Dhanteras Gold Coins 2026: What to Check Before You Buy
A 5 g gold coin bought for ₹80,608 sells back the same day for ₹72,993. Purity, hallmarks, buyback and delivery rules to check before Dhanteras.
Photo: Billjones94, CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
A 5 g, 24-carat gold coin on PC Jeweller's website cost ₹80,608 on 28 September 2026. Under the jeweller's own buyback policy, the same coin sold back that day would fetch about ₹72,993. That is 90.6% of what was paid.
The missing ₹7,615 is three published numbers: a 4% making charge (₹3,010), 3% GST (₹2,348), and the 3% of the gold's value PC Jeweller keeps on buyback (₹2,258). Every seller has its own version of these, and they matter more than the design. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November 2026, 39 days away: time enough to compare.
A gold coin is only worth what someone will pay for it later: before Dhanteras, ask what the seller keeps when you sell it back, not just what it charges today.
What the purity number on a gold or silver coin means
Purity is written in parts per thousand, using Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) grades:
| Number on the coin | What it means | Carat |
|---|---|---|
| 999 | 99.9% gold or silver | 24K for gold |
| 995 | 99.5% gold | 24K (BIS grade 24KS) |
| 916 | 91.6% gold | 22K |
| 999.9 | 99.99% gold | Seller's own claim, not a BIS grade we could find |
A 22K coin is not a worse gift, just cheaper per gram.
Does a gold coin have to be hallmarked?
No. BIS says the mandatory hallmarking order covers gold jewellery and artefacts only. Gold coins of 999 or 995 fineness may be hallmarked only by a BIS-approved refinery or mint. A coin with no hallmark is legal.
So the seller is the real guarantee. Augmont's coin pages say "BIS Hallmarked"; for other coins, ask. BIS says a proper bill shows the item, net weight, purity and any hallmarking charge. Keep it: you will need it to sell the coin.
Gold and silver coin prices on Dhanteras: what ₹2,000 to ₹80,000 buys
Prices are from each seller's own site on 26 September 2026 unless noted. They move daily: Augmont's 10 g silver coin went from ₹2,716 to ₹2,741 in two days.
| Seller | Coin | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Augmont | 0.1 g gold, 999 | ₹1,940 |
| Augmont | 10 g silver, 999 | ₹2,741 (28 Sep) |
| India Government Mint | 20 g Ganpati silver, 999 | ₹6,358 (24 Sep) |
| CaratLane | 1 g gold, 22K | ₹15,447 |
| Augmont | 1 g gold, 999 | ₹16,400 |
| Senco Gold & Diamonds | 1 g gold, 24K (995) | ₹16,543 |
| CaratLane | 1 g gold, 24K | ₹16,851 |
| Candere by Kalyan Jewellers | 1 g gold, 24K | ₹16,891 |
| PC Jeweller | 5 g gold, 24K (995) | ₹80,608 (28 Sep) |
The four 1 g, 24K coins sit within ₹491 of each other, about 3%. Small coins cost more per gram: Augmont's 0.1 g coin is 18% dearer per gram than its 1 g coin.
Buyback: the question to ask before you pay
Buyback terms differ widely:
- PC Jeweller: gold coins bought back at 97% of the day's gold value (rate times weight). Its own ICC coins get 100% with the original packing and certificate. GST and making charges are not paid back.
- Candere by Kalyan Jewellers: gold coins valued at 100% of net metal weight, at the website's rate that day, for exchange or buyback. Making charges and taxes are not covered, and buyback money arrives by bank transfer within 10 working days after a quality check.
- Augmont: its coin pages promise "Lifetime Buyback"; we could not read the detailed terms.
Even at 100%, the GST never comes back, so a coin sold back the same day loses at least 2.9% of its price, and a coin with a 4% making charge loses more than 9% at a seller that also keeps 3% of the gold. That is why a coin works as a store of value over years, not weeks. Gold has to rise by roughly that gap before the person you gave it to breaks even on a sale. For a family that keeps its Dhanteras coins in the locker for decades, this hardly matters. For a young colleague who might sell it next month, it does, and a smaller gift they will keep may serve them better.
Sending a gold coin as a gift
PC Jeweller asks the recipient to show a photo ID at delivery. Candere needs the buyer's name, card name and photo ID to match. India Government Mint sells one coin per person per design, checks PAN and gives no refunds. Check the delivery date at checkout.
Sellers of gold and silver coins listed on GiftScene:
A Mumbai precious-metals company selling 999 gold coins from a tenth of a gram and 999 silver coins from 10 g, plus festive silver sets. It states lifetime buyback and 30-day returns.
The Government of India's own mint, run by SPMCIL under the Ministry of Finance. Its online shop sells official commemorative coins in proof and uncirculated presentation packs, and 999 silver souvenir coins. One coin of each design per buyer, a PAN is needed, it ships only within India, and orders can't be cancelled or refunded.
Kalyan Jewellers' online store (Kalyan's own site sends online buyers here): 24K gold coins with devotional designs from 1 g to 10 g, with no making charges on coins, and light 9K–18K gold earrings and pendants. Free delivery across India; the buyer's name, card and photo ID must match.
A Kolkata jeweller, since 1994, selling 24K (995) Lakshmi and Lakshmi-Ganesh coins from 1 g to 10 g, gold bars, and traditional 22K and 18K jewellery. Free delivery across India, but its policy allows up to 30 working days to dispatch, so buy in store for Dhanteras.
A Delhi jeweller selling 24K (995) gold coins with free delivery across India or pickup at a showroom. It buys gold coins back at 97% of the gold value, and the recipient must show photo ID at delivery.
For a small Dhanteras gift, we would pick a 10 g or 20 g silver coin over a sliver of gold. It is the same auspicious gesture, it is big enough to hold, and less of its price goes on the premium that small gold coins carry.
Is digital gold a Dhanteras gift?
Not the same thing. SEBI's caution of 8 November 2025 says digital gold sold online operates entirely outside its purview, with none of the securities market's investor protection.
Gold & silver coins
Gold jewellery
Our gold and silver coins page lists every seller, and gold jewellery covers HUID hallmarks. For dates and budgets, see Diwali gifts 2026, the Diwali gifts page and gifts under ₹1,000.
Dhanteras gold coins: common questions
Is hallmarking compulsory for gold coins in India?
No. BIS's mandatory order covers gold jewellery and artefacts. Gold coins of 999 or 995 fineness can be hallmarked only by BIS-approved refineries and mints, so ask the seller.
How much do I lose selling a gold coin back?
At least the 3% GST. PC Jeweller pays 97% of the gold value, so its 5 g coin bought on 28 September would return about 90.6% the same day; Candere pays 100% of metal value.
Method: prices and seller terms are from each seller's own website, read on 26 September 2026 (India Government Mint on 24 September), with PC Jeweller's pricing, both buyback policies and Augmont's silver price re-read on 28 September. Rules are from BIS's hallmarking FAQs and SEBI press release 70/2025. The buyback and per-gram figures are our own arithmetic. Prices change daily. None of these sellers pays GiftScene.
