US solar system commems - any news?

pendragon1998

I heard a while back that there was going to be a series of US commemoratives with the subject being "the solar system". Any info on that?

coppercoins

I guess they had to scrap the plan when they couldn't figure out what to call Pluto....planet....moon....comet....planet....GRR!!

Far as I'm concerned it's still a planet and always will be.

flaminio

<< <i>Far as I'm concerned it's still a planet and always will be. >>

Then what is Eris?

On-topic, a commemorative coin series for the planets is an exceedingly dumb idea. I expect the Mint to do it someday.

pharmer

Back off topic, I hope they do it with the holographic technique that the Canadian mint uses. That would be cool. And cheesy. I like cheese.

planetsteve

<< <i>

<< <i>Far as I'm concerned it's still a planet and always will be. >>

Then what is Eris?

On-topic, a commemorative coin series for the planets is an exceedingly dumb idea. I expect the Mint to do it someday. >>



You made me Wiki Eris. Bigger than Pluto and it has a moon? That's really amazing to me, along with several other details. (BTW, I named myself a planet sometime last year -- even though I don't yet have my own satellite! -- so we can give it up for Eris too.)

Now, why do you say the commem for the planets is a dumb idea? Because it's already been done? Because they aren't timely or otherwise appropriate subjects for commemoration?

coppercoins

<< <i>

<< <i>Far as I'm concerned it's still a planet and always will be. >>

Then what is Eris?

On-topic, a commemorative coin series for the planets is an exceedingly dumb idea. I expect the Mint to do it someday. >>



Eris is considered an asteroid but could fit the bill of being a planet. Pluto is definitely a planet.

Purple73

I heard they were priced Out of thie world!



I just had to!


PURPLE!

CaptHenway

We could go round and round on this......

hubird

Wasn't that earlier post about those commems a joke? One of the usual clowns on this board mentioned it and I just laughed, thinking nothing of it.

CaptHenway

No, it was a serious proposal to Congress

hubird

Congress? still laughing...

flaminio

<< <i>Eris is considered an asteroid but could fit the bill of being a planet. Pluto is definitely a planet. >>

Why is Pluto definitely a planet?

And why would Eris not be considered a planet, if Pluto is? Current measurements show Eris to be larger than Pluto.

Or Ceres? It's round, after all.

What is your definition of "planet"? If it is merely the nine bodies you were taught as a child, we're not going to get very far. The number of definitional planets in the solar system has always been fluid. When asteroids were first discovered, they were considered planets, up until we had about twelve planets or so and then they were redefined as asteroids. The situation with Pluto is analogous -- it is not a planet, merely the first Kuiper Belt Object discovered. It's not even the largest KBO.

flaminio

<< <i>Now, why do you say the commem for the planets is a dumb idea? >>

I think (U.S.) commems should be for people, places, and/or events that are important to American history. Bicentennial of the Constitution -- that was a significant event to commemorate. Birth of Ben Franklin. That sort of stuff.

You know what is underrepresented in American commems? Scientists and inventors. We've had some of the greatest minds in world history, and yet aside from Edison and the Wright Brothers, who got a coin? I'd much rather see a coin for Clyde Tombaugh than for Pluto.

Arizonadesertrat

Talk about abusing modern commem collectors. This solar system set idea is spacey.

Pentimento

9 planets is better than 11 National Parks...


"National Park Anniversaries-Great American Spaces Commemorative Coin Act''

109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 988

2007............................. Devils Tower National Monument. 100th
2008............................. Grand Canyon National Park. 100th
2010............................. Glacier National Park 100th
2011............................. Lincoln Memorial..... 100th
2014............................. Yosemite National Park. 150th
2015............................. Rocky Mountain National Park. 100th
2016............................. National Park Service 100th
2017............................. Denali National Park. 100th
2018............................. Acadia National Park. 100th
2019............................. Zion National Park... 100th
2020............................. Gettysburg National Military Park. 125th

Zoins

<< <i>9 planets is better than 11 National Parks... >>

I wouldn't necessarily say so. The National Parks can help people learn more about the US, both Americans and foreigners. If you get a National Park coin, you can either remember a trip you went on previously or be more inclined to visit a park in the future. The National Parks also have a prominent place in US history so learning about the formation of the parks and parks system can lend itself to learning about the US expansion and growth during the 19th Century. Learning about the Grand Canyon today can help people learn about water rights as well which will become a more important issue as the years go by. There's quite a bit people can learn about the US from studying the National Parks.

flaminio

I agree with Zoins. It's not the number of commems; it's the relevance. The beauty and majesty of our national parks is something to share with the world. I mean, Saturn's beautiful and all, but it's not in the United States.

Connecticoin

<< <i>2007............................. Devils Tower National Monument. 100th
>>



Cool, a "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" Commem!!