Should the ANA lobby for US coinage/currency changes?

Zoins

I raised this issue in another thread but thought it might be worthwhile as a stand-alone.

Given that the issue of discontinuing some denominations of coins and currency comes up again and again on this forum, it would seem that this is an important issue to many.

Given the passing James C. Benfield, it seems that the Coin Coalition has stopped and there may be no real pro-coin effort to promote coinage/currency changes to Congress.

If this is an issue ANA members care about, is this a torch that the ANA should pick up?

Julian

The coinage and currency changes are totally economic. I cannot imagine that the Congress would keep something strictly for numismatists.

Zoins

<< <i>The coinage and currency changes are totally economic. I cannot imagine that the Congress would keep something strictly for numismatists. >>

Actually the Coin Coalition didn't seem to include any numismatists at all. It's just that without Benfield, there may be no one to organize and lead them which is what the ANA can provide.

Here are the members of the erstwhile Coin Coalition, no numismatists here.

* Airports Council International
* American Amusement Machine Association
* American Council of the Blind
* American Public Transportation Association
* Chicago Transit Authority
* Citizens Against Government Waste
* Copper Development Association
* The Foundation Fighting Blindness
* International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions
* International Carwash Association
* MTA New York City Transit
* Multi-housing Laundry Association
* National Association of Concessionaires
* National Association of Convenience Stores
* National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds
* National Automatic Merchandising Association
* National Bulk Vendors Association
* National Confectioners Association
* National Council of Chain Restaurants
* National Licensed Beverage Association
* National Parking Association
* National Soft Drink Association
* Public Telephone Council
* Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America
* The Seniors Coalition
* Smarte Carte Inc.
* Snack Food Association
* Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority

basestealer

The people lobbying for coin design changes all want giant, child-like images with brail and easy to read and identify markings, which is why we have the disgusting turd nickel with Thomas Jefferson melty face, and why we've got a dollar coins that simply says $1, and why we're destined to suffer through the final days of coinage and currency with grotesque, uninspired designs that children love. In fact, children probably originally devised the concepts in their kindergarden classes.

cfisch

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (the place that prints currency) has announced that currency is to be changed every 7-10 years.

Zoins

<< <i>The people lobbying for coin design changes all want giant, child-like images with brail and easy to read and identify markings, which is why we have the disgusting turd nickel with Thomas Jefferson melty face, and why we've got a dollar coins that simply says $1, and why we're destined to suffer through the final days of coinage and currency with grotesque, uninspired designs that children love. In fact, children probably originally devised the concepts in their kindergarden classes. >>

To be fair to children, if children did design the Presidential dollars, they'd look something like this:

flaminio

While I think coinage change is an economic necessity, I don't think it's the baliwick of the ANA to lobby for it.

cladking

Our currency system has been broken for years.

It's remarkable that it has become so very broken. Is the mint still figuring that the prices of zinc, copper and nickel are going to come back down? Is the price of paper for currency going to fall?

CoinHusker

<< <i>
Given the passing James C. Benfield, it seems that the Coin Coalition has stopped and there may be no real pro-coin effort to promote coinage/currency changes to Congress.
>>




I didn't realize he had died. He had a thankless job for a seemingly hopeless cause, but he did it well.

RWB

The last time the ANA had any meaningful influence in a coin design was in late 1920/early 1921 when they promoted the peace dollar concept (not design) to members of the Coinage Committee (Rep Vestal, et al.) However, the ANA committee got outflanked by the more aggressive, Washington DC-based Commission of Fine Arts, and had no influence on design, artist or anything else. All of which left Judson Brenner, chairman of the ANA committee fuming even as he sat on the 1922 Assay Commission and watched 1921 Peace dollars being melted for assay.

Lobbying for any change requires full time representation in Washington. Who is going to pay the bill of $500,000 a year?

Zoins

<< <i>Lobbying for any change requires full time representation in Washington. Who is going to pay the bill of $500,000 a year? >>

James Benfield worked on the Coin Coalition full time?

basestealer

<< <i>While I think coinage change is an economic necessity, I don't think it's the baliwick of the ANA to lobby for it. >>


I can't imagine what else the ANA is good for. I don't pay dues to have crackers and soda. Same with the NRA, ACLU, Libertarian party, and every other bozo group I donate money to. They're supposed to lobby for our interests!