Glossary
Tax holding period
After one year of ownership, gains from a private gold sale are tax-free in Germany.
Gold and other precious metals are treated as other assets for tax purposes. If a private individual sells them more than one year after acquisition, the gain is tax-free under section 23 of Germany's Income Tax Act. This one-year period is what the German term Spekulationsfrist refers to.
If sold within one year, the gain counts as a private disposal transaction and is taxed at the individual's income tax rate. An exemption threshold applies: if total private disposal gains in a year remain below €1,000, no tax is due. If the threshold is exceeded, the entire gain is taxable.
Inherited or gifted jewellery has an important distinction: the period starts from the previous owner's acquisition date, not the inheritance date. For inherited pieces, the one-year period has therefore usually long expired. This page does not replace tax advice; consult your tax adviser if unsure.
A worked example of the holding period
Suppose you bought a 100 gram gold bar three years ago. At a gold price of 120,00 € per gram, its material value today is 12.000,00 €. With a buying rate of 97 %, you receive 11.640,00 €.
As more than one year has passed between purchase and sale, the entire gain is tax-free regardless of its size. If you had bought the bar only eight months ago, the gain would be taxable if total private disposal gains for the year exceeded €1,000.
What this means when selling in Nordhorn
The holding period does not change the process at our Nordhorn counter: we value, explain the calculation and pay immediately. We do not pay tax on your behalf; that is a matter for your own tax return.
It is still useful to bring a purchase receipt if you have one. It proves the acquisition date and price and makes matters simpler with the tax office. For inherited pieces, stating that they came from an estate is generally sufficient.