A Holiday Haul: The Gift of Numismatics

Whether you were blasting holiday music as soon as you closed the door on the last trick-or-treater for the night on Oct. 31, or you’re holding out until Dec. 23 to even think about the holidays, we’ve got you covered for your numismatic wish list. From this year’s latest holiday-themed coins to make the perfect stocking stuffer to the 2022 bullion you’ll want to have in your collection, we’ve seen it all. Read on for a comprehensive list on what to include on your shopping list – and your wish list.

Kicking things off are two eye-catching coins from Australia. The first is a 50-cent colored fine silver proof coin with vibrant Australian Christmas beetles forming a mandala in the center of the coin. The beetles are surrounded by a detailed eucalyptus wreath with more beetles and native flora. The coin comes with a special capsule and ribbon so that it can be hung.The vibrant colors of the Christmas beetles make a wreath in the center of this Australian coin. (Image courtesy Australian Mint.)

The vibrant colors of the Christmas beetles make a wreath in the center of this Australian coin. (Image courtesy Australian Mint.)

Australia also has a fun coin designed to look like a wreath adorned with decorative baubles, candy canes and berries. In the center of the coin hangs one of Santa’s sleigh bells. The bell is 24-karat gold-plated along with selective plating on the wreath itself. The $2 silver coin with antique finish is sure to grab the attention of anyone on your shopping list.

One of Santa’s sleigh bells can be seen in the center of this Christmas wreath. (Image courtesy PowerCoin.)

Continuing with the theme presented in 2020, Canada has released the newest addition to their collection of holiday coins featuring a 3D sculpture of Santa in the center. The silver coin has a gold-plated garland around the sculpture and a gold-plated rim on the edge of the coin. Santa sits atop a pile of gifts reviewing his list of Naughty and Nice while his elves prepare for the big night. Tilting the coin allows you to watch the elves move. With a large diameter of 65mm, the $50 proof coin is a fascinating interactive coin with plenty to look at and delight.

This hefty Canadian coin is gravity-activated, allowing the viewer to watch the elves moving around Santa working away on those finishing touches before the big night. (Image courtesy Royal Canadian Mint.)

Another innovative design by the Royal Canadian Mint brings us the $50 silver proof Magic of the Season coin. The reverse design shows Santa and one of his reindeer, but the beautiful detailing of this design isn’t all there is to see. The coin is accompanied with a black light; hold the coin under the light and bright Christmas lights are revealed. This keepsake will not only light up, but also illuminate hearts for this holiday season.

The silver coin isn’t all it seems: hold it under a black light and reveal the bright Christmas lights. The light will also reveal little Christmas trees on the obverse behind the effigy of the Queen. (Images courtesy Royal Canadian Mint.)

Sometimes one coin just isn’t enough, in which case a coin set is the way to go. The Royal Canadian Mint has released a gift set of 2022-dated coins that includes a Santa-themed $1 coin. The set also includes a 5-cent, 10-cent, 25-cent and $2 coin, all uncirculated. The Santa-themed coin can only be found in this coin set, which comes in gift card packaging.

This fun coin can only be found in Canada’s five-coin gift set. (Image courtesy Royal Canadian Mint.)

Melbourne Coins & Collectables has released their annual numismatic advent calendar. Each window reveals a different coin, and the coins come from all over the world. This is a fun way to start a new collection of world coins.

This advent calendar features 24 different coins from all over the world, providing a fun and educational way to celebrate the holiday season. (Image courtesy Melbourne Coin & Collectibles.)

The New Zealand Mint has been releasing coins with all our favorite characters. This season they’ve released two holiday coins on behalf of Niue. The first is a 1-ounce $2 silver coin with a reverse design showing Hogwarts’s Great Hall at Christmastime. The New Zealand Mint partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and comes in book-like packaging.

New Zealand, on behalf of Niue, has released these two coins with Harry Potter™ and Star Wars™ themes for the holiday season. (Images courtesy New Zealand Mint.)

Similarly, the second 1-ounce $2 silver coin shows a reverse design of Star Wars’s™ Luke Skywalker’s™ T-47 airspeeder™ trying to take down an AT-AT Walker™ with the phrase “Merry Force be with You”.

