St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world, and in honor of the national day of Ireland, many individuals give gifts of gold coins. While gifts are exchanged year-round, St. Patrick’s Day remains a popular time to give a meaningful gift such as this. In order to understand how gold coins are used as gifts on St. Patrick’s Day and why they are chosen over other presents, an exploration into this practice is necessary.
This guide will provide an introduction to the history and traditions behind gifting gold coins on St. Patrick’s Day, detailing the significance of both purchasing and receiving a special present like this for the occasion. It will also examine which type of gold coin may be most suitable for gifting purposes on St. Patrick’s Day and some popular varieties available online or at coin dealerships worldwide. By reading through this guide, individuals will be able to make a more informed decision when it comes to buying or receiving a gold coin gift for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations or any other special occasion throughout the year.
History of Gold Coins on St. Patrick’s Day
The tradition of gold coins on St. Patrick’s Day dates back centuries. As the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick is credited with introducing Christianity to the Emerald Isle. According to traditional Irish folklore, St. Patrick used shamrocks and gold coins to teach his followers about the Holy Trinity of Christianity — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — by symbolizing them with a shamrock for each member of the trinity.
To honor this legacy and celebrate Ireland’s history as “the land of saints and scholars,” many Irish households distribute gold coins known as “Lucky Gold Shillings,” or Irish penny coins, on St. Patrick’s Day as a symbol of good luck and prosperity for everyone in the family. The tradition has been around since at least 1783 when special coins were minted with shamrocks in their design to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. The custom was later acknowledged officially by Britain in 1831 when a set of six special “St Patrick’s Penny Coins” were printed to honor Ireland’s patron saint on his Feast Day each year in March.
By gifting homes with these ‘golden’ coins full of symbolism during this festive holiday period, families are hoping that their loved ones are blessed with Catholic virtues such as kindness, peace, love and perseverance throughout the year ahead!
Activities to do with gold coins for st. patrick’s day
With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, what better way to celebrate than by using gold coins in fun activities and games? Gold coins are a traditional part of the holiday and are a great way to bring family and friends together.
In this article, we will review some of the most popular activities to do with gold coins on St. Patrick’s Day.
Coin Toss
Coin tosses are a fun and creative way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with gold coins. This classic game can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors and is great for both adults and kids. Gather all of your gold coins (either real, play money or special gold coins intended for this activity) and use them for a coin toss either in individual play or in teams.
To set the game up, simply draw two circles that are parallel to each other with approximately 1-3 feet of separates them. Place your coin(s) in the center of the circles and have a designated calling partner who will choose heads or tails when you toss up the coins. The players will then stand across from each other on either side of the circles, call out their choice (before they toss!) and then try to get as many heads as possible by throwing their coins into the circle closest to them. The team that gets the most heads is declared winner!
Coin Hunt
A coin hunt is a fun and interactive way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with gold coins. Start by choosing a hiding spot, such as under furniture, in potted plants, behind books or even in your pockets – and make sure the kids know that the coins are theirs to keep! Hide several gold coins throughout the house and then have the children run around trying to collect as many as possible.
To make it even more fun and exciting, you can play music during the hunt or set up clues with riddles for each coin spot (e.g. “Behind that bookcase you’ll find me! What color are my wings?”). Your family will love getting creative about hiding spots for gold coins for everyone’s biggest luck of the Irish!
Coin Scramble
Coin Scramble is a fun and engaging St. Patrick’s Day activity that can be enjoyed by children of all ages. To play, you simply need a gold or silver tray, or cardboard cut to the same shape, and gold coins of varying denominations. Place the coins in a pile on the tray and have the players take turns trying to collect as many coins as possible without lifting the tray off of the table.
This game can be made more challenging by having players try to collect coins using only one hand, their teeth or a spoon! To keep things interesting and make it fair for younger players, try setting a timer for each player’s turn. When it’s all said and done, whoever collects the most coins wins! This game is sure to bring hours of excitement and joy this St. Patrick’s Day!
Coin Roll
Coin roll is the most popular activity associated with gold coins on St. Patrick’s Day. The coin roll is a game where two players each take turns rolling a gold coin and trying to score higher points. Depending on the group, you can use any type of gold coins to play this game. For instance, Ireland has its own Celtic Gold Coin that people often use for this activity.
Generally, all players have different rules and must adhere to them when playing the game. For example, some may allow only one coin per match while others may allow all coins per match to be used during the game.
Players either receive points or lose points based on how their rolled coin lands on the table or other flat surfaces they are using. Usually, each person sets out specific guidelines prior to starting so that everyone knows what their target is and potentially who will win by reaching it first or by achieving the highest score throughout the game play session. Typically, landing heads up yields more points than landing tails up does which allows for strategy during each round of play as players attempt to predict and beat their opponent’s scores before their own scores are finalized.
Coin roll is fun for groups of any size and could easily be transferred over into an online format if necessary due to social distancing guidelines during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in 2020 or thereafter!
Conclusion
Gold coins are a traditional St. Patrick’s Day gift and can be seen as a great symbol of luck and wealth. Gold coins evoke the idea of leprechauns, waterfalls, and four-leaf clovers; all of which are staples for this beloved holiday. When thinking about gold this St. Patrick’s Day, beware that some coins may be hollowed out or fake — always buy from reputable vendors.
Whether you give them away, keep them as a memento, barter with them, or just stare at their beauty on a day honoring our Irish ancestry – gold coins are sure to bring cheer to your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations!