Maryland Precious Metals Tax Information
The state of Maryland requires the collection of sales tax on certain products sold by APMEX and delivered to a Maryland address.
Please note: The information below is not a comprehensive description of sales tax laws and requirements in the state of Maryland. It is intended only to provide a brief overview of Maryland sales tax laws and requirements currently in effect that may relate to transactions with APMEX.
Sales tax is generally determined by the laws in effect on the date an order ships, not the date the order is placed. Because sales tax laws and product taxability rules can change, APMEX encourages customers to review applicable tax information before completing a purchase.
What Precious Metals Are Taxed?
Maryland sales tax must be collected on certain products sold by APMEX and shipped to a Maryland address.
Under current Maryland law, the prior broad exemption for precious metal bullion or coins with a sales price greater than $1,000 has been narrowed. Maryland now imposes sales and use tax on precious metal bullion or coins with a sales price greater than $1,000 unless the sale is made at the Baltimore Convention Center. For standard APMEX online transactions shipped to a Maryland address, that Baltimore Convention Center condition generally will not apply. Maryland’s fiscal and policy analysis for House Bill 352 states that Maryland imposes sales and use tax on precious metal bullion or coins with a sales price greater than $1,000 unless the sale is made at the Baltimore Convention Center, beginning in fiscal 2026.
Taxes must generally be collected on:
- Gold products;
- Silver products;
- Platinum products;
- Palladium products;
- Copper products;
- Numismatic products;
- Coins that are not, and have not in the past been, used as a medium of exchange under the laws of Maryland, the United States, or a foreign nation;
- Accessory items; and
- Processed items.
All other products sold by APMEX that do not meet a Maryland sales tax exemption may be subject to Maryland sales tax.
Taxable Products in Maryland
The following definitions apply to products on which Maryland sales tax may be collected:
- Precious Metal Bullion or Coins. Precious metal bullion or coins generally include refined precious metal whose value depends, or under pending SB 309 would primarily depend, on its precious metal content rather than its form, and certain monetized bullion, coins, or other forms of money manufactured from precious metals and used, or previously used, as a medium of exchange under Maryland, United States, or foreign law.
- Numismatic Products. Coins or currency with external value above and beyond the base value of the underlying precious metal due to rarity, condition, age, collectability, or another external factor. Numismatic products may be taxable unless a Maryland exemption applies.
- Medium of Exchange. A coin or other form of money that is, or has in the past been, used as a medium of exchange under the laws of Maryland, the United States, or a foreign nation. Maryland’s precious metal bullion or coin rules may distinguish qualifying precious metal bullion or coins from jewelry, works of art, accessories, processed items, and other taxable products.
- Accessory Items. Items such as holders, tubes, coin flips, storage products, or similar supplies.
- Processed Items. Precious metals that have been processed into items valued on more than their precious metal content, such as jewelry, statues, colorized coins, decorative items, or similar products. Jewelry and works of art made of precious metal bullion or coins are not treated the same as qualifying precious metal bullion or coins for purposes of Maryland’s exemption.
How Does Maryland Calculate Precious Metals Taxes?
Taxes in Maryland are calculated at checkout on the APMEX website based on:
- The taxability of the products sold by APMEX and shipped to a Maryland address;
- Maryland sales tax rules in effect at the time the order ships;
- Whether the product qualifies for a Maryland sales tax exemption; and
- The applicable Maryland sales tax rate for taxable items.
Maryland generally imposes sales and use tax at a statewide rate of 6% on taxable sales. Maryland does not have general local sales taxes.
Future Maryland Sales Tax Change
Maryland SB 309 has passed enrolled and, if it becomes law, is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026. The enrolled bill would remove the current requirements that qualifying precious metal bullion or coins have a sale price greater than $1,000 and that the sale occur at the Baltimore Convention Center, and would update the refined-metal definition to cover value that primarily depends on precious-metal content.