Sovereign Gold Bonds

These bonds are in the form of government securities  and largely work as certificates, which are denominated in grams of gold. They can be bought as substitutes of physical gold.

Investors have to pay the issue price in cash and the gold bonds will be redeemed in cash on maturity. The Bond is issued by Reserve Bank on behalf of Government of India. No worry of theft.

Ashoka Chakra Gold Coin

It is the first ever national gold coin with the Ashoka Chakra on one side and Mahatma Gandhi on the other. The Indian gold coin is of 24 karat purity and 999 fineness.

All coins will be hallmarked as per the BIS standards. A few banks and MMTC are the places where you can purchase these coins.

Gold Futures

Individuals can invest in gold futures through MCX. Gold in the futures market can be bought in the same manner as you buy shares. Note that gold bought in future market will expire in 3 months, so the contract should be settled  before the expiry.

You can always create a fresh contract, thus ensuring continuity. You have to know the procedures involved and must seek help, if you are a novice.

Gold ETF

Gold ETFs track gold price and can be bought from the exchanges as they are listed. They can be bought from the normal share trading account, the procedure is same  as buying shares online.

Gold Coins from banks

There are banks which offer gold coins to the customers and can be brought online. If an individual is buying physical gold for more than certain amount, he should submit PAN card copy .

Gold Monetisation scheme

In this scheme one can deposit gold and gold ornaments at the registered centers and earn interest on that. The minimum deposit at any one time shall be raw gold (bars, coins, jewellery excluding stones and other metals) equivalent to 30 grams of gold of 995 fineness.