A redesign of all U.S. coins by 2006?

RGL

I just caught a snippet on the 11 p.m. TV news, and can't find anything on line, including the U.S. Mint site, but the Mint proposes to redesign all circulating coinage -- did not call it temporary or permanent -- over the next few years ending with the cent in 2006? Anyone else know or heard anything? If not blocked by our obstructionist Congress, talk about a boost to our hobby ... and prices on existing issues!

hookedoncoins

I assumed the would change the cent in 2009... to fit with a 100 aniversary (well 50 year aniversary for the memorial).

-Jarrett Roberts

mdwoods

I heard rumors of having the 50 State Birds on the reverse of the Sac starting when the State Quarters program ends, or maybe sooner. Mark.

Russ

I heard the same rumors.

Russ, NCNE

Placid

Is this good or bad?
Example. Would a bust half collector be upset or happy if the new half dollars used the original bust half design?

Coppernicus

IMHO, it's not reverting to a classic design that scares me. Rather, it's "moderinizing" coins ala Europe, Canada, et. al.

Personally, I like the US coins just as they are, with the possible exception of some state quarter's reverses!

I like a links to our history - there is something to be said for continuity.

Coppernicus

construct

I should think that resuscitating an old design might spark interest in collecting the old ones. Look at the boost the Statehood quarters gave to the older Washingtons.

For my part, I'm ready to go back to images of Liberty and eagles. I'm sure there are modern ways to approach those images.

construct

And for goodness sake, let's get rid of those awful flat fields and sharpened hair details. The "improvements" from the 90s were not improvements at all.

lordmarcovan

I saw that on CNN, too, but it was on the little "crawler" that was going across the bottom of the screen when I saw it, and I only caught part of the message.

As to the recycling of old designs, I think it is unoriginal and I hate it.

In the case of Placid's Bust half example, while it would be kinda neat to see a Bust half in circulation, even if it was on a clad planchet with no lettered edge, I think it would be a cheap knockoff of the original, somehow. It's hard to explain my point of view on this, but this is the exact reason I always hated the Buffalo dollars, even when everyone else was gushing about them and buying them for obscene sums. Ditto for the recycled Saint obverse on the bullion gold and the Walker obverse on the Silver Eagle. All of these were (and are) beautiful designs- don't get me wrong- but they belong in their own historical context. I'll take my Buffaloes on nickels, and my Walking Liberties on half dollars, thanks.

Despite some ugly designs on the Statehood quarter reverses (Mississippi's magnolia blossom being the only even moderately attractive example in this year's crop, as I see it- and NH being the worst of all), I must say that the program was a terrific idea, and seems to have been the catalyst for long overdue change...