Code Section

6355.  

(a) There are exempted from the taxes imposed by this part the gross receipts from the sale in bulk of monetized bullion, nonmonetized gold or silver bullion, and numismatic coins that are substantially equivalent to transactions in securities or commodities through a national securities or commodities exchange and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of monetized bullion, nonmonetized gold or silver bullion, and numismatic coins so sold.

(b) (1) A sale in bulk, for purposes of this section, shall be deemed to have occurred if the amount of monetized bullion, nonmonetized gold or silver bullion, and numismatic coins sold in the transaction totals, in market value, the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, or its equivalent.

(2) The department shall adjust the one-thousand-dollar ($1,000) amount specified in paragraph (1) as follows:

(A) On or before September 1, 1994, and on or before each October 1 of each year thereafter, the department shall multiply the amount applicable for the current calendar year by the inflation factor adjustment determined by the Franchise Tax Board pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 17041, the resulting amount to be the applicable amount for the succeeding calendar year. The applicable amount shall be operative as an adjustment of the amount specified in paragraph (1) only when the applicable amount computed is equal to or exceeds a new operative threshold, as defined in subparagraph (C).

(B) When the applicable amount equals or exceeds an operative threshold specified in subparagraph (C), the resulting applicable amount, rounded to the nearest multiple of five hundred dollars ($500), shall be operative for purposes of paragraph (1) beginning January 1 of the succeeding calendar year.

(C) For purposes of this paragraph, “operative threshold” means an amount that exceeds by at least five hundred dollars ($500), the greater of either the amount specified in paragraph (1) or the amount computed pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) as the operative adjustment to the amount specified in paragraph (1).

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the following shall apply:

(A) The January 1, 2023, increase in the operative threshold pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be operative July 1, 2023.

(B) Beginning on or after January 1, 2024, increases in the operative threshold pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be operative the first day of the second calendar quarter beginning after the effective date of amendments incorporating the increase in the operative threshold into the department’s regulations.

(c) “Monetized bullion,” for purposes of this section, means coins or other forms of money manufactured of gold, silver, or other metal and heretofore, now, or hereafter used as a medium of exchange under the laws of this state, the United States, or any foreign nation. “Monetized bullion,” for purposes of this section, also means gold medallions struck under authority of the American Arts Gold Medallion Act (Title IV of Public Law 95-630).

(d) A sale of monetized bullion, nonmonetized gold or silver bullion, or numismatic coins, for purposes of this section, shall be deemed to be substantially equivalent to a transaction in securities or commodities through a national securities or commodities exchange, if the sale is by or through a person registered pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. Sec. 1 et seq.) or not required to be registered under the Commodity Exchange Act.