Coins as Christmas gifts.
BLUEJAYWAY
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Looking for opinions from the group. Am considering giving birth year sets to my two nieces. Both in their late 20's and of the millenial generation. In cases where you have made such a gift were: 1)The recipients receptive to the coins, or basically feigned interest, (yawned). 2)Did the gift induce any interest in furthering any collecting interest? Just trying to get a consensus so feel am not wasting time/effort on a non-practical gift. Both are unaware of the hobby.
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My first thought was it would be great for someone younger, late twenties not so much.
When I was in the 8-10 year old range, my uncle gave me a birth year proof set. I thought it was sooooo cool and I still have it to this day. Whenever, I go through my stuff, I often pull it out to look at it and I was born in the clad-era. It still brings a smile to my face because of the joy I felt as a kid when I received it.
When I was in my late 20s, I was kinda out of coin collecting for a few years. Had I received it then, I really do think it would have meant a lot less. It still would have been kept but not likely enjoyed. My 2 cents.
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I would expect a polite thank you, followed by feigned interest/supressed yawn in close order (as you already predicted.)
I have tried this before, whiffed and missed before.
They'll throw it in a drawer.
I doubt it will spur any interest but it might.....all depends.
If you feel good about doing it, go ahead and do it. But I would imagine it will end up in the junk drawer.
Sorry, just my pessimistic .02
I once gave a close friend (a woman who was not a coin collector) a 1995 Civil War 2 piece set, with the Joshua Chamberlain quote on the silver dollar. She is a huge Civil War/Gettysburg history buff, and she adored Chamberlain.
She literally came to tears and has placed the set in a frame she displays ever since.
So if you can find some other connection that way, you might really connect.
Good luck!
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Unless they have shown some interest in coins such gifts will be a mistake.
I gave a beautiful birth year Franklin for a 50th birthday gift. I was hoping it would be viewed as thoughtful and interesting. I didn't get the feeling that's what happened. I agree with Bolivarshaggy- it's probably a better gift for younger people unless you know they're already into coins.
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I gave some of the women in my life Pamp Suisse ingots,they all got turned into necklaces that they actually wear.... the women ranged in age from early 30s to 50s
If you are close to your nieces, personally and emotionally, then, I would add a framed note, written by you, with references to some special event(s) of the past and the significance of the set - i.e. how their birth and life has meant so much to you. This, in concert with the coins, will make even a non-collector realize the significance of the gift, and, with them knowing your interest in coins, will show them how much they mean to you. Cheers, RickO
I have given for Christmas my nieces and nephews an ASE Proof. Their ages are from 1 to 6 years. I learned the first year not to give raw sets after my 2 year old nephew's dad gave the coin to his son to play with as I watched in horror the last glimpse of the eagle rolling under the couch. After the first attempt to give young children Christmas coin related gifts, I now slab the ASE and put it in a small wooden presentation case with a special note from their coin kooky uncle.
I also like to give coin gifts, but most often the result is a polite thank you. Some of the children have actually asked "What's it worth?" immediately upon receipt. Rarely, I get a very enthusiastic response.
Being honest, I give coins as gifts based upon MY interests, not the recipient's. I'm doing it for me, not them. If you're ok with that, I don't see a problem. Perhaps it will spur interest one day, but it's not likely, and I'm just fine with that. Would you be?
If you're looking for actual appreciation, you might be better off with a GC to Bath and Body Works, if you can stand the noxious fumes coming from within.
Great post HCumberdale! I agree with every word.
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It really is an overpowering stink in there.....
Cheers, RickO
Usually receptive when the gifts are silver or gold. Proof sets and the like are a no go to non collectors even birth year. If its silver or gold you can always fall back on value and tell them it could be worth more in the future. My nieces love getting silver. I gave my teenage niece a 5oz bullion puck for her birthday last year and she loves her gigantic silver quarter lol
I'm with Big Marty and CascadeChris. Every Christmas since their births, each grandchild gets an ASE proof in the Mint presentation box. They (and especially their parents) like that it's a PM, and over the years they each accumulate reasonable value in their respective caches, as well as beauty and (maybe, maybe not) intrinsic interest. It's just a special tradition thing from Grandpa, among the other less predictable stuff.
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
I agree with several above....a waste of time.
I have tried it....doesn't work, they have no interest.
Coins make for interesting gifts - one time. I have given proof coins of birth years to my children, along with nieces and nephews. None have become collectors yet, but they did show an interest, and most still have the coins. Of more interest are some ASE's and Morgans that I gave out, to various people years ago, and some have told me they still have them.
