All U.S. coinage is WAY overdue for design changes.

MajorDuty

Statehood quarters aside and the nickels too, in general, American coins haven't changed their designs for many, many decades and in my opinion they are old and tired and need a face lift.

What say you? Is it not about time for across the board design changes on all our coinage? I sure think so.

For the cent the longest gap in change was fifty years - (1859-1909).
With the exception of the reverse change this coin has remained the same for a HUNDRED years (soon). For my argument one sided changes don't really count.

For the nickel the longest gap was only thirty years - (1883-1913).
Current design is 70 years running. OK, not quite that long since this recent obverse change but these aren't wholesale obvese/reverse changes.

The dimes longest gap in change was 59 years -(1837-1891). Quite long, actually, but not as long as the current running of 62 years and no design change in sight.

The quarter's longest gap in between redesign was 53 years - (1838-1891). Washington is 76 years-old now.

The half dollar didn't change for 52 years between (1839-1891), which is actually the current record but this coin has stopped circulating too.

Finally the dollar didn't change for 37 years between (1836-1873) and ironically this coin has been changing fairly frequently since, but then you can argue it also pretty much no longer circulates.

So I think it is time for obverse AND reverse changes on ALL U.S. coinage. What do you all think? Aren't you tired of the same ol' faces?

BECOKA

I agree.

The quarter will go back to the general Washington design. I say it's time for some real art.

MajorDuty

Even if the relief isn't there like it used to be some new artwork is sorely needed.

Zoins

Is anyone lobbying the CCAC or Congress for this?
Should there be petitions to Congressmen and the CCAC?
Should coin clubs organize letter / petition drives?
Should this be raised with Obama, Clinton and/or McCain?
Should the ANA get involved on behalf of collectors?

Sunnywood

We are handicapped by a number of factors:

1) The debasement of our coinage, in other words the replacement of precious metals by other metals and alloys of lesser value, has had the consequence of shifting us from softer, more easily impressed metals (silver, gold) to harder metals that are much more difficult to strike with finely articulated details (e.g. clad composition on our dime and quarter). The cent is an exception.

2) The higher mintages of today require the coins to be produced on ultra-high-speed presses, which further exacerbates the difficulty of producing high relief and finely articualted designs.

3) A young nation looks to its future aspirations (Liberty), while a more mature nation honors its past heritage (Presidents). This natural evolution of our national psyche leaves little room for beautiful art. Idealized artistic conceptions of Liberty, which reached their zenith in the coinage of St. Gaudens, will always far surpass the profiles of old politicians (even great ones). Washington himself would be disappointed that his own visage, rather than that of Liberty for whom he fought, can be found on our most serviceable denomination. Unfortunately, politics will prevent this trend rom ever being reversed ... instead, political considerations will militate ever more actual persons being portrayed on our coinage.

4) The general demise in aesthetics from classically inspired and finely detailed art to simplistic contemporary stylings is a continuing trend.

The combination of hard metals, high-speed presses, dead Presidents, politics, and deteriorating artistry has left us at a dead end, at least on our obverses.

Finally, coins are simply less important than ever. They are worth less in purchasing power; they have less intrinsic value than ever; and hard currency is gradually being replaced by electronic commerce. Thus less effort will be put into making our coins beautiful.

Best,
Sunnywood

Edited to add: I do think there is some hope though ... recently there have been some encouraging signs in art, architecture and music. Perhaps the faceless boring war-torn industrial techno-sadism of the mid-20th century is finally giving way. Architecture bottomed out in the 1970's. Perhaps someday we will see a return to skillful artisanship and finely crafted designs.

Zoins

It's difficult when there are big lobbying groups pressing for real people and little if no lobbying groups pressing for idealized concepts of Liberty.

Many Indian tribes and even a state governor got involved to keep the Sac alive during the Prexy bux years. We can't even move away from Jefferson's house on the nickel due to lobbying from the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Without the ANA or some other group to organize lobbying and/or grassroots efforts, the organized efforts behind real people will always win.

However, we shouldn't forget that officials were happy to announce the return of Lady Liberty to our coins, on the reverse of the Prexy bux. That's how they see it.

