Rolex watches, gold jewellery, MacBook: Govt opens Toshakhana to public in first-ever auction

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has opened its Toshakhana Collection to the public for the first time, offering nearly 300 diplomatic gifts and souvenirs for auction through an online bidding process. The move marks a significant shift in the treatment of official gifts received by government officials and follows the implementation of the revised Toshakhana Rules 2024.

According to art NDTV report, the e-auction began on June 8 and will continue until June 30, 2026. The collection includes a wide range of ceremonial, cultural and collectible items, with minimum prices from ₹2,385.

MEA opens Toshakhana collection to public

The Ministry of External Affairs said this was the first time the public had been given the opportunity to purchase items from the Toshakhana collection.

Officials said the revised Toshakhana rules of 2024 paved the way for a public auction. They added that the articles included in the current sale were presented to serving government officials of the rank of foreign minister and below during their official foreign visits and engagements over several years.

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Officials also noted that this is the first public auction of items from Toshakhana. The only previous auction was held in 1983 and was reserved exclusively for employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Rolex watches, silver and luxury collectibles

The auction catalog contains several highly valuable and collectible items. Among the extraordinary offerings are two Rolex Yacht-Master watches, each with a starting price of approx ₹16.5 million.

Other notable items include a silver dagger from Oman, a silver tea set made in London, an Apple MacBook Pro, decorative silver artefacts and gold jewellery.

Officials said both Rolex Yacht-Master watches have attracted strong interest since the auction began.

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The collection also includes a decorative silver box decorated with gold-plated dragons and containing a 20-gram Swiss gold biscuit. According to officials, bidding on the item has already exceeded its reserve price.

The antique silver box attracts a lot of interest

One of the biggest attractions of the ongoing auction is an antique silver box from the 1980s.

Originally designed as a luxury cigar or cigarette case, the collectible has attracted considerable interest from bidders, with bids already climbing well above its reserve price.

However, not every premium item has received the same response. Officials said gold jewelry from Kuwait, carrying a reserve price of around ₹9.5 million, has not received any offers yet.

Reserve prices set by the valuation committee

The auction is conducted by the Toshakhana Section of the Establishment Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to officials, the minimum price of each article was fixed by a valuation committee. Packaging and shipping charges have also been added to the estimated value of each item.

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Successful bidders will receive free delivery of purchased items after the end of the auction on June 30.

The sale proceeds will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India

Officials said the proceeds generated through the auction will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India.

They also clarified that only donations received by serving government officials were included in the current auction. In future editions of the sale, the ministry plans to include donations received by successive foreign ministers.

Toshakhana is the official repository of gifts and souvenirs presented to Indian government officials by foreign governments, dignitaries and other overseas sources during official engagements.

Officials further clarified that most of the items in the collection are ceremonial, decorative, heirloom or collectible in nature and not intended for practical day-to-day use.