From Gold Coins to Copper Tools: Unique Festive Gifts for the Metals Investor

Precious metals bars and coins

No metals-focused gift guide would be complete without options for bars or coins.

Even though precious metals bars and coins are a standard investment mechanism, they’re also prized by collectors for their artistic and unique qualities. Among the top destinations for collectors is the Royal Canadian Mint (TSX:MNT). Every year, it releases limited-edition coins and bars in gold, silver and platinum with mintages as low as 30.

As a Canadian company, many of the mint's products feature typical Canadian themes of maple leaves and polar bears, but it also sells internationally produced coins like this 2 ounce, high-relief silver gorilla coin.

For those opting for a more investment-oriented gift, First Mint might be an excellent choice.

It was established by the silver-mining company First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG) in 2023 as a means for the company to expand its direct-to-consumer bullion sales. As such, it offers bars that range from 1 ounce to 1 kilogram, but also produces coins, including a series designed around each year’s Chinese Zodiac.

Now that precious metals are achieving more mainstream appeal, gift givers can even make purchases at Costco (NASDAQ:COST). It started selling gold bars in mid-2023, but has since expanded to include silver and platinum products. It offers competitive pricing with premiums ranging from 0.8 to 2.4 percent over spot.

Executive members still receive a 2 percent reward on purchases, meaning buyers could pay less than the spot price when everything is factored in. Costco even offers a handy calculator to help.

Whimsical precious metals "toys"

Although coins and bars are great gifts for investors and collectors alike, they only scratch the surface.

The holidays have always been a time for whimsy; many people grew up receiving toys that brought joy well into adulthood, perhaps none more so than Lego. For precious metals enthusiasts who maintain their own horde of building blocks, there may be no greater gift than these .999 fine 1 ounce silver blocks by Monarch Precious Metals.

The bricks come in a variety of sizes, from an eighth of an ounce all the way up to 10 ounces. Monarch even makes a walnut base so anyone who receives the blocks as a gift can start building right away.

Additionally, to add a little more luster, the company also produces a 1 ounce .9999 fine gold block.

Aurum and Goldback bills

Although the gold standard may be well and truly gone, some bills are still tied to the price of gold.

Made by Valaurum, Aurum notes are designed to take the form of traditional bills; however, unlike the bills of old, they aren't convertible into gold — they're actually made of it. According to the company, the bills are produced by depositing gold at the atomic level onto a printed polyester substrate using specialized equipment via a patented process. This means that Valaurum's bills can be made in denominations ranging from 25 to 1,000 milligrams of gold.

Because they contain only a fraction of an ounce of gold, the bills offer a low entry price for stocking stuffers and for collectors or investors just getting started in precious metals.

Aurum artwork is inspired by special occasions, artwork, plants and animals. The company even produces gold-backed legal tender for several countries, including Gabon, Tanzania and the Republic of Cameroon.

In addition to its own products, Valaurum also uses its process to make Goldbacks.

Launched in 2019, Goldbacks were designed as an alternative currency built around the value of gold. The bills are similar to Aurum, offering holders a variety of denominations. At the time of this writing, one Goldback, which contains 1/1000 of an ounce of gold, was equal to US$8.15. Denominations range from a half to 100 Goldbacks. The design theme for the bills is decidedly Americana, depicting scenes from each state collection.

Like Aurum, Goldbacks are great for collectors, but they were also designed to be used. By the end of October, more than 3,100 merchants worldwide were accepting Goldbacks, with the vast majority located in the US and Canada.

Copper and base metals bullion and tools

While precious metals may garner the most attention, there are great gifts made from base metals that can fill an important place in a periodic table collection.

Copper, nickel, zinc, titanium and other bullion are widely available online from vendors on websites like Etsy (NYSE:ETSY) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) in a variety of formats, from 1 ounce coins to multi-kilogram bars. They make for a great starting point for investors with a favorite metal or someone trying to complete a table of elements.

Beyond bullion, copper has many practical uses and aesthetic appeal.

Cooks and brewers have used copper for thousands of years. It has excellent thermal properties and is naturally antibacterial, reducing the risk of introducing contaminants into whatever is being made.

With home brewing remaining a popular hobby, a copper still could help take a home setup to the next level. They range from basic stovetops to more impressive column stills, come in volumes of 3 to 50 gallons — and look good doing it. Few things will start a conversation quicker than homemade whiskey made in a copper still.

If a still is too much, but you want to bring copper into your holiday gifts, a copper mug is the way to go. They’re the traditional vessel for classic cocktails like a Moscow mule, but look great no matter what drink is served in them.

Branch out during the holidays

Whether you’re giving the gift of gold, silver or copper, there are thousands of possibilities out there for the metal lover, and options at nearly every price level. Although it’s easy to look to precious metals for their investment attributes, they can also be whimsical and artistic gifts that go beyond the metals they’re made of.

The key to any gift is to consider who it’s being given to. This guide is just scratches the surface of what's available, and with so many artisans working across metals, it's likely you can get a custom gift if you can't find exactly what you want. At the end of the season, it’s not about the gift, but the connections that are shared with family and friends.

Happy holidays from the Investing News Network team.