Some Great Holiday Gifts for Friends, Family, and Even Yourself

More fantastic gift ideas for numismatists can be found here: Making a List and Checking it Twice...for Coins

With the holidays coming at us, folks can show a range of feelings, from the person who is as festive and in the mood as possible to the person who worries about the visits, guests, parties, relatives, friends, and all the rest of the details of a big holiday. When it comes to gifts, here’s hoping we can take away a bit of the stress that someone might be feeling. We’ve made a list of gifts that work for people who are collectors, people who are not – and for ourselves, should the situation and the desire for some relaxation call for it. For our consideration, we have:

With the holidays coming at us, folks can show a range of feelings, from the person who is as festive and in the mood as possible to the person who worries about the visits, guests, parties, relatives, friends, and all the rest of the details of a big holiday. When it comes to gifts, here’s hoping we can take away a bit of the stress that someone might be feeling. We’ve made a list of gifts that work for people who are collectors, people who are not – and for ourselves, should the situation and the desire for some relaxation call for it. For our consideration, we have:

The United States Mint began pounding out Silver Eagles back in 1986. That first year of issue saw an impressive number of what can be called regular issues. But there were also proof versions coined right in that first year. And there have been proofs every year since. For the collector and the non-collector alike, this can be an eye-catching item. After all, they are big and impressive, and the proofs are as gorgeous as pieces of jewelry. If 2024 was a special year for someone, this can be a great way to remember it. On the other hand, for the person who wants to cover every gift-giving option and even wrap up a few gifts for unexpected guests, this can be the perfect item to pull out and present.

When it comes to price tags for the Silver Eagles, there’s enough good news that the numbers might sound like another holiday gift. For just about any of the regular issues, new or old, the prices are still very close to the value of the precious metal in them. Silver has been bouncing about near the $30 per ounce mark this year, and thus, regular-issue Silver Eagles don’t cost much more than this. Proof issues always cost more but are often still in their original, very attractive presentation cases and can still be quite affordable.

A final note on the Eagles: Big coins make great gifts for small hands—that is, kids—and could be a way to get a new collector or two started.

There is no doubt that the classic Morgan and Peace dollars are serious collector favorites and have been for decades. A person doesn’t have to hunt too long or hard to find some of the common dates and snag as many as they wish for any gift-giving purpose. These may work for seasoned collectors and can also be a wonderful surprise for relatives and friends who have never been bitten by the collecting bug. Additionally, if we decide on a few pieces in grades like extra fine or almost uncirculated – meaning EF-40 or AU-50 – the prices are also as attractive as a holiday carol.

The Morgan dollar was minted from 1878 to 1904 and again in 1921. The Peace Dollar was introduced in 1921. The successor to the popular Morgan Dollar series was created to commemorate the restoration of peace following the conclusion of World War I. The first run concluded in 1928, and the Morgan was brought back briefly in 1934-1935. 

Most collectors are aware that in 2021, the Mint brought back both Morgan and Peace dollar designs and did so in an impressive way. The next year, these images went dormant, but beyond that, a new series now seems to be developing. Putting one or more of these under the tree can make for a neat surprise for just about anyone. They are big, very attractive coins, and as mentioned with the Eagles, they might be a hit with kids in the family or just the kid in all of us.

Okay, the price of gold metal has reached levels many long-time collectors never expected, and so at first, we might think that gold is simply off the list when it comes to holiday giving this year. But even when the yellow metal rings in at $2,700 per troy ounce, the little 1/10th ounce Gold Eagles have only $270 worth of it in them. We’ll admit that if we are trying to get a gift for each person in a large family – and keep the cost at something like $25 per person – this is simply too rich for our blood, as many a card shark might say. But if there is one special someone, maybe a little bit of gold is the way to go.

Additionally, the idea of 1/10th-ounce gold coins as gifts is easy to extend beyond the boundaries of what is produced by our own Mint. What we mean is that there are plenty of small gold pieces from nations such as Canada, Britain, China, and Australia, to name just a few of the countries that market such bullion coins. If we can get these near the price of the precious metal, we might indeed be getting our hands on some neat presents.

We’ve put an old stand-by this far down on the list simply because the others we have talked about make for some excellent and innovative gift items. But we shouldn’t ignore proof sets since they have so many plusses associated with them.

First, there are what we can call base-metal proof sets, which look gorgeous and cost very little. This is the type of gift that the super-organized person wraps up with no name on it to be used for the long-lost relative or friend who just happens to appear on the doorstep some evening, unannounced.

Second, we have silver proof sets, in which those coins that were made of silver are once again made to the pre-1964 standard. This can be an eye-opener of a gift and ends up being appreciated by just about everyone. And the price tag for one of these is not exorbitant.

Third, proof sets are a great gift to mark a special year. Has there been a birth during the year? Why not mark it with a proof set? Has there been a marriage, a significant anniversary, or a new job? Once again, a proof set is a great gift to mark and remind us of a great year.

Finally, there are now proof sets that emphasize the silver the United States Mint puts out. These big sets include all five of the Women’s Quarters that were issued for the year, as well as a silver dime, silver half dollar, and even a one-ounce silver Eagle. These haven’t been coming out for all that many years and are definitely a step beyond what some collectors are used to. However, these sets are not going to be the most expensive item a person might give, and they will probably be appreciated by anyone who tears off some wrapping paper during the holidays, whether they are a collector or not.

Okay, this final entry in our holiday gift list may not be a horse we expected to see in the race, but we’ll add the seldom-seen $2 bill for a number of reasons. Lots of people find them interesting – especially those who haven’t ever been collectors. Kids think it’s neat to see something new like this, and yes, they will probably ask if they can spend it. Crisp $2 notes can also generate some great discussions over a glass of eggnog as to whether or not our government should make more. Best of all, quite a few banks and credit unions actually do carry them – we’ll probably have to ask – making them an incredibly inexpensive gift. Presenting one or more $2 bills in an envelope will definitely qualify as a surprise.

Of course, there are more possibilities regarding numismatic items we might want to consider as holiday gifts. From sleek coin holders to high-tech microscopes, numismatic accessories make thoughtful and practical gifts for coin enthusiasts looking to enhance their collections. The ideas and varieties may not be endless, but they are remarkably numerous. Yet, whatever you wish for, from modern Mint products and the coins of the ancient Greek city-states to the tools we use in our coin-collecting journeys, they’re out there. Good luck in finding that perfect holiday gift.