Buying gold in Montana
Montana has no statewide sales tax, so gold bullion, coins and jewelry are bought without state sales tax.
Gold has one national spot price in US dollars: the prices on this page are the same as on the gold price in the United States page. What differs in Montana is tax, explained below.
Sales tax on gold in Montana
No general sales tax. A few resort communities levy local resort taxes on certain goods.
Tax when you sell gold in Montana
Profits on gold are generally taxed by Montana like other investment gains, under its income tax rules. At the federal level, the IRS treats bullion and most gold coins as collectibles: long-term gains (assets held more than a year) are taxed at your ordinary rate, capped at 28%, and short-term gains as ordinary income.
Selling gold or gold jewelry to a dealer in Montana
- License: No statewide license for gold, precious metal or secondhand dealers was found. State law is limited to a pawnbroker and junk dealer register rule (MCA 31-1-402) and lets cities and towns require records from pawn, secondhand and junk shops (MCA 7-21-4207). Licensing and detailed rules come from city ordinances, for example Great Falls.
- Hold period: No state hold period found. Example (Great Falls): for 7 days after the transaction is filed electronically, the item may not be disposed of, altered or moved (Ordinance 3125 cut this from 14 days).
- What the dealer records: State: pawnbrokers and junk dealers keep a register of every item taken in pledge or bought, with the date, the redemption deadline, the seller's name and the amount paid; the register is open to peace officers (MCA 31-1-402). Cities may require records of every item bought or pawned by pawn, secondhand and junk shops and let police inspect them (MCA 7-21-4207). Example (Great Falls): register with item details (weight and design for precious metals and stones) and the customer's name, date of birth and address; weekly upload to the police database by 5 p.m. Friday; keep 2 years.
- What sellers need: No state ID rule found. Example (Great Falls): customer shows a state ID or driver's license, military ID, passport, alien registration card or other government ID.
- Who is exempt: Example (Great Falls): trade-ins where no cash is paid are excluded; the police chief may exclude property by type or value for good cause.
- The law: Montana Code Annotated Title 31, Chapter 1, Part 4, Pawnbrokers (31-1-401 interest and prohibited activities; 31-1-402 register; 31-1-407 violation a misdemeanor; 31-1-403 to 406 repealed). MCA 7-21-4207 (city authority to require records for pawn, secondhand and junk shops). Example local law: Great Falls City Code Title 5, Chapter 3, Article 3, as amended by Ordinance 3125 (adopted September 2, 2014).
Dealers report a customer's sale to the IRS on Form 1099-B only for certain forms and quantities, such as 1-kilo gold bars, 1,000 ounces of silver bars or 25 or more Krugerrands or Maple Leafs; American Eagles and smaller lots are generally not reported. Any business that receives more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction or related transactions files IRS Form 8300. Bring a photo ID when you sell.
What you pay over spot
Dealers sell Gold Eagles, Buffaloes, bars and rounds at a premium over the spot price shown here, which covers minting, shipping and the dealer's margin; small coins carry the biggest premiums. Jewelry adds design and labour. When you sell, dealers usually pay a little under spot for common bullion and the melt value, less a margin, for scrap.
Tax and duty information last reviewed October 2026. Rules change — confirm with your dealer or tax authority before a large purchase.