In the sunshine state of Florida, while orange trees are ripe for the picking and beachfront condos sparkle under the sun, a new and rather unexpected topic has begun to shine in the state legislature—this is not about the latest architectural trends or the future of smart homes, but about gold, and even silver. Yes, gold and silver, once again on the table as official currency.
Imagine you’re sitting at home in Sarasota, sipping your morning coffee, browsing real estate websites, and a peculiar thought crosses your mind: Can I buy this house with gold coins? Thanks to a new law passed in Florida, that question is no longer just a fantasy.
On May 27, 2025, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law—HB 999—that officially recognizes gold and silver coins as legal tender in Florida. Starting July 1, 2026, residents of Florida can theoretically use gold and silver to pay for everything from groceries to homes. This law not only permits such payments but also exempts gold and silver transactions from sales tax and authorizes money service businesses like PayPal and check cashing services to accept and transmit payments in precious metals. In doing so, Florida joins several other states, including Louisiana, Texas, and Utah, that have already begun to embrace this approach.
It might sound a little radical or even futuristic, but using gold to buy a house is not exactly a new concept. In fact, it’s reviving a tradition that was abandoned decades ago.
Rep. Doug Bankson, who represents Apopka and was one of the bill’s co-sponsors, vividly described this time travel through finance: “In 1979, the average price of a house was $75,000. Fast forward to today, that same house costs $531,000,” he said. “But if you bought that house in 1979 using gold, it would have cost you 268 ounces of gold. And today, that same house would still cost 268 ounces of gold.” The underlying message is clear: gold hasn't changed, it's the dollar that's fluctuated.
Now, picture yourself walking into a real estate transaction in Florida, ready to close on a house. But instead of a check or wire transfer, you’re pulling out a gold coin, or maybe a few gold bars. This scenario, while it might sound like something straight out of a movie, is not as far-fetched as it seems—thanks to the passage of this bill.
However, don’t expect to see buyers dragging heavy suitcases filled with gold bars to the closing table. As Susan Plasencia, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, explained, gold and silver won’t be physically transferred during real estate transactions. Instead, their value will be stored in qualified bank accounts, and the value of the gold or silver will be transferred digitally, much like any other currency. This is, in essence, no different than how we use dollars today; the only difference is that gold and silver are now used as the vehicle for the transaction.
As gold prices continue to rise, this new mode of payment provides an alternative for those looking to hedge against inflation. As DeSantis said, this move is not about novelty, but about financial independence. “We’re giving you the ability to protect yourself from the devaluation of the dollar,” he stated. “We’re returning gold and silver to their rightful place as true currency.”
But with this newfound freedom comes complexity. Anyone who’s gone through a real estate transaction knows that when you introduce creative financing, things can quickly become complicated.
Miami-based realtor and founder of Analytics Miami, Ana Bozovic, weighed in on the issue: “I think in the short term, the passage of this law will have a negligible impact on real estate transactions.” She went on to explain that most transactions involve third parties, such as lenders, insurance companies, and title companies, all of whom would need to agree to accept gold as payment.
Cara Ameer, a licensed realtor in Florida and California, took the conversation further, pointing out that introducing precious metals into the real estate market could disrupt the way transactions are done in Florida, while also raising a host of logistical challenges. “How many people actually have the ability to buy real estate using this method? Not many, I would guess,” she said. “Will this encourage people to invest in gold and silver? Perhaps, but do they really understand how it works? What happens if the value of gold drops due to market volatility?” She drew a comparison to cryptocurrency, which, despite its rise in popularity, still remains in a state of flux and uncertainty.
Moreover, a big question still looms: if a buyer uses gold to pay for a home, how will taxes be handled? And can a buyer use the value of their precious metals for a down payment, or qualify for a mortgage based on that value? These are questions that are yet to be answered.
Clearly, this new law will make real estate transactions in Florida more complex. These issues will need time to be worked out, and there are still many aspects of the law that haven’t been fully considered. Bozovic also expressed similar concerns, noting that introducing gold and silver into real estate transactions will come with significant challenges. She explained, “There’s no existing system to facilitate gold transactions, and the fluctuation of spot prices (the current market price) would make contracts more complex.”
So now, the ball is in the court of Florida’s Chief Financial Officer and the state’s Financial Services Commission. They will need to establish rules for the use of gold and silver as a means of payment, and those rules must be approved by the state legislature before they can be put into effect.
In many ways, this law marks an experiment in financial revival, where gold and silver are returning to the center stage as real forms of currency. Whether it will become a widespread trend or remain a niche option will be something to watch closely in the coming years. But one thing is certain: Florida is embracing a new chapter in financial history. And in the process, we might just find ourselves recalibrating how we think about wealth. It might not be in dollars, but in gold.
So the next time you wonder how much your home is worth, it may not be enough to just check the market value in dollars. You might need to take a look at the price of gold as well. In Florida’s future, you may find yourself wealthier than you think—but not in dollars. Instead, it could be in ounces of gold.