Presidential Dollars......An Opinion
19Lyds
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Regardless of whether or not these things get used or collected, I am of the opinion that since the date and mintmark do not appear on the Obverse or Reverse and the word Liberty also does not appear, these things remind me more of medallions or presidential medals than they do coins!
Anybody else feel this way?
Anybody else feel this way?
I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.
The name is LEE!
The name is LEE!
0
Comments
I think the people at the Mint aren't really getting the point, though. They seem to be banking on the idea that people will collect the series the way they do the state quarters. The problme is, people seem to like using quarters, whereas time after time, the coin dollar has failed since the introduction of the paper bill. The fundamentals of that user preference aren't going to change.
Here's what I'd like to see: Create a dollar coin out of a precious metal that's actually worth something. And make it small. Make it the same diameter as a dime, but 3 times thicker, so it's not mistaken. If you make it small enough, people won't mind carrying a bunch of them (which seems to be a big objection against current coin dollars). Making dollars of the Sac size from useless metal obviously isn't motivating enough people to circulate them.
I'd also like to see all our currency move to coins. That might be unrealistic though, considering how much the new money would weigh when it had to be physically transported to banks. or held by shopkeepers.
-- Adam Duritz, of Counting Crows
My Ebay Auctions
–John Adams, 1826
<< <i>I have to give the mint credit for trying something new. The idea of using the edge for the date and EBU is a new twist on an old theme. That will be interesting. I don't like the SOL on the reverse - I think that the dollars should have the reverse of a popular coin (or pattern coin) of the era in which the President served. They did that with the SF Mint coins, and they look good! I think it would be a neat to have a set of moderns whose reverses bridge to era-relevant obsolete designs. >>
I like your idea, but I doubt it would fly. Stylistically, tastes are much different now. (Can you imagine a Bust Liberty appearing on a modern coin?) I think some of the more modern designs (e.g., Weissman's or St. Gaudens') would work, because they're not so far removed from modern tastes. (Compare the Walking Liberty eagle to the eagle on the Morgan dollar.)
If the whole idea was to appeal to existing numismatists, I think it might work. But I sense they're trying to appeal to a wider audience.
-- Adam Duritz, of Counting Crows
My Ebay Auctions
<< <i>I've got mixed feelings about the edge lettering. That hasn't been done, to my knowledge, since the late 1800's, right? In the novelty sense, that's kinda cool. On the other hand, I hope it doesn't start a trend. Lettering on the edge causes problems when you're putting coins in holders. >>
Didn't some of the Saints have edge lettering? I also think many other countries use edge lettering on their coins, esp the UK with their pound coins. There's no problem with edge visibility with the capsules the US Mint currently uses. Because there are already (world) coins out there with edge lettering and the capsules the US Mint uses lets you see the edge letters, I think a better solution would be to get holders that allow edge visbility.
<< <i>I would prefer a return to metaphorical imagery that evokes the concept of liberty. Portraits are not terribly inspiring. Are there no engravers who can do this? We have had presidential portraiture on our coins for close to 100 years. There is nothing new about this. In fact, it is an adherence to a stale idea. Let's move beyond portraits. >>
There has been some effort to bring back Lady Liberty. Bernard Von Nothaus presented one as alternate design for the small dollar. Apparently some concept coins were also made (Liberty Pattern CoA) however I haven't seen any surface on eBay. The Liberty Pattern is now the obverse of the Liberty Dollar. Additionally, the obverse on the Gallery Mint's Statue of Liberty concept dollar was made at the request of Rep. Micheal Castle, then chairman of the International Monetary Policy Committee.
Perhaps the best place we can see the concept of liberty coming back is the Presidential Dollar where the Statue of Liberty will be the common reverse.
<< <i>I have to give the mint credit for trying something new. The idea of using the edge for the date and EBU is a new twist on an old theme. That will be interesting. I don't like the SOL on the reverse - I think that the dollars should have the reverse of a popular coin (or pattern coin) of the era in which the President served. They did that with the SF Mint coins, and they look good! I think it would be a neat to have a set of moderns whose reverses bridge to era-relevant obsolete designs. >>
The mint had little to do with the design of this coin. It was outlined in Section 101, paragraph 10 of the Presidential Coin Act:
<< <i>(10) In order to revitalize the design of United States coinage and return circulating coinage to its position as not only a necessary means of exchange in commerce, but also
as an object of aesthetic beauty in its own right, it is appropriate to move many of the mottos and emblems, the inscription of the year, and the so-called ‘‘mint marks’’ that currently appear on the 2 faces of each circulating coin to the edge of the coin, which would allow larger and more dramatic artwork on the coins reminiscent of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age of Coinage’’ in the United States, at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, with the assistance of noted sculptors and medallic artists James Earle Fraser and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. >>
As far as
<< <i>Create a dollar coin out of a precious metal that's actually worth something. >>
this will not happen since that market for precious metals is so volatile. Imagine the hoarding when the metal content of a dollar hit the $3 mark?
