What To Do With My Colorized And Gold-Plated 2010 Cents?

Littleton, the collector's friend.

I doubt there would be any problem with using them as 'real' money. In fact, some might appreciate the novelty.

Many 'purist' coin collectors despise colored coins, but I actually like them. I don't feel there is any amount of investment value in them, but I do like the 'arty' aspect of them, nonetheless.

I guess that makes me a 'purist' - So I would either gift them or just spend them.

Yes, some people will love them. In fact, most of my coloured coins are US coinage! That suggests that Americans love them more, or at least love to make more of them than anyone else.

I find some of these types of items interesting to look at, especially some of the very old enameled coins, but would never actually buy one. I recall many years ago I acquired as part of an accumulation of coins a gold plated Indian Head cent. At some point I dropped it into a tip jar as I figured if nothing else it would be a conversation starter for whoever found it.

Mint-issued colorized coins, like the basketball commemoratives, I also have zero interest in. Even those I consider to simply be a novelty item...

There is nothing generally wrong with colorized or enhanced coinage - some come from the mints themselves as special editions with limited mintages or are added as special options to coins and can enhance its potential for demand, collectibility and value. However, these days I see quite a lot of 24k gold plated (or platinum), colorized, and even hologram versions of standard USA coinage sold mostly as novelties. This is where sometimes there are issues such as sometimes coins were sold not for novelty/enhanced look for personal collections but as investment pieces due to some type of 24k gold/platinum plating http://goccf.com/t/428226#3678541 and otherwise that
the mint has never made gold or similar quarters for example, then it has been plated by a third party and destroys the potential numismatic value of a coin. This just means that if a older quarter was found to be worth thousands in a top grade condition, and your coin being in a mint set happened to be in that condition but was plated,, it would not have the same value as the original unplated one. So long as you understand that, they are otherwise enjoyable novelty items that can be collected, given as gifts, or just as a conversation piece since they are different. Novelty items can increase in value due to any rarity such as long after they are discontinued there are more people wanting one than is out there offered for sale (supply vs demand), but otherwise will just not increase in value due to the coin itself increasing in value. Some came in nice presented sets and do have nice looks to them, people will buy them for personal collections and enjoy them. Actually over time some may sell for a bit more since they are no longer made or are of specific coins that had nice designs people want such as some of the quarter designs were for one year only, novelty items still sell. Just dont go into it if you buy them thinking you have something that is going to greatly increase in value over time. The coins as you have been told correctly really are just face value numismatic value wise once they are plated/enhanced. Counterstamped/countermarked coins are another novelty type coin that are popular as well despite being damaged with no numismatic value. And as someone who greatly enjoyed collecting Lincoln cents as a child I would keep those just enjoying them for what they are rather than some attempt to profit from them,.

if you spend them I doubt any cashier will notice or care, given how little purchasing value one cent has

I got a quarter for these coins yesterday at my local coin shop. I was surprised he gave me that much!

Cheers to everyone for the input.