Dhanteras 2025: Silver shines brighter than gold; coin sales soar up to 40% amid record prices

Silver outshone gold this Dhanteras, with consumer demand for the white metal soaring despite record-high prices. As per news agency PTI, silver coin sales surged 35–40 per cent year-on-year, with overall value more than doubling, even as the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) projected a 15 per cent dip in gold volumes due to steep price hikes.Dhanteras, marking the start of Diwali and traditionally the most auspicious day for buying precious metals, is being celebrated over two days until Sunday afternoon. In Delhi, gold of 24-carat purity dropped to Rs 1,32,000 per 10 grams on Saturday from Rs 1,34,800 the previous day, while silver eased to Rs 1,70,000 per kg from Rs 1,77,000. The brief correction — about Rs 2,000 overnight — helped spur demand for coins and smaller bullion pieces, especially in the 1–50 gram range, for investment and early wedding purchases.“Dhanteras 2025 has seen a 10–15 per cent dip in overall volume compared to last year, but value is up sharply,” said GJC Chairman Rajesh Rokde. “Silver coins and puja items surged 40 per cent year-on-year, marking silver’s rise as a smart, value-focused investment,” he said, as quoted by PTI.GJC Vice Chairman Avinash Gupta noted that the average transaction value rose 20–25 per cent despite lower volumes. “The 35–40 per cent surge in silver coin sales was led by Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where buyers opted for budget-friendly investments and gifting,” he said, adding that self-purchases rose 15 per cent among younger consumers.

According to Senco Gold and Diamonds CEO Suvankar Sen, “Gold sales volume will decline 12 per cent year-on-year due to 40 per cent higher prices, but value rises 20–25 per cent. In silver, volume is similar to last year, but with prices up over 100 per cent, we expect more than double the business.” He said pre-bookings, now 15 per cent of total business, were driven largely by silver.PNG Jewellers CMD Saurabh Gadgil said bullion, including coins and bars, “is performing exceptionally,” though supply shortages limited silver pre-bookings.

“We expect buoyant Dhanteras with 15–20 per cent value growth over last year,” he said, as per PTI.The World Gold Council’s India head, Sachin Jain, said sentiment for gold remained robust across coins, bars, ETFs, and digital gold, reinforcing its role as a symbol of prosperity.In line with the trend, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) estimated total gold and silver sales at Rs 60,000 crore — up 25 per cent from last year — underscoring strong festive demand despite record bullion prices.Analysts said consumers are increasingly adapting to the new price reality by shifting to lightweight gold and investment-grade silver, turning Dhanteras 2025 into a festival of both tradition and calculated investment.