Kathrine Frich
Florida has passed legislation that could allow people to pay their bills in gold and silver.
Florida has passed legislation that could allow people to pay their bills in gold and silver.
Letting Floridians Use Gold Like It’s the 1800s
Governor Ron DeSantis officially signed House Bill 999, declaring gold and silver coins as legal means of payment.
The law goes into effect July 1, 2026, and it’s already got economists and political commentators buzzing.
It’s About Freedom, Not Fads
Announcing the move on X (formerly Twitter), DeSantis said it’s about “economic self-determination” and resisting government overreach.
In his words: “Florida strongly supports liberty, financial freedom, and resilience against abuse of government power.”
Bye-Bye Sales Tax on Bullion?
The law goes a step further, exempting gold and silver purchases from sales tax, as long as the metal meets strict purity standards and the transaction exceeds $500.
The goal is to make owning precious metals practical again.
What You Can (and Can’t) Use to Pay
The bill specifies that gold coins must be at least 99.5% pure and silver coins 99.9%.
They must be stamped with weight and purity. And while individuals might be able to trade in person, government offices can only accept digital transfers of metal-backed payments.
It’s Not Just a Gimmick
With over $1.4 trillion in GDP, Florida’s economy outpaces countries like the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Poland.
If it were its own country, it would rank as one of the top 20 economies in the world, making this gold-and-silver experiment much more than symbolic.
Blame Trump’s Tariffs for the Gold Boom?
Analysts say the recent surge in gold prices, now above $3,500/oz, is partly thanks to Trump-era tariffs and global market instability.
Florida’s bet on precious metals might not just be political, it could be financially strategic.
Utah Did It First, But Florida’s Doing It Big
Utah legalized gold and silver tender back in 2011. But with Florida’s 23 million residents, the scale of this new law is unprecedented.
And unlike Utah, Florida is coupling the move with serious tax breaks and government-ready infrastructure.
A Conservative Power Move Or Political Theatre?
Critics say it’s pure culture war politics. Supporters call it monetary decentralization.
Either way, Florida just made itself the first major state in decades to challenge the US dollar’s monopoly, using actual metal.