You mention that your boyfriend is wonderful in other respects so it looks like gift giving is the one bone of contention. He has made it clear that he doesn't want gifts besides cash. I'd stick with that for awhile and try to find out more about how he feels on the subject.

For instance, he could feel it puts and undue obligation on him. He might feel it puts an obligation on him. Or maybe he was disappointed when he was a child and didn't get gifts, or it could be that he feels you don't have the money for those things, or it could be some of the other possibilities mentioned already...

It's disappointing for you since you enjoy giving and receiving gifts. Our partners are not always fully compatible. Maybe he would enjoy smaller, symbolic gifts, or even a card to show you thought about him. I would try to talk it out and just accept that you may have an incompatibility here.