Do you like the new "retro" design coins?

majorbigtime

I thought the "Walker" AE Silver Dollar was a faithful reproduction of the original, but it seems to have been down hill from there.

The Buffalo/Indian dollar was not a true recreation IMO, and I view the new Buffalo (actually bison) nickel as a bad joke that is neither a faithful reprodiction of the classic original (obviously) nor an attractive rendition.

What say thee?

fcloud

even bad change is better than no change.

RobJ

I am glad of the change, but the engraveing leaves some to be desired IMHO

CoinResource

I like them HOWEVER:

The US Mint is really struggling to take chances and revive the artistry of the past. They now resort to copying the masters. Hopefully their new artist infusion program will help.

I think they've missed another point that made our coins better in the past. The hand artistry of the sculpted coin image. With today's technical and skill advances, the coins look SO technically perfect, they look impersonal. I think they should allow for more artistry and hand-carved "feel" to the coins. No perfect blank fields, no perfect Washington "curly" hair. Man, where's the ARTISTRY?

Plus, they limit the depth of the image, they need TO RAISE the depth to allow for a better image. Who cares if the coins stack, who stacks coins anyway? Who also cares if it takes a few more die? The mint is making a fortune anyway.

GO compare a standing liberty quarter to a washington/state quarter and look at the quality difference. It is UNREAL how poor today's designs are...

My 2-cents. Craig

PS - the Buffalo dollar is one of the better ones, the new nickel ain't too bad.... some progress here, despite the copying.

FINAL THOUGHT: PUT MISS LIBERTY BACK ON OUR CIRCULATING COINAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LucyBop

I dig them all!!!!

They are all wonderful in my eyes!

MrKelso

yes

CoinResource

Maybe the mint should issue an INCUSE design. THAT WOULD BE COOL!!!!!!!!! -craig

tmot99

I think it is sad that they are resorting to "old" designs. I really wish they would bring back some Liberty originallity. Unfortunately, the mint won't have an engraver whose job it is to produce new designs. They have outsourced the designing. What has happened to coinage experts?

Dollars

I as others hope that the new boold that they are searching for will give us new designs. I think that the obverse of the new nickel is in the right direction even if it is still the same old dead pres "feel" to it. IMO Modern coins should look, well, modern. I do enjoy classic bison but as someone else said, we are still returning to the old masters.

I look forward to all changes because they are aleast trying. Maybe with the growth of numismatics we can be a greater influence on design changes. With the call for new artists maybe there is a greater chance of someone with both the love of art as well as coins to find his way to the forefront.


Hey, I can dream

lonelyp

Well I started a thread in which I expected to get a rise out of the group.
Saying wouldnt it be good to have a new standing liberty quarter, designed by the animators of "Heavy Metal"
But I got nutin 1 blank reply

Don't get me wrong, I don't think we need xxx rated coinage.
But we don't need to be pruds either
pz

PS maybe I should have used a ? in the heading

flaminio

I don't like retro designs. Leave the past in the past.

I refuse to believe that art is dead in America. I'd much rather see a fresh 21st century vision of Liberty than some old design trotted out again to the general approval and disdain of numismatists.

CoinResource

Lonelyp: didnt know how to followup your Heavy Metal comment... what can I say?

Everyone else: The mint is uninspired, derivative, and sadly lacking creativity. I AGREE we NEED Liberty back on coins, IN A NEW DESIGN, inspired by a true artist. The new coins are an attempt, but they need to take risks!! They also need to try some new stuff: sets with new finishes for instance, or a specially struck coin for collectors.

At least they are trying... they are JUST not there yet.

-craig

lonelyp

oh it's OK,

Its just a thread yesterday was asking if they where going to change the new nickle JUST because the bison is a male
gimmie a break, I mean SO WHAT it's a male.

Just tryin to get some thing started.

If you want to yell at me, I don't mind.
pz

CoinResource

No need to yell, just didnt know how to follow that line... -craig

TheRaven

I think the first thing that needs to happen is Congress needs to pass a bill stating that all designs on all coins will be scrapped and new designs from the 1 cent to the $100 platinum will be coming.

I bet you could come up with some cool designs if the politicians keep out of it and the pc crap (SBA & SAC) was tossed out the window for real artistry.

ms70

I think the new designs are lame in the sense that the Mint can't come up with anything original. A spruced up Jefferson bust, another buffalo,
an image from a previous L & C medal...... There is no true imagination going on there.

mgoodm3

At this point, any change is good.

Myqqy

Plus, they limit the depth of the image, they need TO RAISE the depth to allow for a better image.

Bingo!

Saying wouldnt it be good to have a new standing liberty quarter, designed by the animators of "Heavy Metal"

michael

yuk yuk

poor really poor retros

coppercoins

Coinresource is the ONLY one who has come up with the key to having decent designs on our coinage...

The ONLY way we are going to recapture the artistry of the designs from a century ago is to revert back to making deeper relief coinage from original sculptures. As long as they are using their current techniques to perfectly cut flattened relief designs into weakly made master hubs, we will never have decent coins. They will forever be flat, lifeless slugs.

The whole old-design new-design debate is of no importance. There is NO WAY they can "recreate" decent art with cheap modernized processes, and any attempt to do so is ill-fated at best.

The reason the drawings of the new designs look so much better than re resulting coins is because the drawings are created as if the finished product will have some depth - which we know isn't the case when their limit for relief is some 100 microns (or some other ridiculous number that completely impedes creating depth on a flat disc of metal).

originalisbest

More refief would be a nice thing; however, the new Jefferson/Buffalo is quite nicely executed. Hopefully it can serve as a prelude to even more "risk" taking with our coinage design.