Sales Tax on Gold and Silver in Nebraska

The short answer

Nebraska does not charge sales tax on purchases of gold, silver, platinum or palladium bullion, or on currency coins. The exemption has been in place since 2014 and applies with no minimum purchase amount and no purity requirement.

What qualifies as exempt bullion

Under Nebraska law, bullion means coins, bars, ingots, notes, leaf, foil, film or commemorative medallions made of gold, silver, platinum or palladium, or a combination of those metals. The item qualifies when its value depends primarily on its metal content rather than its form.

Since January 1, 2025, the definition also covers coins, notes, leaf, foil and film. Before that date the list was narrower, so the current rule reaches more products than it did previously.

What qualifies as exempt currency

Currency means a coin or currency of gold, silver, another metal, or paper that is or has been legal tender. That covers coins that once circulated as money as well as coins that still carry legal-tender status.

No threshold, no purity test, no paperwork

Nebraska sets no dollar threshold for the exemption. A single small coin and a large bar are treated the same way. There is also no purity test, so an item does not have to meet a fineness standard to qualify. Nothing has to be documented at the point of sale to claim the exemption.

What the rule does not address

The Nebraska guidance does not set out a separate rule for jewelry, and it does not state whether local sales taxes apply differently to these items. Buyers with a question about a specific item should confirm the treatment with the Nebraska Department of Revenue before a large purchase.

Where the rule comes from

The exemption is set out in Nebraska statute and described in the Department of Revenue’s guides to sales tax exemptions and to consumer goods and services tax exemptions. The statute is Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2704.66. The Department of Revenue’s exemption guides are available at revenue.nebraska.gov.

This rule was checked in October 2026. Sales tax law can change with new legislation, so readers should confirm the current treatment with the state before a large purchase. For how precious metals are taxed at the federal level, see the general page on sales tax on gold.

What buyers commonly get wrong

A common mistake is assuming the exemption applies only to bars and rounds. Nebraska’s definition covers coins, bars, ingots, notes, leaf, foil, film and commemorative medallions, and since January 1, 2025 it expressly includes coins, notes, leaf, foil and film.

Another mistake is looking for a minimum purchase amount or a purity cutoff. Nebraska sets neither, and no documentation is required to claim the exemption.

A third mistake is treating the exemption as limited to gold and silver. The statute names platinum and palladium as well, and it covers combinations of those metals.

A fourth mistake is assuming the rule has always read the way it does now. The exemption dates to 2014, and the definition of bullion was expanded effective January 1, 2025.

Because the rule can change with new legislation, readers with a specific purchase in mind should consult a tax professional or their own preparer about their own situation.