Poll Question: Will you be giving the gift of numismatics this holiday season? How so?
From the November 21, 2025, Numismatic News e-Newsletter, many readers shared how they’re gifting coins, hoping to inspire younger collectors.
For some time now, I have been giving full Whitman Washington Quarter folders away to younger collectors as gifts. I fortunately took care of the soda machine at my business and went through the quarters. Although back then, basically, they were only worth 25 cents each, younger folks really liked them. We are having two friends’ sons over for Thanksgiving dinner, and I'm going to give each one, although my supply is depleting soon.
Younger collectors don't have the opportunity I had when I was younger to start collecting by going through pocket change for silver coins, Indian head pennies, and once in a while, a silver dollar to fill those holes in our books. Soon, I guess the word change will be gone forever and the only way these future collectors will have to fill the holes in their books is to pay second-party prices. Time changes!!!
Roy E Robertson, Annapolis, Md.
The short answer is no.
None of my kids is interested in my collection except to ask how much it’s worth. So I tried with my grandkids, thinking I could get to them early before other interests take over. The only one who seemed interested was my 5-year-old grandson, so I showed him some circulated Morgan silver dollars. He proceeded to see how high they would bounce off the wooden floors.
So, the answer is a definite NO.
Roy, Address withheld
YES. I will gift similarly to last Christmas, when I gave all grandkids over a certain age, a box of coins ranging from pennies to Ike dollars. I can't say they were all 'giddy' over it, but they were thankful, and I'm certain they will appreciate it as the years go by!
Greg Y, Grant, Mich.
Yup! My wife and I just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to beautiful New Zealand. While there, we came upon a gift shop that was closing down, and they had keychains depicting the different Kiwi bank notes on them.
We decided to buy 50 of them (all of the different denominations) and give them as gifts to our fellow Eagle Rock Numismatic Society (Idaho Falls, Idaho) coin club members at our upcoming holiday party & dinner.
I'm also always sure to give a numismatic gift to a young guy who's shown interest in coins. Not sure what it will be this year, but I know one of them will be a 2025-D Cent.
Oded Paz, Arco, Idaho
Yes — I will be giving the gift of numismatics this holiday season. But in my case, the gift turned into a discovery I never expected.
In early 2025, while collecting pennies as a meaningful holiday gift for my grandchildren,
I opened a sealed Mint box of 2,500 coins — and discovered 365 identical 2024 Lincoln Cents, each showing a dramatic die break across Lincoln’s heart. This became known as the “Wounded Heart Penny.”
What surprised me even more was that this natural error appeared during the same era as the mysterious Omega Penny — a coin marked by a tiny engraved Ω symbol that reshaped modern numismatics. One was intentional and secretive. The other was natural and instantly formed. And together, they became symbols of the final chapter of the U.S. penny.
This holiday season, I’ll be sharing these coins with my grandchildren — not just as numismatic pieces, but as part of a story that connects mystery, history, and the last heartbeat of America’s smallest coin.
Stephen Ahn, Address withheld
Every year, I give the grandkids a proof set and a mint set for that year. Hopefully, it will pique their interest in collecting as they get older.
Larry, Address withheld
I have bought a current 5-dollar gold 1/10-ounce coin and the current year silver eagle for my grandchildren since the first Christmas they were born. I also bought them each a safe for storing the coins. Their ages are 22, 14, and 7. I was in it for the long run and was not very well liked by them when that was all they got at the holiday. When the oldest one was about 8 or 9 years old, I was asked, “When do I get to have them?” My answer was and still is WHEN YOU'RE 28 years old. Well, the oldest one now understands. The middle child is starting to get the program about the idea. I am the worst grandpa in the world, every year in their eyes. Since the value is going up currently, the two older ones call me and ask, “How much money do I have?” I just tell them that they don't have as much as they are going to have. I don't think I am the only bad grandpa at Christmas. Their coins are in the safes they have and want to look at them around the holidays. The oldest one just smiles, shakes her head, and grins. 1 down and 2 to go.