(Images courtesy New Zealand Mint.)

Niue also has a $1 silver proof Merry Christmas coin with three angels decorating a Christmas tree, surrounded by snow in a resin fill.

This coin moves away from the other Niue coins with pop culture themes to a more traditional setting. (Image courtesy PowerCoin.)

Solomon Islands has taken the classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” and been releasing holiday coins with the various characters. This year we are given a colorful 1-ounce silver Clara. Clara may not be as commonly seen as her nutcracker or even the Rat King, but she is undoubtably the heroine of the story. This coin comes with a capsule designed to hang and can have you thinking about Sugar Plum Fairies as she dances around the tree.

PAMP, on behalf of the Solomon Islands, released this silver coin of Clara from the well-known ballet, “The Nutcracker.” (Image courtesy PAMP.)

Coin Invest Trust’s (CIT) Golden Highlights collection brings us two $1 gold coins with a silk finish. These tiny Palau coins are shaped like a gingerbread man and Santa. The 19.9mm coins are sure to invoke the nostalgia of placing cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve. CIT’s. smartminting technology makes sure the design elements aren’t lost on the tiny surface area.

Only 13.92 mm, these gold $1 coins from CIT on behalf of Palau are cute additions to any gold collection, or make a great gift to include for a special someone on your list. (Images courtesy CIT.)

The British Royal Mint has quite a few holiday options to pick from. Perhaps you want to get the collection honoring the late Queen, which also features the effigy of King Charles for the first time. That coin set would surely be a good option when remembering events of 2022. Another option would be the Three Graces gold-plated silver tree decoration, which follows in the footsteps of last year’s Una and the Lion ornament. The Three Graces are the united nations of England, Scotland and Ireland represented as daughters of Zeus. With a mintage of only 100, this might not be as accessible as other options.

The sterling silver ornament is plated with 18-karat gold and depicts the Three Graces design by William Wyon RA. (Image courtesy The Royal Mint.)

In the realm of ornaments, the Royal Mint has continued with their Christmas Star ornaments. In silver or gold, the 3D star is dated 2022 and includes the Platinum Jubilee hallmark.

These gold and silver Christmas star ornaments will make the perfect addition to your holiday décor. (Image courtesy The Royal Mint.)

Your Christmas pudding can’t be without a sixpence, and the Royal Mint is providing a 2022-dated silver coin for the job. The Christmas silver sixpence features a floral motif with the late Queen’s royal cypher surrounded by apple and orange blossoms for good fortune.

Don’t forget to add a sixpence to your Christmas pudding to invite good fortune for the coming year! (Image courtesy The Royal Mint.)

(Image courtesy The Royal Mint.)

Next up is the British Royal Mint’s The Snowman™ and The Snowdog coin. The 2022 uncirculated color coin features a new design by illustrator Robin Shaw and is the first time The Snowdog has appeared on a U.K. coin. The story of The Snowman™ and The Snowdog is known by many, as the duo are built by a little boy in his backyard and come to life at night to go on adventures together. The 50-pence coin in cupronickel coin is sure to delight the young collector in your life.

The Snowman™ is back for another coin, and this year he’s brought his four-legged friend The Snowdog. (Image courtesy The Royal Mint.)

The Perth Mint didn’t disappoint with a brightly colored Stamp and Coin cover issued by the Australia Post that includes a matching coin struck by the Perth Mint. The $1 base metal coin is 30.7mm and has red, green and blue Christmas stars lighting up the reverse. “JOY” is written among the stars, and “MERRY CHRISTMAS” can be seen along the edge of the design.

A collaboration between the Perth Mint and the Australia Post brings us this colorful coin and stamp combo. (Images courtesy Perth Mint.)

The Elf on the Shelf® has found its way onto a coin. See if you and the collector in your life can find this sneaky elf before Christmas! (Image courtesy Perth Mint.)

There’s something for everyone to appreciate in this year’s selection of holiday coins, even if the brightly colored modern issues aren’t your cup of tea – or should we say egg nog? What we can all remember this season is the joy the collecting community brings us all and look forward to another year of sharing our passions, experiences, tips and overall love for the hobby and the people in it. Happy Holidays!

Sophia MattimiroAuthor