I need guiltless holiday coin ideas!

NeophyteNumismatist

My family routinely asks me if I want a coin for Christmas. The problem is... as I get further along in my sets, all of the coins get more expensive. I can't ask my family to shell-out BIG bucks for a coin... it's just wrong, and I would feel more guilty than gracious in accepting it.

My solution was "gear" - a loupe, or some books... however, now I have the gear... and the specialized books get expensive, too. One book may cost over $100 (totally worth the money, but a non-collector doesn't quite get the fact that the book's information saves more than it costs). Besides that, I feel bad asking for anything expensive.

I am wondering what sets can be completed for around $50-100 a coin? Granted, I can make any coin expensive by jacking-up the grade, but I do want the grade of the coin to represent the way the coins are usually collected. For example, while I would look at a set of XF Roosevelt dimes in appreciation for those who gave the coins to me as gifts, an XF Roosevelt collection is really not that interesting or collectible.

So... I am trying to think of interesting coins... a new set... something that fits the bill, would be a "cool" addition to my collection, and I would enjoy the coins for what they are AND have fond memories of those that gave them. I would really appreciate anything, and have no expectations of anything at all - but if my family asks me "what do you want", I would love to be able to give them something that is interesting and fits within their holiday spending budget.

Any ideas?

Catbert

I think it a mistake to have non collectors buy coins for collectors. It never is satisfying. Why not be specific about a book or books (without revealing the price) and ask for contributions toward your purchase? Explain why it's important for your library and your learning about the hobby.

In the alternative, do the same with a Fugio coin. Don't talk about the price, talk about it's design and why you'd want to take care to select the right one. You need to be the one to select since they don't have the knowledge and you can save up funds combined with theirs to find the right one.

OAKSTAR

Catbert

In fact, if you take this approach, I will make a contribution

yosclimber

Ask for money instead, if they want you to ultimately get a coin.
Maybe combine from several givers, or over time.
Of course report back when you spend it.
That's what I did, some decades ago.

FranklinHalfAddict

Circulated 3 cent nickels would be an interesting set. A few stoppers there even in the lowest grades.

Circulated V nickels.

Barber dimes.

Proof silver ATB quarters.

Franklin halves can easily be done for less than $50/coin in the 64-66 range some FBL some not. Not a particularly exciting set to most people, but easily doable in your desired price range.

Heck even barber halves in AG/G could be 90+% completed for under $50/coin.

ricko

Most shops and several dealers give gift certificates/cards with assigned dollar amount. Just like cash, but a tad more refined and allows you to shop in the product field that interests you. Cheers, RickO

RLSnapper

Booker T. Washington Commemoratives. Most can be found in 65 and are under $100.

DisneyFan

@RLSnapper said:
Booker T. Washington Commemoratives. Most can be found in 65 and are under $100.

Not a bad suggestion. I like that log cabin on the reverse.

pendragon1998

You could always just ask them for like a proof eagle or something like that. It's just something to make you think of them when you look at it.

What about a display cabinet?

ChrisH821

Could get some fun stuff from here, not coins but silver rounds. I think they are reasonably priced for what they are.
https://limitedmintage.com/

johnny9434

oakland, a good start just like where the rest of us started

ShaunBC5

Bullion can be fun and “low risk” to get as a gift, even if you don’t collect/stack it.
Any subscriptions you want? Magazines or price guides, something you’d like but wouldn’t buy yourself.
If you’re a type collector you can let them know what you don’t have and they can pick an example that fits their budget.
My nephew got me a Buffalo nickel/Arrowhead set (one of each) and I really like it. It fits my collection because there’s a coin and it came from a 12 year old (22 now 😢).

Namvet69

It's great to have a high grade coin on hand as a reference of the denomination you are collecting. Good luck and happy holiday. Peace Roy

56morgan

Not a coin but a nice way to share your coins both slabbed and in safe -T flips with your family. Three hole binder with nine pocket encap pages from Lighthouse.

coinbuf

A set of Merc dimes in VF/XF (excluding two or three coins) can be done for a very budget friendly per coin cost. The real issue with any circ coin (really any classic coin) set is will those buying them for you know what VF/XF looks like and not get stuck with dogs.

TurtleCat

There are books that are enjoyable that aren’t specialist ones. Like Facts, Mysteries, and Myths About US Coins or Numismatic Art in America. Or maybe a cool book on an area you don’t collect like ancients or gold proof or whatever fits the category.

NeophyteNumismatist

Thanks for all the suggestions... and keep them coming, because I love the variety of ideas! Some appeal to me more than others, but someone else on the thread with the same situation may adopt the ideas that I do not... Thanks x 1,000,000!

savitale

If you are now into higher-end coins I think it will be hard to get excited about a set of $50-100 coins, and those coins won't fit into your "real" collection. But eventually, one tends to value the fact that it was a gift more than the object itself. So, for example, tell him/her/them that you like Proof Silver Eagles. At some point you won't have Gramps any more, but you will have the set of Silver Eagles he bought for you.

daltex

I think, in general, it's a really bad idea to buy someone something for their collection. If you know 100 times more about 12th century geodes than they do, how the heck are they going to know what is a good fit for your collection? Even if you're specific and tell them you want a wildly toned 1964 Washington quarter, you're just setting them up to buy you something AT.

NeophyteNumismatist

Update: My mom asked me to get a coin and she would give me some money toward it for my Christmas present. I told her I would like to get a Half Dime because I don't have one. I was able to find a fairly reasonable one today... now, I just have to wait 23 days!!

This is the one I picked (I went a little over my $100 budget )

Zoins

Coin Cookies!

Oh wait, that could be a guilty pleasure!

Learn how to mint your own:

https://cookieconnection.juliausher.com/blog/dear-yankee-girl-how-did-you-make-those-gold-coins

NeophyteNumismatist

My wife is a "cookier. That's her hobby. She said, "wow, that's a lot of hand piping. I could do it, but that's a lot of work". I said, "oh... no worries... I can continue to buy coins and save you the trouble." Thanks for the assist!

ShaunBC5

Those cookies would go great in my kitchen. They’re definitely counter-fit.

IkesT

@NeophyteNumismatist said:
I would love to be able to give them something that is interesting and fits within their holiday spending budget.

Any ideas?

How about a bag of 500 Chuck-E-Cheese tokens for 50 bucks?

NeophyteNumismatist

Do you know where I can find a book on Chruck-E-Cheese token varieties and die states? I think I should buy the book before I start collecting the series. I am sure it is quite nuanced.

JWP

@NeophyteNumismatist Have you thought about a 2023 calendar. There is a member on BST that is selling a super looking coin calendar. Check it out, might be just what you can look at all year and enjoy "Eye Candy".

Jzyskowski1

Here’s a classic CC

IkesT

@NeophyteNumismatist said:
Do you know where I can find a book on Chruck-E-Cheese token varieties and die states? I think I should buy the book before I start collecting the series. I am sure it is quite nuanced.

You don't need to buy the book - it's a website, and by our own @JoeLewis :

https://www.cectokens.com/

NeophyteNumismatist

@IkesT - That's so cool! I checked it out and there is even more variety than I expected!

@JWP I love the idea of a calendar full of coin-eye-candy!

Smudge

Bullion.

Jzyskowski1

The pcgs coin poster is awesome and reasonably priced

WAYNEAS

How about a subscription to say CoinWorld.
Well worth the price.
Wayne

OAKSTAR

An idea for making your own Christmas coin gifts. You can find them on Air-tites.com