Virginia Bullion Sales Taxes

Virginia Precious Metals Tax Information

The state of Virginia requires the collection of sales tax on certain products sold by APMEX and delivered to a Virginia address.

Please note: The information below is not a comprehensive description of sales tax laws and requirements in the state of Virginia. It is intended only to provide a brief overview of Virginia 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?

Virginia sales tax must be collected on certain products sold by APMEX and shipped to a Virginia address.

Under current Virginia law, qualifying gold, silver, or platinum bullion and qualifying legal tender coins are exempt from Virginia sales and use tax. For bullion, Virginia tax guidance requires the item to be refined, contain at least 90% gold, silver, platinum, or a combination of those metals, and be valued based on metal content rather than external factors. Virginia’s exemption is currently scheduled to remain in effect through July 1, 2026

Taxes must generally be collected on products that do not qualify for Virginia’s bullion or legal tender coin exemption, including:

1. Copper products, unless the product qualifies as a legal tender coin;
2. Palladium products, unless the product qualifies as a legal tender coin;
3. Gold, silver, or platinum products that have not gone through a refining process;
4. Numismatic products that do not qualify as legal tender coins or qualifying bullion;
5. Coins, rounds, or other products that are not issued by a government as a medium of exchange or payment of debts and do not otherwise qualify as exempt bullion;
6. Accessory items; and
7. Processed items.

All other products sold by APMEX that do not meet Virginia’s exemption requirements may be subject to Virginia sales tax.

Taxable Products in Virginia

The following definitions apply to products on which Virginia sales tax may be collected:

• Gold, Silver, or Platinum Bullion. For Virginia sales tax purposes, qualifying bullion means gold, silver, platinum, or any combination of those metals that has gone through a refining process, contains at least 90% gold, silver, platinum, or a combination of those metals under Virginia tax guidance, and is in a state or condition where its value depends on mass and purity rather than form, numismatic value, or another external factor. Other metals or substances may be present only if they have minimal value compared with the gold, silver, or platinum. Jewelry and works of art are not included in Virginia’s definition of exempt bullion.
• Legal Tender Coins. Legal tender coins generally mean coins of any metal content issued by a government as a medium of exchange or payment of debts. Qualifying legal tender coins may be exempt from Virginia sales and use tax.
• Copper Products. Copper products are generally taxable unless the item independently qualifies as a legal tender coin or another Virginia exemption applies.
• Palladium Products. Palladium products are generally taxable unless the item independently qualifies as a legal tender coin or another Virginia exemption applies.
• Numismatic Products. Coins or currency with external value above and beyond the base value of the underlying metal due to rarity, condition, age, mintage, collectability, or another external factor. Numismatic products may be taxable when they do not qualify as legal tender coins or as qualifying gold, silver, or platinum bullion.
• Medium of Exchange. A coin or other form of money issued by a government for use as legal tender or payment of debts.
• 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 metal content, such as jewelry, statues, colorized coins, decorative items, works of art, or similar products. These items are generally taxable because Virginia’s bullion and legal tender coin exemption does not include jewelry or works of art.

How Does Virginia Calculate Precious Metals Taxes?

Taxes in Virginia are calculated at checkout on the APMEX website based on:

1. The taxability of the products sold by APMEX and shipped to a Virginia address;
2. Virginia sales tax rules in effect at the time the order ships;
3. Whether the product qualifies as exempt gold, silver, or platinum bullion or as a legal tender coin; and
4. The specific tax rates established by the taxing jurisdiction of the delivery address in Virginia.

Virginia Bullion and Legal Tender Coin Exemption

Qualifying gold, silver, or platinum bullion and qualifying legal tender coins shipped to a Virginia address may be exempt from Virginia sales and use tax when the products meet the requirements of Virginia law.

This exemption does not apply to every item containing gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, or another metal. Jewelry, works of art, processed items, accessories, unrefined metal products, products that do not meet Virginia Tax’s 90% bullion-content guidance, products with nonqualifying added substances, and products valued based on form, collectability, rarity, condition, age, or another external factor may remain taxable when they do not meet Virginia’s exemption requirements.

Virginia’s exemption for gold, silver, or platinum bullion and legal tender coins is currently scheduled to remain in effect through July 1, 2026. Because sales tax is generally determined by the law in effect when an order ships, APMEX will review Virginia tax treatment for orders shipping after that date.