Mumbai: A limited edition Sachin Tendulkar gold coins, with the senior cricketer's face and signature embossed on them, were launched on Monday on the auspicious day of 'Akshaya Tritiya'. Valuemart Gold and Jewels launched one lakh Sachin Tendulkar gold coins, each weighing 10 grams, in the senior cricketer's presence in Mumbai.

The 24 karat gold coin is priced at Rs 34,000 and will be available on valuemartgold.com and leading jewellery stores across the country.

The company had signed up Tendulkar as its brand ambassador for a three-year period in February this year. "I have had many golden moments on the field. There are some wonderful memories but this is something really different. Let me first wish everyone happy Akshaya Tritiya because it is an important day in Hindu calendar," said Tendulkar at the launch.

"I like to buy gold. It was a thing to have nice gold chain around the neck and I did that as a teenager," he said.

"But mostly on this day it is the better half who takes all the effort in shopping. Obviously how can you keep women away from that. It is not just about that but also investing in gold, especially in India when you bring out gold coins, it also becomes a memorabilia and you can keep gold along with something special and it becomes a rarity," he said.

"Gold is popular among sportsmen also. On a lighter note you could go and ask the West Indian team. It is something which everyone looks forward to. The first thing you want to have is a gold chain with a nice pendant around it," he added.