Tax liability on sale of collectibles

This query is : Resolved

Querist : Anonymous

Querist : Anonymous (Querist)

18 September 2013 Is sale of Indian Currency is prohibited by any Law?

If anyone sale his old collections of some Indian Coins and Currency Note in more then his actual value & gain some attractive profits then under which head this profit is taxable? Is it taxable @ 30% as Casual Income?

Querist : Anonymous

Querist : Anonymous (Querist)

06 October 2013 resp. experts plz reply..

Aashok Kumar Sharma

Aashok Kumar Sharma (Expert)
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26 July 2025 Great question! Let’s break it down clearly, covering both the **legality of selling old Indian currency** and the **tax treatment** of profits from such sales.

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## ✅ 1. **Is Selling Old Indian Currency Legal?**

Yes — but with **conditions**.

### 🔹 Permitted:

* **Selling old/antique coins or currency notes** for **numismatic (collection)** purposes is generally **legal** in India.
* These are considered **collectibles**, not legal tender.

### 🔹 Not Permitted:

* Selling **current legal tender** at a premium (e.g., ₹500 notes for ₹700) is **not allowed**.
* **Mutilated or demonetized currency** can’t be traded unless under specific RBI/coin-collecting guidelines.

💡 So, if your collection includes **rare or historic coins/notes**, and you’re selling to collectors — it’s **allowed**, as long as the sale doesn't involve current legal tender or violate RBI rules.

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## ✅ 2. **Tax Treatment of Profit from Sale of Collectibles**

Profits from selling collectibles like **rare coins, currency notes, stamps, or artwork** are **taxable as Capital Gains**, **not casual income**.

### 🔹 Why not Casual Income?

* **Casual income** (Section 56(2)(ib)) typically refers to **lottery, betting, gambling**, etc.
* Selling personal collectibles is considered a **transfer of a capital asset**, not a casual windfall.

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### 🔹 Tax Head: **Capital Gains**

| Type of Gain | Tax Treatment |
| -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **Short-Term Gain** (held ≤ 36 months) | Taxed at slab rates (added to your total income) |
| **Long-Term Gain** (held > 36 months) | Taxed at **20% with indexation** under Section 112 |

✅ Since these are **personal effects** but fall under the definition of **capital assets** (exception made for collectibles), **capital gains rules apply**.

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## 🧾 Example:

* You sell a rare ₹1 coin from 1947 for ₹20,000.
* You originally bought or acquired it for ₹5,000.
* Held for 4 years → **Long-Term Capital Gain = ₹15,000**, taxed @ 20% (with indexation benefit).

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## ✅ Summary

| Question | Answer |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Is sale of old Indian currency legal? | ✅ Yes, for collectibles (not legal tender) |
| Is profit taxable? | ✅ Yes |
| Under which head? | **Capital Gains**, not Casual Income |
| Tax rate for short-term gain | Slab rate |
| Tax rate for long-term gain | 20% with indexation |

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Let me know if you'd like:

* Help computing **capital gains** on a specific sale
* A sample **record-keeping format** for collectible sales
* More info on RBI guidelines for currency trading

Happy to help!

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