Gold Will Become Legal Tender in Florida While US Faces First Major Audit Since the 1950s. Time to Invest?

When money is being aggressively "printed" and the dollar is losing value, growing your own food and building strong local supply chains become critical. These are some of the most reliable ways to stay steady during inflationary times. But with everything happening right now, having precious metals like gold and silver is also a key way to set yourself up for long-term success.

With an audit of America’s gold reserves coming up and Florida’s new House Bill 999 shaking things up, now might be the time to start saving some of that shiny stuff. Let’s break it down for folks like us who love dirt under our nails and a plan for the future.

What’s This Gold Audit All About?

There might be a big checkup for America’s gold stash, thanks to the Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Thomas Massie in June 2025. It’s the first full audit since the 1950s, covering places like Fort Knox and the Denver Mint, and it’ll happen every five years after that with a close look at any funny business like leases or swaps.

The U.S. government does perform annual "schedule of seals", which is a verification of the integrity of seals on compartments where gold is stored, but the actual gold is not inspected. This does not ensure that the gold is present or matches the recorded amounts.

The last peek we got was a partial one in 1974, and it wasn’t exactly crystal clear.

Why care? If they find something off, like missing gold, it could rattle folks’ trust in the dollar. That fear could drive investors to physical gold (not just paper gold) as a safe haven, radically pushing prices of gold up. Even if the audit comes back clean, gold could still get a spotlight boost.

Florida’s Gold Game Changer

Down here in Florida, things are heating up with House Bill 999, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 27, 2025. It kicks in on July 1, 2026, making gold and silver legal tender. You could even pay taxes or debts with them!

There's no real catch, but coins must be 99.5% pure for gold, 99.9% for silver, and stamped with their weight, purity, and mint origin.

State and government offices are required to accept them and sales of these coins are exempt from sales tax. Businesses can opt in voluntarily!

This is huge for small local economies, homesteaders, preppers, and anyone that wants to barter. DeSantis framed it as a hedge against dollar weakness, saying gold and silver will “start functioning like real currency again.” If other states follow suit, demand and prices could also climb. (Yahoo)

Why Grab Gold Now?

• Audit Buzz. A messy audit could spark a gold rush, or at least a bump in price.
• Florida’s Push. With gold almost a legal tender status, Florida’s token adoption might inspire others, boosting demand further.
• Paper Gold Problems. Much of the gold traded today isn’t physically held, it's "paper gold" managed by funds or banks. As scrutiny increases, more people may demand physical possession, even if stored in secure, curated vaults.
• Global Reserve Shifts. Under recent Basel III international banking regulations, gold is now considered a Tier 1 asset, meaning central banks must hold some physical gold in their reserves. This strengthens gold’s role globally and puts more pressure on physical supply.
• Dollar Drama. Dollar weakness from money printing and supply expansion by the federal government is making the dollar less valuable compared to precious metals like gold and silver.
• Global Buying Spree. China has been aggressively increasing its gold reserves, joined by countries like Russia, India, and Turkey. These central banks are moving away from the U.S. dollar and toward gold to strengthen their financial security, thus further tightening global supply and putting upward pressure on gold prices.

Representative Doug Bankson, who backed HB 999, pointed out that an American house that cost 2,000 ounces of gold in 1979 would still cost 2,000 ounces today, while dollar prices skyrocketed. Gold holds, paper falls.

How to Start Saving Gold

Wanna jump in? Here’s some down-to-earth tips for us homesteaders:

1. Start small and diversify into gold. Start with a 1/10‑ounce gold coin or some silver.
2. Pick smart. Look for coins like American Eagles as these match purity standards.
3. Stash it. Hide it somewhere safe (maybe next to your seed vault?).
4. Barter locally. With HB 999 coming, likeminded folks will want to swap goods for metal.
5. Mix it up. Gold’s great, but keep some silver at the homestead too. Silver is also practical, you can make colloidal silver with .999 silver with just a few simple parts.

Parting Thoughts

With the audit looming and Florida’s new law, saving gold now could keep your homestead humming, no matter what. Whether you’re prepping for the worst, farming for the best, or just planting natives, it’s worth a look.

What do you think? Got gold in your sights? Share your ideas below. I’d love to swap thoughts!

In the meaning time, check out what homegrown foods and handmade artisan goods are listed in your neighborhood: https://OffTheLand.net