I'm writing some ad copy and we have a healthy disagreement about which of the following we should use:
Win $100 in art
Win $100 of art
Which one is correct, clearer, or more established?
The intended meaning is that the recipient would win a $100 gift card with which they can purchase art.
You should use “of”.
In my experience, in is used for more “abstract” concepts whereas of is for quantifying tangible things.
For example:
$25 in US Dollars is about $1350 in Dominican Pesos.
Or
With excessive coupon usage, he managed to get $250 in savings at the grocery store this month.
Or
The plaintiffs are seeking $25000 in reparations from the case.
They stole $5000 of gold bars from the bank.
Or
He spent his savings on about $500 of apple juice.
However, both work and using in instead of of wouldn’t make the meaning unclear in my opinion. In might work better than of if you change “art” to something like “art credit” (although art credit sounds weird so you ought to use something that is similar in meaning.)
Win $100 in art.
Compare "He paid me $1,000 but he paid me in one dollar notes!" or "She left in anger"
In = in the form/state of
OED:
19. Expressing physical, mental, or moral condition or state.
a. Followed by an abstract noun; e.g. in comfort, in doubt, in health, in hope, in pain, in sickness, in solitude, in sorrow, etc.
1928 N.Y. Times 4 May 24/3 It was just helping somebody in trouble.
Win $100 of art
Of = contextually associated with.
Win $100 of art = Win $100 associated contextually with art.
This is unclear in its meaning and is made worse by Art is uncountable in this context and therefore a concept rather than a physical quantity.
OED art (n.)
8a The expression or application of creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting, drawing, or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
To make sense you would need the plural, countable form "artworks" or "works of art".
