Wisconsin Bullion Sales Taxes

Wisconsin Precious Metals Tax Information

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

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

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

Effective March 23, 2024, qualifying precious metal bullion is exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax. Effective March 29, 2026, Wisconsin no longer requires an exemption certificate to claim the precious-metal bullion exemption.

For Wisconsin purposes, exempt precious metal bullion generally includes qualifying coins, bars, rounds, or sheets that:

1. Contain at least 35% gold, silver, copper, platinum, or palladium;
2. Are marked with weight, purity, and content, or are minted by a government authority based on weight, purity, and content; and
3. Are not jewelry, works of art, scrap metal, electronics, or another excluded type of property.

Taxes must generally be collected on products that do not qualify for Wisconsin’s precious metal bullion exemption, including:

1. Jewelry;
2. Works of art;
3. Scrap metal;
4. Electronics;
5. Collector coins or numismatic products that do not qualify as precious metal bullion;
6. Accessory items;
7. Processed items; and
8. Other taxable tangible personal property sold by APMEX and shipped to a Wisconsin address.

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

Taxable Products in Wisconsin

The following definitions apply to products that may be exempt or taxable depending on whether they meet Wisconsin’s statutory requirements:

• Precious Metal Bullion. For Wisconsin sales tax purposes, qualifying precious metal bullion generally means coins, bars, rounds, or sheets containing at least 35% gold, silver, copper, platinum, or palladium, provided the item is marked with weight, purity, and content or minted by a government authority based on weight, purity, and content, and is not excluded property.
• Collector Coins and Numismatic Products. Coins or currency with value above face value due to rarity, condition, age, collectability, metal content, or another external factor. These products may be taxable unless they meet Wisconsin’s definition of exempt precious metal bullion or another exemption applies.
• Accessory Items. Items such as holders, tubes, coin flips, storage products, or similar supplies. These items are generally taxable unless another Wisconsin exemption applies.
• Processed Items. Precious metals that have been processed into other tangible personal property, such as jewelry, statues, decorative items, works of art, scrap metal, electronics, or similar products. These items are generally taxable when they are excluded property or otherwise do not meet Wisconsin’s statutory definition of exempt precious metal bullion.
• Excluded Property. Wisconsin’s precious metal bullion exemption does not apply to jewelry, works of art, scrap metal, electronics, or other excluded types of property.

How Does Wisconsin Calculate Precious Metals Taxes?

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

1. The taxability of the products sold by APMEX and shipped to a Wisconsin address;
2. Wisconsin sales tax rules in effect at the time the order ships;
3. Whether the product qualifies as exempt precious metal bullion under Wisconsin law; and
4. The specific tax rates established by the taxing jurisdiction of the delivery address in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Precious Metal Bullion Exemption

Qualifying precious metal bullion shipped to a Wisconsin address may be exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax when the products meet the requirements of Wisconsin law.

This exemption does not apply to every item containing gold, silver, copper, platinum, or palladium. Jewelry, works of art, scrap metal, electronics, processed items, accessories, collector coins, numismatic products, and other products may remain taxable when they do not meet Wisconsin’s exemption requirements; effective March 29, 2026, Wisconsin no longer requires an exemption certificate to claim the bullion exemption

APMEX calculates applicable Wisconsin sales tax at checkout based on product taxability, the shipping address, and Wisconsin law in effect when the order ships.