Don't get me wrong, the design of the new coin is nice but I just do not think coin when I see it, I think medal. However, actually having the $ symbol on the reverse is, interesting!
The name is LEE!
<< <i>
<< <i>I have to give the mint credit for trying something new. The idea of using the edge for the date and EBU is a new twist on an old theme. That will be interesting. I don't like the SOL on the reverse - I think that the dollars should have the reverse of a popular coin (or pattern coin) of the era in which the President served. They did that with the SF Mint coins, and they look good! I think it would be a neat to have a set of moderns whose reverses bridge to era-relevant obsolete designs. >>
The mint had little to do with the design of this coin. It was outlined in Section 101, paragraph 10 of the Presidential Coin Act:
<< <i>(10) In order to revitalize the design of United States coinage and return circulating coinage to its position as not only a necessary means of exchange in commerce, but also
as an object of aesthetic beauty in its own right, it is appropriate to move many of the mottos and emblems, the inscription of the year, and the so-called ‘‘mint marks’’ that currently appear on the 2 faces of each circulating coin to the edge of the coin, which would allow larger and more dramatic artwork on the coins reminiscent of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age of Coinage’’ in the United States, at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, with the assistance of noted sculptors and medallic artists James Earle Fraser and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. >>
As far as
<< <i>Create a dollar coin out of a precious metal that's actually worth something. >>
this will not happen since that market for precious metals is so volatile. Imagine the hoarding when the metal content of a dollar hit the $3 mark?
Don't get me wrong, the design of the new coin is nice but I just do not think coin when I see it, I think medal. However, actually having the $ symbol on the reverse is, interesting! >>
From reading that it seems like they are going for the medal look. If we all think it looks like a medal than the design is achieving it's goals.
<< <i>Does the law state where "Liberty", the date, and the mintmark must appear on circulating U.S. coinage? >>
Yes it does. The only way around this is for Congress to specifcally mandate otherwise, as is what happened when they moved the date to the reverse of the quarter for the SHQ series.
Furthermore, when our Founding Fathers defined the parameters for our coinage at the time they established the Mint, they specifically stated that Political or Presidential Portraits SHOULD NOT appear on United States coins, and that instead the obverse should bear an image emblamatic of Liberty. Washington and Jefferson felt particularly strongly about this issue.
<< <i>I think the people at the Mint aren't really getting the point, though. They seem to be banking on the idea that people will collect the series the way they do the state quarters. The problme is, people seem to like using quarters, whereas time after time, the coin dollar has failed since the introduction of the paper bill. The fundamentals of that user preference aren't going to change. >>
I agree with you. And is if the baby wasn't drowned enough, there is the albatross companion $10 gold First Spouse coins tied to this series.
<< <i>As much as I like the classic designs, I do not think it is a good idea to bring them back. Let's exercise some creativity in the here and now! >>
I couldn't agree with you more.
<< <i>The mint had little to do with the design of this coin... >>
On this point I disagree...
<< <i>Section 101, paragraph 10 of the Presidential Coin Act:
(10) In order to revitalize the design of United States coinage and return circulating coinage to its position as not only a necessary means of exchange in commerce, but also as an object of aesthetic beauty in its own right, it is appropriate to move many of the mottos and emblems, the inscription of the year, and the so-called ‘‘mint marks’’ that currently appear on the 2 faces of each circulating coin to the edge of the coin, which would allow larger and more dramatic artwork on the coins reminiscent of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age of Coinage’’ in the United States, at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, with the assistance of noted sculptors and medallic artists James Earle Fraser and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. >>
...when I read that I think A WHOLE LOT MORE could have been done than low-relief sculptures of heads based on artist copies of pre-existing period paintings. Take the 1982 Washington Half for example - could you imagine how dynamic the Presidential Dollar Program might have looked like had it picked up where that coin left off? As is, all eight of the designs I have seen tell me NOTHING about who these great men were.
>>>My Collection
As a come on, Shell offered customers 'Mr. President Coins' each time you stopped in to fill up a tank (at about $0.39 a gallon) The regular issue was made of alluminum. You could win anywhere from $1 to $5,000 if you had the 'chase' coin + the rest of the sequence. If you were lucky enough to get the James Madison coin, +the other first 5 presidents, you won $1000. The chase were
Madison..........$1000
Van Buren.........$500
Tyler..................$100
Buchanan............$50 (Probably good for 3 tanks of gas then!)
Hayes....................$5
Arthur....................$1
If you got Herbert Hoover chase, along with Coolidge and FDR you could get a complete collectors set of all 35 Presidents (up through LBJ) in solid bronze.
I was looking at the bronze versions this morning. My guess is that most people who have a patriotic spirit, and any appreciation for history will like collecting and even using the mint's new coins. It may take a bit, but ultimately, we'll see a lot more dollar coins floating around out there.