Pawnbrokers

(Rescinded April 30, 2001)
AUTHORITY: section 144.270, RSMo 1994. This rule was previously filed as rule no. 29 Jan. 22, 1973, effective Feb. 1, 1973. S.T.
regulation 010-76 was last filed Oct. 28, 1975, effective Nov. 7, 1975.
Refiled March 30, 1976. Rescinded: Filed Oct. 6, 2000, effective April 30, 2001.
Martin Coin Co. of St. Louis v. Richard A. King, 665 SW2d 939 (Mo. banc 1984). The court held in Scotchmen's Coin Shop v. Administrative Hearing Commission, 654 SW2d 873 (Mo.
banc 1983) that sales of coins for their value as precious metal constituted the sale of personal property subject to sales tax.
Martin Coin attempted to distinguish its activities from those of Scotchman’s by asserting that it was an agent between two principals and that it was not a vendor, but merely a broker.
Martin Coin purchased the coins in question on its own line of credit, was liable to the vendor of the coins, bore the risk of nonpayment by its customers, deposited the proceeds from the sales in its own bank account and paid the supplier for coins ordered. In the court’s opinion, Martin Coin was involved in both

(a) the purchase of coins from the supplier and (b) the sale of coins to customers. The latter constituted a taxable event. Additionally, the court noted that while Martin Coin attempted to label itself an agent, rather than a vendor, there was no evidence in the record to indicate that the vendors of the coins had any control over Martin Coin; thus a key element of agency was lacking. The court refused on procedural grounds to hear the issue which Martin Coin raised in its brief concerning invasion of the federal government’s exclusive power to regulate foreign commerce.