Are retail gold savings schemes still offered by governments or mints?

Not many governments still run the old 'gold savings' schemes. In my experience, the durable option today is sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) in India. They’re government-backed, not physical gold, but you own gold-equivalent and you get a fixed interest each year. When I bought an SGB tranche, the purchase was straightforward through my bank, and the semi-annual interest showed up automatically. You can redeem on maturity after eight years, and there’s also tax relief on long-term gains if you hold to maturity; and they’re tradable on exchanges if you want liquidity earlier.

Outside India, I’ve found governments aren’t offering similar retail plans; mints mostly sell coins/bars rather than savings schemes, and any 'gold savings' programs tend to be private, not backed by the state. If you’re after a government-backed route, SGBs are the main ongoing option in India; otherwise check your central bank or official mint site for any current programs. For personal practice, I combine a small SGB investment with occasional gold purchases from a trusted dealer to keep liquidity and flexibility.

From my experience in India, government-backed retail gold schemes like Sovereign Gold Bonds are still offered in cycles. I bought a tranche a couple of years ago through my bank; you pay at issue price, earn a coupon, and redeem at maturity with tax considerations. Outside India, most governments don’t run such savings programs; mints mainly sell coins/bars, not a savings product.

Retail gold savings schemes are still offered in a few places, with India leading the way through Sovereign Gold Bonds and the Gold Monetization Scheme. I bought SGBs years ago, using my bank’s doorstep facility, and the process was straightforward. The scheme fixes an issued price, pays a small fixed interest (subject to tax), and redeems in cash or gold at maturity after about eight years. Redemption on maturity is exempt from capital gains tax, while the interest is taxable as income. Availability depends on government issuances; many countries don’t run formal savings schemes, while mints mostly sell bullion or coins. If you want a convenient hedge without storing metal, check the latest tranche dates, issue price, and tax treatment in your country.