The Ruling on Selling Idols

Question: Is selling idols—may Allah reward you—permissible? It is not permissible at all. For example, if a person bought a golden idol and wanted to melt it down and use it for beneficial purposes, is that permissible?

Answer: It is not permissible to sell them. However, if the owner breaks it, there is no harm in selling the broken idol. But selling it in its current state is not permissible. If he breaks it, it transforms from being an idol, and then it becomes permissible.
It is obligatory to break it and not leave it in its current state; rather, it must be broken, and then its broken pieces may be sold.