If you were gifting a 100 dollar or less numismatic purchase to a close relative, what would it be?

bennybravo

Bullion? Semi key date rarity? What would you buy for optimal upside within their lifetime?

lermish

I just bought stocking stuffers for my wife and kids. I bought them themed silver bullion coins that matched each of their interests.

"Optimal upside" is a fantasy for most coins but especially sub-$100 coins. Buy something they might like and, if they don't really care, something you can enjoy. It's a gift. Don't count on ever getting any money back out of it,

yspsales

PCGS high grade 1938d Buffalo Nickel… cheap perfection

Omegaraptor

A mid-grade, common date Seated Half Dollar maybe? A large silver coin and piece of 1800s American commerce and history, and also an attractive coin in mid-grade.

Probably biased but just throwing an idea out there. In addition, a bust type 8 Reales pulls it close to $100, but it's definitely doable.

Project Numismatics

Find a coin or fantasy coin that matches their interests - especially for the kids. There are all kinds of moderns from various issuers celebrating every theme imaginable - from Star Wars to mountain landscapes to famous women.

At the $100 level or less, I’d focus on capturing their imagination and interest as opposed to future value.

neildrobertson

A roll of presidential or sacagawea dollars. They might find it interesting and there would be no love lost if it was spent.

coinbuf

ASE, can those be bought for under $100 still??

Smudge

Bullion.

pmh1nic

I don’t see bullion as a numismatic purchase.

If this was for a young person I would be thinking of Franklins, Buffaloes, Mercs or early Washington Quarters. These would be something they could work on completing without having to break the bank if they decide to collect a nice set of VF or AU coins.

BucketHead

Are we talking cost basis or current value?
On the past few years I have gifted coins that cost me less than $100 but all that are going for more than that in the market.

davewesen

it would depend on their age and interests

messydesk

Context for the recipient is critical here. Are you sharing who you are with a non-collector or are you giving a gift to a collector? My general rule of thumb is to not attempt to give something to a hobbyist related to their hobby unless I know a lot about their interests and have a reasonable amount of expertise or guidance from someone who does. Even something that supports their hobby I'd like guidance on. This is why I don't buy my wife art stuff and she doesn't buy me coin stuff. If it's for a non-collector, they're not so interested in coins and won't appreciate the same things you do about them, so you're sharing yourself with them. It also won't be anything they can use for anything unless they quickly unload it, in which case you may as well have given them cash. If there's a special year, play into that. Maybe a framed photo of a grandparent with a coin or coins from their birth year.

U1chicago

I’ll echo the thoughts of themed bullion/modern world coin (plenty of choices based on their likes-Disney, marvel, animals, zodiac, art, military, etc).

lkenefic

@messydesk said:
Context for the recipient is critical here. Are you sharing who you are with a non-collector or are you giving a gift to a collector? My general rule of thumb is to not attempt to give something to a hobbyist related to their hobby unless I know a lot about their interests and have a reasonable amount of expertise or guidance from someone who does. Even something that supports their hobby I'd like guidance on. This is why I don't buy my wife art stuff and she doesn't buy me coin stuff. If it's for a non-collector, they're not so interested in coins and won't appreciate the same things you do about them, so you're sharing yourself with them. It also won't be anything they can use for anything unless they quickly unload it, in which case you may as well have given them cash. If there's a special year, play into that. Maybe a framed photo of a grandparent with a coin or coins from their birth year.

This... if it's a gift to a collector, I'd want to at least be familiar with their collecting interests... particularly if they have a "want list" of specific coins. Non-collectors probably won't have much of an appreciation for numismatic pieces. However, most people understand an ounce of silver...

BustDMs

A coin 100 years older than they are.

braddick

Coin shops sell year sets for coins. Purchase a 2022 Capital plastics type holder and place a 2022 proof set within it.

CoinHoarder

Probably a large silver coin. A nice PCGS certified Morgan dollar.

Steven59

Coins are something I have to be the one buying - who else would even know what I collect/like? It would be a nice gesture but how does anybody know what coins would you like? I keep private about my collection as no one really needs to know what I have. Had a previous girfriend that stole my gold coins because I trusted her and had a big mouth. Goodbye gold coins..........and the GF!

