Making a List and Checking it Twice…for Coins

More great gift ideas for numismatists can be found here: Some Great Holiday Gifts for Friends, Family, and Even Yourself

The holidays are fast approaching, and it’s time to start making our lists and checking them twice. Perhaps you are the type of person to plan gifts all year round, writing down ideas for yourself and others as they come to you, no matter the season. If that’s you, then hopefully, this list will help you check yours twice to make sure you’ve thought of everything. If you’re not like that, then don’t start panicking yet. There’s plenty of time to come up with the perfect gift for everyone on your list. From spouses to grandchildren, friends, and distant cousins, there’s something for everyone when it comes to numismatics.

We’ve collected a selection of holiday-themed coins that would make perfect stocking stuffers, as well as other numismatic items that can catch anyone’s attention. Perhaps one day, we’ll put together a Holiday Catalog instead of a Holiday Gift Guide so we can fit everything into one publication. Still, for now, we’ll make do with a selection of a little bit of everything to help spark some ideas and make your shopping a little easier.

We’ll start with the Royal Australian Mint. Australia celebrates the holiday season in the summer, the opposite of the U.S. While we associate the season with snow and pine trees, they have their Australian Christmas tree or Nuytsia floribunda. Its bright golden flowers bloom during Christmas and have become a symbol of the holiday. The Mint has released a 50-cent uncirculated coin with the tree’s bright flowers adorning the reverse. The coin also comes with a colorful hanging decoration card.

The Perth Mint made a second coin in its silver antiques, a colored coin. The 2oz coin has a gold-plated nutcracker charm in the center of the coin. Around it are scenes and characters from the famous Christmas tale.

The Royal Mint has also continued with a series this holiday season. The Snowman™ coins are quickly becoming a must-have for many every year. This year, the favorite children’s character is seen placing a star atop a Christmas tree.

The Royal Mint isn’t just offering Christmas-themed coins this year. A little something different that can still capture the attention of anyone on your list is the Mint’s ornaments. 

A star, a snowflake, or perhaps a robin. In the U.S., we often think of a dove for Christmas or perhaps a cardinal in winter, but in Europe, their Christmas story involves a robin flying to see the manger. Victorian postmen wore red uniforms, which gave them the nickname “robin redbreasts,” and people anxiously awaited their local “robin” to deliver their Christmas cards. Robins carrying cards began to appear on Christmas cards and quickly became a Christmas icon.

The Royal Mint also has selections such as the classic Petition Crown as a holiday decoration, which can bring a classic yet modern twist to your holiday traditions.

The Austrian Mint is known for its award-winning coins, and one of the most recognizable designs is the Vienna Philharmonic. Now you can get the silver 1oz coin in a special Christmas card pack.

The Royal Canadian Mint always offers a selection of holiday and winter-themed coins every year. There are options for children and adults alike, such as the 1oz silver snowflake coin. The 2024 20-dollar hexagonal coin is the second in the series, featuring a differently shaped snowflake from last year and a blue crystal in the center, shining like the snow itself.

Another option is the 2024 50-cent lenticular coin depicting some of Canada’s iconic animals decorating a tree. When the coin is moved, the scene shifts, showing those animals gathering around the lit-up tree and exchanging gifts. This coin will surely delight any children on your shopping list.

The Royal Canadian Mint, of course, also offers their annual Holiday Gift Card Set, which includes an exclusive 1-dollar coin of a beaver skiing down slopes. There is also a 2-dollar, 25-cent, 10-cent, and 5-cent coin, all dated 2024.

The New Zealand Mint’s new branch, Agoro, has a selection of holiday-themed coins, including a Hanukkah coin. From Marvel©, Disney©, and Star Wars™, these coins can make great gifts for people of all ages. No one is too old or too young to enjoy Spiderman™ or Mickey Mouse™.

The Czech Mint might be an unexpected place to look for some. This year, they are offering a medal-themed Midnight Mass. On the obverse, a family is seen rushing up to a church. The reverse shows a children’s choir. This silver medal, with its beautifully designed card, could make a great gift for a spouse or grandparent.

Another great gift idea is a Fiji 2-dollar silver coin depicting a Christmas Angel. The beautiful angel is surrounded by detailed wings, flowing robes, and holly leaves, bringing the spirit of Christmas alive.

There are quite a few coins from Cameroon this year, including a 2,000 Francs 1oz silver coin designed to look like a Christmas postcard. The reverse has a message to Santa. Another coin, a 500 Francs copper coin, shows a colorized Santa getting ready to go down a chimney. Two more Cameroon silver coins show Santa and his reindeer in color. These Cameroon coins bring the magic of Christmas to life in your hands.

A Solomon Islands coin is shaped like a Sugar Plum Fairy, yet another coin that brings to life the famous Christmas tale of The Nutcracker. This coin might bring sugar plums dancing in your head on Christmas.

The last holiday-themed coin we’ll look at today is a 100 Francs coin from the Republic of Congo. The gold proof coin shows everyone’s favorite reindeer on the reverse.

There are, of course, many more holiday-themed coins out there, and still more to be released before the end of the year. These are just a few that were selected to highlight the vast range of possibilities. But coins aren’t the only things to look at for gift-giving. There is, after all, so much more to the hobby.

Coin folders, magnifying glasses, and other numismatic tools can make great gifts, especially if you’re not confident in picking out a coin yourself. Coin folders can be a great gift for someone who has shown interest in the hobby as well. Try buying a folder for the Women’s Quarters or one of the other previous quarter programs and promising the recipient to help them fill it. Or, give your numismatist the practical gift of The 2025 Red Book Price Guide and The 2025 Blue Book Handbook of U.S. Coins.

The year 2025 can be spent searching through change together and creating memories. Come this time next year, you might have another collector in your circle and can look forward to collecting the next series with them. Making memories can be the greatest gift of all; this is a wonderful way to create them.

A fun and affordable gift might not be a coin or anything typical for the hobby at all. Everyone loves a silly t-shirt or hat, and you’ve probably never heard someone say they have too many mugs in their house. Get your loved one who loves to collect a shirt that promises “Just one more coin!” that they can wear to all the coin shows in the coming year.

The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to numismatic gift-giving. Sometimes, you need a little push to get you in the right direction.

When getting a gift for someone, it usually helps to know a little bit about the person you’re shopping for. However, this isn’t always the case, especially the younger the person gets. One minute, they’re into the latest Marvel™ movie, and the next, they claim they wouldn’t be caught dead liking such a thing. Perhaps the person you’re shopping for has been spouting seemingly nonsensical words and phrases like “Delulu,” “Girl Math,” or “No cap.” You may be on the verge of writing down a slang dictionary on your own wishlist so you can understand what they’re talking about, but that doesn’t mean shopping for them has to be hard. A fun coin that plays to their pop culture interests, or maybe a coin with a dog that looks like their beloved pet, or perhaps something a little more classic and timeless, can have you passing their “vibe checks” on Christmas morning.

Your spouse may be busy with work or taking care of the family, but adding a coin you’ve specially chosen for them can help them know how much you appreciate all they do.

The holidays, however, you celebrate them, are a time for us all to reflect on the past year and celebrate our love and appreciation for friends and family. We at Numismatic News, World Coin News, and Bank Note Reporter wish you a wonderful holiday season!