Alaska passes gold and silver legal tender bill, exempting precious metals from sales tax

Alaska’s legislature passed House Bill 1 on May 11, 2026, formally recognising gold and silver specie as legal tender and exempting specie transactions from local sales and use taxes. The near‑unanimous votes (House 40-0; Senate 19-1) send the bill to Governor Mike Dunleavy. The law preserves voluntary acceptance of specie and directs a legislative committee to study potential future monetary instruments. While the immediate impact on bullion demand from a single state is likely modest, removing sales tax improves the competitive position of Alaska-based dealers vs. out-of-state/online sellers and adds to a broader US trend that could support longer-term retail and investment demand for physical precious metals.