The beloved yellow metal, gold, has been one of the most sought after possessions since generations. Even in the present economic setup which is based on paper currency, gold hasn’t lost its shine and is considered one of the most reliable investment options by most.
India is the biggest consumer of gold in the world. While most of it is in the form of jewellery; if you are looking to buy gold for investment, a gold coin on a bullion bar would be the preferred form, due to their good resale value. Gold bars cost more because of their size, while gold coins that come in smaller denominations, and are more affordable.
Let us do a quick wrap up of everything you need to know before you invest in gold coins in India.
Where Can You Buy a Certified Gold Coin in India?
Indian Gold Coin
Launched in November, 2015 by PM Narendra Modi, in partnership with MMTC; the Indian Gold coin is India’s first sovereign gold coin. It comes with an assurance of 24 karat purity with999 fineness. The coins that are minted in India are hallmarked as per BIS standards. They can be bought at MMTC outlets and at leading banks like ICICI, HDFC, Indian Overseas Bank, Andhra Bank, Vijaya Bank, etc. These coins can be resold at the MMTC outlets. To know more, visit their official website here http://indiangoldcoin.com/en/index-2/.
Jewelers
Most jewelers offer a variety gold coins minted in India or abroad. While they all offer a certificate of guarantee, it is best to do your own check. Always look for BIS hallmark and ensure the jeweler is of good repute like Tanishq, Kalyan, GRT, Malabar and Joyalukas, to name a few. Frauds are possible in small towns and villages or when buying from a small time jeweler. Do not fall for a lower priced coin, since quality and purity of the coin is very important.
Banks
Besides offering the Indian gold coin, leading banks also offer certified gold coins under their own brand name. These gold coins are usually imported and come in several denominations. The only point to note here is that banks cannot buy these coins back from you. You can visit the respective websites of ICICI https://www.icicibank.com/Personal-Banking/investments/icici-bank-pure-gold/index.page, HDFC
Online
There are several online websites that offer certified gold coins for purchase. These are similar to those bought at physical jewellery shops. Some websites like Caratlane https://www.caratlane.com/ are in partnership with big enterprises like Tanishq in this case. Almost all the big jewellers like Thangamayil Jewellers, Malabar Jewellers http://www.malabargoldanddiamonds.com/gold-coins.html , GRT http://www.grtjewels.com/products/jewellery-collections/gold-jewellery/gold-coins and others have an online presence. Besides these, you can buy gold coins from online retailers like Amazon http://www.amazon.in/b?node=8609763031 and Snapdeal <https://www.snapdeal.com/products/jewelry-coins-bars> as well.
Note, When Buying a Gold Coin…
Purity: Checking the purity of your gold coin is a no brainer. You can ensure this by looking at its BIS hallmark and Assaying rating. In India, BIS is the only agency that can give these hallmarks.
Per Gram Rate: The per gram rate of gold changes every day. Hence if you are buying a gold coin, make sure to check the most recent rate. Do not buy a coin whose per gram rate varies by a large margin from the current rate.
Bill: Be sure to ask for the bill during the time of purchase. This will be needed for your income tax filing, and gives a further assurance on your purchase. It may require you to pay additional taxes and declare your PAN number, but having a clean transaction is good for you and the economy in the long run.
Buy-Back Option: If you are buying a gold coin for investment, you must know how you can resell it. Most often, the place from where you buy is your best bet for reselling. They will give you the best rates and the transaction will be hassle free. Banks however cannot buy back the coins they sell. In all other cases make sure you find out the retailers buy-back terms.
Before embarking on buying gold coins as a form of investment, make sure you have considered all other investment options. Also, buying gold coins for only keep sake with no intention of selling may not be the best way of investing; since you are not realising the profits in that case. Hence think through your reasons for buying gold and be sure what you want to achieve.