BucketHead

@Steven59 said:
Coins are something I have to be the one buying - who else would even know what I collect/like? It would be a nice gesture but how does anybody know what coins would you like? I keep private about my collection as no one really needs to know what I have. Had a previous girfriend that stole my gold coins because I trusted her and had a big mouth. Goodbye gold coins..........and the GF!

I trust your judgment. Feel free to buy me a coin

On the flip side. Sorry you had to deal with that. I went through a REALLY bad divorce and lost my 15th through-20th century collection of antique maps and prints as well as my collection of pre Vietnam era analog aircraft instrumentation. Tens to 100k range.

I’m rebuilding it all but it’s painstaking buying things for the second time. Don’t lose faith. The world is full of awesome people.

airplanenut

I’ve only made three numismatic purchases for family members:

I randomly found a seated fine love token with my parents’ initials while at a show, so I bought it for them.

When the UK held the summer Olympics and they made a series of coins for various sports, I bought the soccer coin explaining the offside rule for my brother, dad, and uncle—a cheap novelty.

I got my brother a Canadian silver hockey commem

All of these have a tie to the recipient’s interests, which is key. I would never buy a random coin because if they can’t appreciate it the way I might, it’s one more thing to get lost or sell. Modern sets or silver eagles for memorable years can work, but even then, maybe. For anything but a very minor purchase, I’d wait until the recipient showed specific interest and then go from there.

Cougar1978

At a recent show setup at bought a couple NGC MS 70 ASE for $54 from a wholesaler and 2006 ASE PCGS 69 for $38 from another dealer. The whosaler also had a NGC 1oz Vienna Philharmonic for $27 I jumped on that to. Could not believe he gave it away for that.

For her TG surprise gift gave wife 2022 Mexico 1oz PCGS 69 onza picked up up off the Bay for $52 at after show dinner I treated her to at restaurant. She was absolutely delighted by it. A few others I bought sold at the show for $60 each. A Mexico PCGS66 1944 silver peso, low pop sniped off the Bay for $30 brought $120 at the show. I then went and picked up 2 more of the 70 NGC ASE at $54. Love stack them lol.

bennybravo

Great Answers!

oih82w8

My wife, not the coin collector type, dropped this hint on me;

2021 PEZ® Gift Set w/Elf Dispenser 30g Silver Ingots.

This year's version is Santa.

bennybravo

Freaking awesome PEZ!

Mr_Spud

I just received about 12 or so of these. I give them out at work and also sometimes to relatives

rte592

@bennybravo said:
Freaking awesome PEZ!

I really like those PEZ too.
We had a secret Santa gift exchange one year for Christmas $20 was the max.
I traded out names with another person who picked another guys name and had no idea what to get.
I found out what year he was born (1958) and purchased a full bell line Franklin Half dollar in NGC MS64.

Like others said probably something in a themed silver round.
pick something they have interest in?

Could go with a gold miner stock?
Gold panning paydirt kit?
If they are into that.

winesteven

I’d buy a Birth Year Set, placing the raw coins in a Capital Plastics holder.

Most people aren’t into coins, but giving someone a set where every coin was “made” in the same year they were born puts a smile on their face - every time!

Steve

MasonG

My thought on gifts is that one ought to base the choice on what the recipient would presumably like, not on what I'd like to give them. Based on that, I can't really answer the question.

jmlanzaf

$100 bill.

If they aren't a coin collector, they will appreciate the cash more than any coin you could buy.

1Mike1

A pcgs graded Morgan.

Dave99B

Maybe a certified Peace or Morgan dollar? Hard to find a semi-key for $100.

Dave

ricko

The only time I give coins is for a birth in the family. Then I get the appropriate year ASE and give that to the parents, for the child eventually. No one else in the family is interested in coins, so I do not even consider that option. Cheers, RickO

291fifth

I would never again make the mistake of giving coins as gifts to non-collectors.

TPRC

@yspsales said:
PCGS high grade 1938d Buffalo Nickel… cheap perfection

This, or a similar late date mercury dime, was my first thought.

