The price of a precious metal is near a historical high. Gold is in great value. Now there's a tax break in the state of Texas if you purchase $1,000 or more.

For one couple a hobby has become a business venture.

"We come down, every once in a while, just to see Steve. And more or less just agitate him," said Midge Mitchell.

Midge Mitchell and his wife Betty are repeated customers at the Coin and Jewelry Exchange in downtown Bryan.

"We come down looking for coins, looking for bouillon, pure gold or silver," said M. Mitchell.

Gold is selling for about $1,250 per ounce. That is near the historical high. Silver is selling for a lot less, around $20 per ounce. But, the Mitchells consider it all an investment.

"Just like buying a stock, you sell the sock and take the profit," said M. Mitchell.

Midge says he's keeping a close eye on the price of gold.

"Here, lately it seems like there's only one direction its going ... up, up, up!," he said.

There's a tax break in Texas. When a customer buys at least $1,000 worth of gold or silver, there's a savings of about $82.50 on the sales tax.

"People are looking for a hedge against inflation, they are looking for some protection," said Steve Chaney, owner of the Coin and Jewelry Exchange in downtown Bryan.

He says he's seen some savvy shoppers in this economy.

"Finance professors, bankers, stock brokers ... it is kind of scary when those become your customers," said Chaney. "Those are the people who understand what's going on in the economy."

But, he says he understands why there's a drive to buy gold and silver.

"What is the difference between the $1 bill and the $20 bill?," said Chaney. "The only difference is the printing on the paper."

Chaney says some people even swap their scrap gold jewelry for gold coins. The scrap items must be weighed and measured to determine their value.

For people like Betty, coins also have sentimental value.

"I do enjoy silver coins and the heritage there is in those old coins," she said. " We like to buy coins that are pretty."