The following definitions apply in this Part:
(1) Dealer. - A person who purchases precious metals from the public, other than by an exempted transaction, in the form of jewelry, flatware, silver services, or other forms and holds himself or herself out to the public by signs, advertising, or other methods as engaging in such purchases, including any independent contractor purchasing precious metals under any arrangement in any department store. An exempted transaction is one that is (i) not considered in determining whether a person is a dealer under this Part and (ii) not subject to the requirements of this Part, even if it is entered into by a person otherwise defined and regulated as a dealer. Exempted transactions are:
a. Purchases directly from manufacturers or wholesalers of precious metals by permanently located retail merchants for their inventories.
b. Pawns, pledges, or purchases of items made of precious metals, if the transaction is entered into by a licensed pawnbroker and the transaction is regulated under the provisions of Part 1 of this Article.
c. The acquisition of precious metals by a permanently located retail merchant through barter or exchange for other items sold in the ordinary course of the merchant's business, provided that the seller does not receive, as part of the transaction, any sum of money or any gift card or stored-value card, unless the card is redeemable only at that merchant's business.
(2) Local law enforcement agency. - The term means the following, as applicable:
a. The county police force, if the dealer's business is located within a county with a county police force and outside the corporate limits of a municipality.
b. The municipal police force, if the dealer's business is located within the corporate limits of a municipality having a police force.
c. The county sheriff's office of the county in which the dealer's business is located, if neither sub-subdivision a. nor b. of this subdivision applies.
(3) Precious metal. - Gold, silver, platinum, or palladium, as defined below, but excluding coins, medals, medallions, tokens, numismatic items, art ingots, or art bars.
a. Gold. - Any item or article containing 10 karats of gold or more which may be in combination or alloy with any other metal.
b. Silver. - Any item or article containing 925 parts per thousand of silver which may be in combination or alloy with any nonprecious metal or which is marked "sterling".
c. Platinum. - Any item or article containing 900 parts per thousand or more of platinum which may be in combination or alloy with any other metal.
d. Palladium. - Any item or article containing 950 parts per thousand or more of palladium which may be in combination or alloy with any other metal.