We've been imploring Verizon to just let us spend some money on the Galaxy Nexus already, and now we have the first indicator for how much the carrier might ask for it. A Verizon Holiday Deals advert has started running overnight on Android websites showing a bold red $199.99 next to a two-year contract and Google's hallowed new Android phone. 4G LTE is also prominently displayed, as is to be expected, but there's no way to actually buy the phone or do much more than gawk at it. There's a very distinct possibility that this is an outdated display ad that has slipped out unintentionally and, also, that the sub-$200 pricing is a Black Friday deal that Verizon intended to put into operation had it launched the Nexus in time.

As things stand, then, we're no closer to buying or ascertaining a price for the Galaxy Nexus, but if you want to keep an optimistic outlook on things, the design of the ad has a distinctly Christmassy feel to it. So perhaps we'll get to see this price after all. Additional evidence to that effect comes from the fact that Galaxy Nexus is flanked by the Stratosphere and Droid Charge on the ad, both listed at $99. Those handsets are currently going for $149 and $199, respectively. The most likely scenario, therefore, is that Verizon will indeed price the Galaxy Nexus on par with its recent flagship Android phones, the $299.99 Droid RAZR and HTC Rezound, and that the online promotion we're seeing a little earl now is a teaser for a short-term $100 discount.

In any case, the Galaxy Nexus' North American debut is already official as December 8th, thanks to Canada's Bell and Virgin, which is looking increasingly like the date on which Verizon will finally stop teasing its US customers as well.