How silver is priced in Egypt
In Egypt, silver is quoted per gram by fineness, mainly 999, 925 and 800, with separate buying and selling prices. Prices are published daily by the General Division of Precious Metals and Jewellery at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce and reported in the press, always before workmanship (مصنعية). The figures on this page are the international spot price converted to Egyptian pounds at the current exchange rate. They do not include workmanship, VAT on workmanship, or dealer spreads.
Tax on silver in Egypt
The Egyptian Tax Authority confirmed in June 2026 that gold and silver as metals remain fully exempt from VAT. VAT applies only to workmanship, not to the value of the metal. For tax purposes, workmanship on jewellery is assessed using average values agreed between the Tax Authority and the trade divisions of gold and silver merchants and manufacturers. Under a new protocol these averages for gold, silver and platinum jewellery rose by 10% from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and VAT at the standard 14% rate is charged on top. The averages are guidance for tax accounting only, not compulsory shop prices.
How silver is priced in Egyptian shops
The quoted gram price follows the dollar silver price and the pound's exchange rate. Shops then add workmanship, which is higher on jewellery than on bars, and the resale price is lower than the purchase price because of trading spreads and workmanship. For 999 silver, some price lists separate imported (often called Swiss) bars from Egyptian bars, with imported bars quoted slightly higher. Bars are commonly sold in sizes from 50 g to 1 kg, alongside the 925 jewellery that dominates everyday sales.
Purity and hallmarking
Egypt has compulsory hallmarking. Under Law No. 68 of 1976 on the control of precious metals (as amended, including by Law No. 15 of 2002), silver articles may not be sold, offered or held for sale unless they bear the Egyptian government hallmark. Traders and makers must submit silver items to the Egyptian Assay Office (مصلحة دمغ المصوغات والموازين), which tests the metal, fixes its grade and stamps it. The legal silver standards are 925, 900, 800 and 600 parts per thousand, so a 925 or 800 stamp tells you how much pure silver a piece contains.
Tax and duty information last reviewed October 2026. Rules change — confirm with your dealer or tax authority before a large purchase.