Question from Ann in Virginia:
“I don’t have a lot of extra money, but I’d like to start buying coins for my grandchildren and gift them over the years. Is this really worth doing, and how should I start?”

Ann, I absolutely love this question — not just because it’s practical, but because it’s so deeply rooted in the heart of stewardship. You don’t have to be sitting on a mountain of wealth to pass on something truly valuable. In fact, some of the most life-changing gifts I’ve seen over the years started small — but they were given consistently, thoughtfully, and with the long view in mind.

I think of a man named James. As a boy, his father gave him a gold coin every year — sometimes for his birthday, sometimes for Christmas. At the time, James liked the shiny coin, but the idea of it being “valuable” was just something the grownups said. So, he tucked them away, year after year, and went on with life.

Fast forward: James is grown, married, and he and his wife find out they’re expecting their first baby. They also find the perfect little starter home… but their savings account is giving them the side-eye. They needed a bigger down payment, and that’s when James remembered that little stash of gold coins.

I wasn’t involved in selling those coins, but James later told me how those tiny gifts from his dad ended up unlocking the door — literally — to their first home. That’s the kind of gift that doesn’t just fill a space under the Christmas tree; it changes the trajectory of a family.

Decades later, James and his wife now have five children and nine grandchildren. The lesson stuck. James has a Gold IRA to protect his own retirement, and he buys coins for each of his grandkids every year — just like his dad did for him. Imagine the ripple effect of that one simple tradition.

And here’s the thing, Ann — you can start the same way. Even one silver coin a year adds up over time. It’s not about impressing anyone with a big lump sum. It’s about creating a habit that teaches your grandchildren something our modern world too often forgets: value that lasts.

One more thing people often overlook — if your family has a trust, you can absolutely hold gold and silver in it. Many assume trusts are just for cash, stocks, or bonds, but metals can sit right there alongside those assets. It’s a way to protect them, keep your gifting intentions crystal clear, and ensure those coins don’t get “lost” in the shuffle someday. Instead of leaving behind only numbers on a statement, you’re passing down something tangible — something they can hold in their hand and one day pass to their own children.

So yes, Ann — it’s worth doing. Whether you start with a single coin each year or decide to set up a trust that holds metals for the next generation, you’re not just giving them gold or silver… you’re giving them a story, a lesson, and maybe, when they need it most, a way forward they never saw coming.

If you’d like help picking the right coins, figuring out storage, or exploring how metals fit into a trust, I’d be honored to help. And who knows — fifty years from now, one of your grandchildren might be telling their own story about the little gifts that changed everything.

Have a question for a future Ask Becca? Send it my way at info@stjosephpartners.com— I love to hear from you!

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