Thanks for the comments. I like Ricko's suggestion in adding some commentary to a gift of a birth year set, as well as other comments to consider ASE's of the birth year.
Not a good idea. If they have no interest by now, it may be a gift that goes unappreciated. Youngsters are impressed by such gifts, not so much adults.
It depends on the individual. There seems to be a time frame when people who do not collect coins (late teens through the twenties) really do not appreciate their birth years for coins. I did this for my brother (1971 birth year), who did not care for the proof set that I bought him back in the 80's...I still have it after he snubbed it.
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I have not had any luck creating collectors with this method. I can only imagine where the ASE's I have given have ended up.
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Some years back my brother and his wife and son and daughters visited from back east
and before they left I gave the kids there birth year proof sets, 2 93's and a 91 not expensive,
but I was talking with my brother the other day and Summer & Johnnie got a there first place together and my brother helped them move, and he told me Summer displays her set very proudly, and I asked wow she still has it, and he said she'll have that till the day she dies, although he said he thinks Johnnie hocked his............kinda made me feel good.
Steve
honestly this is a hit and miss gift idea, some people are interesting in coins, others could care less, all boils down to their
interests find something that interests them instead and buy that, save the coins for someone who is into the hobby
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Every Christmas, I give my five grandkids "interesting" but face value coins as part of their holiday cash gift. Ike dollars, Kennedy halves, dateless buffalo nickels. Four of them spend them, which is fine. Some lucky person will have an interesting circulation find. But one of them keeps them, and we talk about them every time I visit! :-) A budding collector?
This year, I'm thinking about giving each a Peace dollar and explaining how the silver content affects its value. They can then sell, spend, or save it, as they wish. You can't make someone learn a lesson - you can only give them the chance. (And this one only costs me twenty bucks.)
Just as a point of reference, they range in age from 12 to 18 years. Old enough to understand the difference between face value and actual value (I think).
I think the best way to give a Birth Year set to someone is to crack the coins out of their holder andtape them to a $50 bill. They'll appreciate that gift.
I also put $2 bills in all my little nieces and nephews stockings. They seem to really like them and won't spend them. They go over better than Silver Eagles lol
Rather than a birth year set, why not a 1/10 oz. AGE necklace of the appropriate dates? Chances are it would be much more appreciated. A Christmas gift is not the appropriate vehicle for getting someone interested in coins. Engaging in conversation the rest of the year is better.
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Been there. Done that. Don't do that anymore.
What I do do tho is collect/buy rare unique major error coins with super eye appeal from my children's birth year and rarely tell them.
I tried it with a niece with ASE. She was less than excited. May have spent it. lol
Mother in law's boy friend collects coins. I usually try to find something different and unique for him. This year; an Ancient silver biblical coin.
An old Circulated Morgan Dollar to keep in their wallets to remember you every time they open it up IN ADDITION to some form of Gold or Silver Jewelry.
The gold coin - either slabbed or jewelry - is a good idea.... Cheers, RickO
most young recipients would rather have the money and will most likely sell at less than what was paid.
The price of gold is set by faith, or lack of, in the currency it is priced in.
If they were younger it would make more of an impact in there life. I think at there age of they have no intrest in coins it might be a "hey this is cool", as soon as you leave throw it in a box and forget about it. But that is just my opinion
HAPPY COLLECTING
Forget it. It's like giving pennies to Halloween trick-or-treaters (although I did get some wheat pennies this way as a kid).
You're asking for someone to toilet paper your house. Get the kids what they want, not what you want.
If they express feigned interest in coin collecting, the proper thing to do is to ask them if they would like to get some coins for their collection on the next holiday occasion. Then take them with you to local shop or show and let them pick out something they like. (Hold your nose if it's a colored state quarter, after all it's their gift not yours)
I always tease my wife that I'll get her a rare coin for her birthday. The response is "have fun sleeping on the couch for the next year"
I always give out coins to trick-or-treaters, along with a few cheap toys and an abundance of candy all wrapped up in a goodie bag. Past coins have been world coins, dateless buffalos, Indian and steel cents and even Sac dollars one year. I've included cheap world currency in the past too. A couple times parents have come back around and thanked me as they had fun with their kids looking up whatever it was. Most of the time the kids don't know what they have until they get home, and by that time they've long forgotten who gave what.
If you want to give coins, do it. Just don't build up your expectations and you'll be fine.