Read previewWhenever Costco releases a batch of gold bars for sale, the supply sells out "within a few hours" as shoppers snap up the precious metal for a small markup over its spot price. The out-of-stock notices give the allure of a hard-to-get item, but the wholesale club is still moving a lot of gold bars and silver coins — to the estimated tune of $200 million a month. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Unlike cash or even gift cards, Costco classifies gold bars as collectibles, which may or may not retain their value over time. AdvertisementFor that matter, the Internal Revenue Service also considers gold bars as a collectible too, and demands as much as a 28% cut of any profits on gold held for more than one year.

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Persons: —, Lark Mason, Adam Xi, it's Organizations: Service, Costco, Business, Street Journal, Internal Revenue Service Locations: New York