TrustNo1

I want more of Lady Liberty on our coins....ditch Kennedy first for the love of God!

cladking

I'm not as optimistic as a few years ago but there are still some reasons
to remain so. The mint's Artistic Infusion Program brought on a lot of art-
istic talent with the express intent of improving the coinage. One of the
big roadblocks to better art on the coins is the existence of the one cent
coin that drains huge amounts of mint resources and imposes high speeds
on all the presses. This coin is likely to join the half cent in obsolescence
soon. This will go hand in hand with an increase in dollar coin production
but anything to make coinage more efficient will probably mean less total
cost and work fo the mint.

One might also point to the "new" 2006 nickel as a first step in the overhaul
of the coinage designs. While few are really happy with it aesthetically be-
bause of Virginia's hijacking of its theme, it is not a bad design and having
all of our coinage fit with it would not be a great constraint.

So long as her customers continue to demand better in terms of quality and
design the mint should have little choice but to attempt to supply it.

Now all we need is to get Congress on board.

lope208

Good topic. As I've been flipping through my Red Book I've come across the same paragraph multiple times
and thought to myself, "huh".

Quoting from the 53rd Edition (2000), for the Jefferson Nickels...

"This nickel was designed by Felix Schlag. He won an award of $1,000 in a
competition with some 390 artists. It established the definite public
approval of portrait and pictorial rather than symbolic devices on our coinage."

I wholeheartedly agree that we should return to some more classic images, but I find this reference
very enlightening on what people thought back in the late 1930's. It's almost cyclical. We were ready
for the flood of honoring presidents on our coinage, and now we've done it so we're ready for the
artistic approach again.

Zoins

<< <i>We were ready for the flood of honoring presidents on our coinage, and now we've done it so we're ready for the artistic approach again. >>

Both approaches are artistic. It would be more correct to say "we're ready for the allegorical approach again."

Though I'm not sure we can ever go back to putting Indian headdresses on what looks to be Caucasian women

lope208

<< <i>

<< <i>We were ready for the flood of honoring presidents on our coinage, and now we've done it so we're ready for the artistic approach again. >>

Both approaches are both artistic. It would be more correct to say "we're ready for the allegorical approach again."

Though I'm not sure we can ever go back to putting Indian headdresses on what looks to be Caucasian women >>





Good call...While I don't see us replacing all our presidents on our coinage, I'd like to see one allegorical denomination.
But what coin? I think the half would be good, but we'll never replace Kennedy, and we're already using the classical
version on the silver eagles. I think the one with the best shot is the Roosevelt Dime for two reasons.

1) It's now our longest serving denomination without a makeover.
2) The reverse is already pretty similar to that of the Mercury Dime before it.

Not saying it'll ever happen, but just that the 10c has the best current shot.

Overdate

Many contemporary commemorative and bullion coins are artistic, even if some of the artistry is recycled and some of the designs miss the mark.

Another reason to collect moderns!

Zoins

<< <i>Many contemporary commemorative and bullion coins are artistic, even if some of the artistry is recycled and some of the designs miss the mark.

Another reason to collect moderns! >>

I just learned the NCS dollar and Columbus half were inspired by Saint Gaudens!

Manorcourtman

I hear ya bro but you are preaching to the choir. Change is good.

PerryHall

Once Obama takes over the White House will will get all kinds of new politically correct coin designs. I can hardly wait.

MajorDuty

Sunnywood, what an eloquent response.

MajorDuty

Any other opinions?

tahoe98

we don't need obama in the whitehouse..................we need another teddy roosevelt!!..

RWB

Agreed about the designs, but this is not 1905. Circulating coinage and commemoratives have become political statements of interest to small, but dedicated groups. The general public have little knowledge or interest in “meaning” behind a design.

Re: comment about needing Theodore Roosevelt. The President in 1905 was more progressive than any of the current candidates and far out of sync with his Republican Party. Quite a few of his ideas went well beyond anything his cousin Franklin Roosevelt proposed.

LanLord

<< <i>I agree. The quarter will go back to the general Washington design. I say it's time for some real art. >>

I thought he was president or something

PerryHall

<< <i>we don't need obama in the whitehouse..................we need another teddy roosevelt!!.. >>

TwoSides2aCoin

Politicians are like rocks. They don't move unless we move them.