Coin shops in North Carolina

Sales tax when you buy

Bullion Exempt

Investment metal bullion is exempt from North Carolina sales and use tax. It must be refined precious metal valued for its metal content rather than its form.

Fabricated metal for industrial, professional or artistic uses is excluded. Section 105-164.13(69) does not impose a minimum purchase amount.

Collectible coins Partly exempt

North Carolina exempts qualifying investment coins and non-coin currency from sales and use tax. Investment coins include U.S. and foreign metal coins whose market value exceeds their statutory or nominal value.

Section 105-164.13(69) does not impose a minimum purchase amount. Non-coin currency must also be U.S. or foreign government-issued money with a market value above its statutory or nominal value.

Sources: North Carolina General Statutes, 105-164.13(69) · NCDOR Sales and Use Tax Bulletins, January 2026, section 18-2

When you sell to a dealer

ID

North Carolina's precious-metals business rules exclude coins, numismatic items, medals, medallions, tokens, art ingots and art bars from their definition of precious metal. Covered purchases, such as qualifying jewelry or silverware, require seller identification and transaction records. Other rules and shop policies may apply.

Holding period

Covered items must be held without alteration or disposal for seven days after the transaction is reported. This is not a blanket holding rule for coins.

What the dealer records

Covered transaction records are retained for at least two years and reported to local law enforcement within 48 hours. If valid photographic identification is unavailable, the statute requires two forms of positive identification.

Minimum age

Dealers may not buy covered precious-metal articles from people under 18.

Sources: North Carolina General Statutes, 66-406 and 66-410 through 66-412

Dealer licensing

Businesses making purchases covered by the precious-metals business rules need a permit from the appropriate local law-enforcement agency for each location. Coins and other specified numismatic items are excluded from that part's definition; this does not establish an exemption from all local business or pawn rules.

• Precious-metals dealer permit for covered purchases · Local police department or county sheriff

If something goes wrong

• North Carolina Department of Justice, consumer complaints

• These are sales-tax and dealer-transaction summaries, not income-tax guidance. Municipal rules have not been checked for every location.
• Confirm identification, appointments and payment methods with the shop before visiting.