"While many tradable financial securities, such as stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs, are subject to short-term or long-term capital gains tax rates, the sale of physical precious metals is taxed slightly differently. Physical holdings in gold or silver are subject to a capital gains tax equal to your marginal tax rate, up to a maximum of 28%. That means individuals in the 33%, 35%, and 39.6% tax brackets only have to pay 28% on their physical precious metals sales. Short-term gains on precious metals are taxed at ordinary income rates."