James Faulkerson, Hillsboro, Mo.
For some time now, I have been giving full Whitman Washington Quarter folders away to younger collectors as gifts. I fortunately took care of the soda machine at my business and went through the quarters. Although back then, basically, they were only worth 25 cents each, younger folks really liked them. We are having two friends’ sons over for Thanksgiving dinner, and I'm going to give each one, although my supply is depleting soon.
Younger collectors don't have the opportunity I had when I was younger to start collecting by going through pocket change for silver coins, Indian head pennies, and once in a while, a silver dollar to fill those holes in our books. Soon, I guess the word change will be gone forever and the only way these future collectors will have to fill the holes in their books is to pay second-party prices. Time changes!!!
Roy E Robertson, Annapolis, Md.
The short answer is no.
None of my kids is interested in my collection except to ask how much it’s worth. So I tried with my grandkids, thinking I could get to them early before other interests take over. The only one who seemed interested was my 5-year-old grandson, so I showed him some circulated Morgan silver dollars. He proceeded to see how high they would bounce off the wooden floors.
So, the answer is a definite NO.
Roy, Address withheld
YES. I will gift similarly to last Christmas, when I gave all grandkids over a certain age, a box of coins ranging from pennies to Ike dollars. I can't say they were all 'giddy' over it, but they were thankful, and I'm certain they will appreciate it as the years go by!
Greg Y, Grant, Mich.
Yup! My wife and I just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to beautiful New Zealand. While there, we came upon a gift shop that was closing down, and they had keychains depicting the different Kiwi bank notes on them.
We decided to buy 50 of them (all of the different denominations) and give them as gifts to our fellow Eagle Rock Numismatic Society (Idaho Falls, Idaho) coin club members at our upcoming holiday party & dinner.
I'm also always sure to give a numismatic gift to a young guy who's shown interest in coins. Not sure what it will be this year, but I know one of them will be a 2025-D Cent.
Oded Paz, Arco, Idaho
Yes — I will be giving the gift of numismatics this holiday season. But in my case, the gift turned into a discovery I never expected.
In early 2025, while collecting pennies as a meaningful holiday gift for my grandchildren,
I opened a sealed Mint box of 2,500 coins — and discovered 365 identical 2024 Lincoln Cents, each showing a dramatic die break across Lincoln’s heart. This became known as the “Wounded Heart Penny.”
What surprised me even more was that this natural error appeared during the same era as the mysterious Omega Penny — a coin marked by a tiny engraved Ω symbol that reshaped modern numismatics. One was intentional and secretive. The other was natural and instantly formed. And together, they became symbols of the final chapter of the U.S. penny.
This holiday season, I’ll be sharing these coins with my grandchildren — not just as numismatic pieces, but as part of a story that connects mystery, history, and the last heartbeat of America’s smallest coin.
Stephen Ahn, Address withheld
Every year, I give the grandkids a proof set and a mint set for that year. Hopefully, it will pique their interest in collecting as they get older.
Larry, Address withheld
I have bought a current 5-dollar gold 1/10-ounce coin and the current year silver eagle for my grandchildren since the first Christmas they were born. I also bought them each a safe for storing the coins. Their ages are 22, 14, and 7. I was in it for the long run and was not very well liked by them when that was all they got at the holiday. When the oldest one was about 8 or 9 years old, I was asked, “When do I get to have them?” My answer was and still is WHEN YOU'RE 28 years old. Well, the oldest one now understands. The middle child is starting to get the program about the idea. I am the worst grandpa in the world, every year in their eyes. Since the value is going up currently, the two older ones call me and ask, “How much money do I have?” I just tell them that they don't have as much as they are going to have. I don't think I am the only bad grandpa at Christmas. Their coins are in the safes they have and want to look at them around the holidays. The oldest one just smiles and shakes her head and grins. 1 down and 2 to go.
James Faulkerson, Hillsboro, Mo.
