin holders; paper money rules (checked October 19, 2026)
- Pa. Dept. of Revenue, 2006 State Tax Summary (Act 67 of 2006) — Investment coins and bullion exempt; excludes jewelry or works of art made of coins and commemorative medallions; effective in 60 days (checked October 19, 2026)
- Pa. Dept. of Revenue, 2009-2010 Estimate Documentation (Act 67 of July 6, 2006) — Exemption effective September 6, 2006 (checked October 19, 2026)
- State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (table: State & Local Sales Tax Rates as of January 1, 2026) (Tax Foundation)
- 2026 Sales Tax Rates, Midyear Update (rates as of July 1, 2026) (Tax Foundation)
- State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (Tax Foundation)
- IRS Topic 409: capital gains and losses (collectibles rate)
How we research and check this guide: our method.