TimNH

Older=better. If someone has shown no interest to date, this is the best way to get some kind of reaction, the wow factor of deep time. So what's the oldest coin you can get for under $100, maybe a problem/details 1798 cent or something, of course it has to have a good visible date.

BuffaloIronTail

A nicely struck 1924-D Lincoln in XF would be a cool gift, IMHOP.

Pete

TimNH

@BuffaloIronTail said:
A nicely struck 1924-D Lincoln in XF would be a cool gift, IMHOP.

In my experience, no one but no one cares about this-or-that date on a commonly seen coin. No one. Even a 1909S VDB impresses no one unless they already have an interest. They do sometimes care if it's an old type they haven't seen before, so again I vote for a nice old large cent, the older the better.

winesteven

Or even a low cost highly LUSTROUS PCGS MS63 Morgan Dollar from the 1800's! Possibly EXACTLY 100 years before they were born!

BuffaloIronTail

@TimNH said:

@BuffaloIronTail said:
A nicely struck 1924-D Lincoln in XF would be a cool gift, IMHOP.

In my experience, no one but no one cares about this-or-that date on a commonly seen coin. No one. Even a 1909S VDB impresses no one unless they already have an interest. They do sometimes care if it's an old type they haven't seen before, so again I vote for a nice old large cent, the older the better.

Maybe I should have said that my choice would be a cool gift for a coin Collector?

Oh well.

Pete

logger7

Nothing numismatic; they wouldn't appreciate it. I gave a proof silver eagle once to a nephew but it came back through another family member. They have zero regard for numismatics.

PeakRarities

Personally, as I recall, my interest in collecting was sparked with a Morgan dollar. It was big, shiny, and silver and it didn't look like any coin I had ever seen. I think if you are trying to plant a seed for a numismatist a nice MS Morgan dollar from the 19th century would be cool, I don't know when they were born but if it was 100 years before their birth year they might appreciate it more. It will retain its value and I think its a lot more interesting than an ASE, and the cost isn't much more. Even if they don't appreciate the history, it cant hurt to try.

Edit- grammar

kaz

this summer I gave my brother in law a birth year Walker, slabbed, and a nice little acrylic display stand. He liked it.

pointfivezero

My sister asked me this very question recently with the same amount (<$100) for her son for Christmas. I gave her these options from my collection:

Who can guess which one she chose?

Tim

yspsales

10cent

Walking Liberty
Peace Dollar

in that order

pointfivezero

@yspsales said:
10cent

Walking Liberty
Peace Dollar

in that order

Good guess - she choose the 1921 Morgan in PCGS MS63 CAC. I gave her a great deal.

Tim

ChrisH821

Probably a common date uncirculated Morgan or Peace Dollar. They are pretty cheap so giving one of each would still be under$100. Most of us could probably just grab a couple from our holdings so that's easy too.

joeykoins

Cool Thread

A little back story:
Just last week. my phone decided to collapse and make weird noises, than die!
Could still use the internet, some what, but no calls/texts. So, I called my provider. On two separate occasions, NO result in trying over the phone ( my wife's). When a friend of my daughter looked at it. Walla!
She fixed it!!! lol
So, to make a short story long. lol Sorry.

For her trouble and knowledge. In which, she was far more knowledgeable than the workers.
I "gifted" her with 2 Kangaroo silver coins!
She was overwhelmed. Esp by not being a collector.

Cougar1978

After thinking it over - a PCGS / NGC MS69 or 70 Silver 1oz Mexico Libertad. These pieces beautiful coins, strong demand and strong sellers raw or slabbed from my table at shows. I also like PCGS / NGC MS70 2022 ASE. Bought 6 NGC 70 from wholesaler at recent show at $54 each NGC MV $100. Super Deal. Made impressive stack. Sold a couple at the show.

3stars

1 gram gold. Tiny, but its gold

TurtleCat

Been there and done that in the past. My mom and brother are both casual collectors but they really didn’t care that much. I would get a PCGS coin calendar, periodic table of coins, a historical book on a mint (not that many are out there that are interesting to a general audience), or something like that’s

coinkat

It is less about upside and more about what that person is interested in- there really is so much to choose from. A little chat with that person should help with your decision- Good luck in your pursuit of the optimal outcome