SGB 2021-22 Series VI: Rs 1 Lakh Investment Could Be Worth Rs 3.28 Lakh Now

Investors holding the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) 2021-22 Series VI are set to see a substantial increase over the original issue price when the bonds become eligible for premature redemption.
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The redemption price for the series due on September 7, 2026 has been fixed at Rs 15,334 per unit.

The bond was originally issued in September 2021 at Rs 4,682 per gram for investors purchasing it online. An additional discount of Rs 50 per gram was available to eligible online buyers at the time of issue.


This means the latest redemption value is considerably higher than the price at which the bond was initially offered.

How Much Has The SGB Value Increased?

Based on the original issue price of Rs 4,682 and the redemption price of Rs 15,334, the SGB has generated an absolute return of around 228% over the holding period.


The calculation excludes the interest paid separately to investors.

To put the increase into perspective, an investment of Rs 1 lakh at the original issue price would have a redemption value of approximately Rs 3.28 lakh at the latest price, before taking the separate interest payments into account.

The actual amount received by an individual investor would depend on the number of units held and the applicable redemption terms.

Investors Become Eligible For Premature Redemption After Five Years

The SGB 2021-22 Series VI was issued on September 7, 2021.


Investors become eligible to seek premature redemption after completing five years from the date of issue. For this series, that window opens on September 7, 2026.

The five-year period is significant because SGBs are designed as long-term gold-linked investments, with premature redemption permitted only after the prescribed holding period.

Investors who continue holding their bonds beyond the premature redemption point can remain subject to the applicable maturity and redemption provisions.

What Exactly Is A Sovereign Gold Bond?

Sovereign Gold Bonds are government securities denominated in grams of gold and issued by the Reserve Bank of India.

Instead of buying and storing physical gold, investors hold a security whose value is linked to the market price of gold.


At the time of investment, the investor pays the issue price. When the bond is redeemed, the investor receives the applicable redemption value.

This structure means investors can gain exposure to gold without directly purchasing jewellery, bars or coins.

The value of the bond, however, is linked to movements in gold prices. Consequently, the redemption value can be higher or lower depending on gold-price movements over the investment period.

How The September 7 Redemption Price Is Calculated

The redemption price is not selected arbitrarily.

For SGBs being redeemed prematurely, the value is calculated using the simple average of the closing price of 999-purity gold for the last three business days preceding the redemption date.


For the September 7, 2026 redemption, the gold prices from September 2, September 3 and September 4, 2026 were considered for determining the applicable price.

The resulting calculation produced a redemption price of Rs 15,334 per unit for the SGB 2021-22 Series VI.

Since each SGB unit represents a specified quantity of gold, the movement in the underlying gold price has a direct bearing on its redemption value.

Gold Price Rise Drives The Capital Appreciation

The difference between Rs 4,682, the original issue price, and Rs 15,334, the premature redemption price, represents a substantial increase in the gold-linked value of the investment.

The absolute return works out to around 228% based on these two prices.


For investors, this means the capital appreciation alone has been significant over the five-year holding period.

However, it is important not to treat the 228% figure as the complete return from the SGB.

The calculation does not include the interest component paid to investors during the holding period.

SGB Investors Also Receive Interest

One of the features that distinguishes SGBs from simply holding physical gold is the interest component.

Investors receive interest at the rate of 2.5% per annum on the initial investment amount. The interest is paid every six months.


This interest is separate from the change in the gold-linked value of the bond.

As a result, an investor who has held the SGB throughout the relevant period has received both periodic interest payments and the increase in the redemption value of the gold bond.

The total return from the investment therefore consists of these two components rather than the capital appreciation alone.

What A Rs 1 Lakh Investment Could Look Like

Consider an investor who purchased SGB 2021-22 Series VI worth Rs 1 lakh at the original issue price.

Using the issue price of Rs 4,682 per gram, the investment would have purchased roughly 21.36 grams of gold-linked SGB units.


At the announced redemption price of Rs 15,334 per unit, the corresponding redemption value would be close to Rs 3.28 lakh.

This represents the approximately 228% absolute appreciation based on the issue and redemption prices.

The calculation does not include the interest paid every six months. Therefore, the investor's total receipts over the holding period would also include the interest component, subject to the applicable terms and taxation.

Why The Interest And Redemption Value Should Be Viewed Separately

When assessing SGB returns, it is useful to distinguish between capital appreciation and interest income.

The redemption price reflects the value linked to gold at the time of redemption. The 2.5% annual interest, meanwhile, is calculated on the initial investment amount and is paid periodically.


Combining both components gives a more complete picture of the investment's overall cash flows.

According to financial experts, investors evaluating the performance of a gold-linked investment should also consider the purchase price, holding period, interest received and redemption value rather than focusing on only one figure.

SGB Returns Are Linked To Gold Prices

The strong increase in the Series VI redemption price reflects the rise in the underlying gold value between the issue date and the redemption date.

This also highlights an important characteristic of SGBs: their value is linked to gold rather than being a fixed-return investment.

If gold prices rise, the redemption value can benefit. If gold prices decline, the value of the investment can also fall.


The interest component provides a separate source of return, but it does not eliminate the market-related risk associated with movements in gold prices.

Therefore, past appreciation in one SGB series should not be treated as a guarantee of similar returns from future gold investments.

What Series VI Investors Should Know

For holders of the SGB 2021-22 Series VI, the September 7, 2026 premature redemption price of Rs 15,334 represents a significant increase over the original Rs 4,682 issue price.

The resulting absolute appreciation is around 228%, excluding the 2.5% annual interest received on the initial investment.

The redemption calculation is based on the simple average closing price of 999-purity gold over the relevant three-business-day period, which for this redemption covered September 2, September 3 and September 4, 2026.


For investors assessing their overall gains, both the gold-linked appreciation and the interest received during the holding period need to be considered.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. SGB returns are linked to gold prices and past performance does not guarantee future returns. Investors should consider the applicable terms, taxation and their individual financial circumstances before making investment decisions.

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