Why can’t a living person be honored on a coin or stamp?

SirAnthonyAC

I understand it’s the law but what exactly is the logic behind it? Is it a vanity thing? A unspecified fear if a living person was on a coin that the world might stop spinning on it’s axis?

For example, I’ve always said it would have been far better to have given someone like John Wayne an Academy Award when he was young, when he could have enjoyed it, as opposed to waiting until he was on his deathbed to give him a lifetime achievement award.

Elvis, who was overly popular in the late 1970s and was looked at as an all-time legend, but it wasn’t until after his death that he got a stamp… wouldn’t it have been better if he got a stamp while he was alive so he could have enjoyed it?

As a collector of ancient Roman Coins, it makes for a great collection theme to have a nearly complete group of coins issued during the lifetime of every emperor…. This would be cool in modern day as well… no?
Roman Empire Emperor Collection

The way it is now, once we reach living Presidents, the new Dollar coin is put on hold.

PLEASE keep this thread non-political.

Obviously, Presidential coins will come up but …
PLEASE do not mention your favorite x-President by name or description, current President, or any potential future President. keep it within the rules of the board.

SilverEagles92

Well, if you believe some, Nolan Ryan is on the Baseball Olympic commemorative.

TomB

There has been more than one instance of a living American that has been placed on a coin during their lifetime, though this is quite unusual.

SaorAlba

Alleged to have been Marilyn Monroe, this was printed in 1961. But whether it was her or not is subject to conjecture and argument.

bottleguy

O.J. Simpson.

'Nuf said.

Rick

jfoot13

When my 1st granddaughter was born last july I went to Walgreens photo dept with a picture of me holding her and had a couple sheets of stamps made up with the picture and used them... they were reguliar US postage

Russ

<< <i>There has been more than one instance of a living American that has been placed on a coin during their lifetime, though this is quite unusual. >>



Eunice Shriver, for one.

Russ, NCNE

Greeniejr

The origin of the law was to distinguish ourselves from the British. It is common practive of GB to put their Monarch on their coins. One of the things our country was founded on was the fact that our heads of government would not be placed on all of our currency.

coinkat

Well, the Alabama Commem featured the current Governor of the State at the time it was minted

Calvin Coolidge was on the Sesqui commem

Carter Glass was on a commem when he was alive and Joe Robinson may have been alive at the time he was added to the Arkansas commem

FDR was on a Peso at the time the Philippines was a US Territory

blu62vette

<< <i>

<< <i>There has been more than one instance of a living American that has been placed on a coin during their lifetime, though this is quite unusual. >>



Eunice Shriver, for one.

Russ, NCNE >>



Ted Danson a second.

Russ

<< <i>FDR was on a Peso at the time the Philippines was a US Territory >>



Didn't MacArthur also appear on some of those?

Russ, NCNE

coinkat

Yes Mac did... I just didn't recall whether the Philippines were still a US territory at the time. The MacArthur Peso and 50 Centavos were minted in 1947

COINB0Y

The guy or gal could turn out to be a Communist or a Martian.

Then your stuck with them going for millions on EBay.

Gemini

Russia does this with their Space Stamps that I collect and they honor their Cosmonauts for their achievements as they happen.
It really makes it nice to be able to follow their Space accomplishments in chronology from day one.

Rob790

<< <i>As a collector of ancient Roman Coins, it makes for a great collection theme to have a nearly complete group of coins issued during the lifetime of every emperor…. This would be cool in modern day as well… no? >>


I am utterly amazed at the general ignorance of people on this topic. The above quoted statement IS THE REASON no living person is allowed to be placed on circulating coinage and it would NOT be "cool" in modern days.

When a living person is placed on your circulating coinage, it means that person is your ruler. They own you. You are their slave and property. This is known to royalty today and this is why you see certain royalty figures on circulating coinage today, the general cow like public unknowingly thinking it's "cool". They are telling you something.

Our founding fathers knew this and this is the very reason they chose NOT to have a living person on our coinage. The day we do, it's all over.

It's really sad that I'm the 1st poster to actually know this......... really sad indeed.....

This is history, learn from it.

carzzy

I believe it was George Washington himself that did not want his image on coins during his presidency. He wanted the new nation to be free of the traditions of the European monarchs who had their depictions on coins for centuries. I don't believe this was a law back then.
Living persons were on US Demand and Legal Tender Notes when they first appeared in 1861 and 1862 with Lincoln on the $10 note, Salmon Chase on the $1 note and Spinner and Fessenden on Fractional Currency. There also was stamps of Lincoln while he was alive and in office. I don't know when it was made law that living persons could not be on our coins, stamps or currency.

ProofArtworkonCircs

I think the law banning living persons applies to paper documents only, not coins.

SirAnthonyAC

<< <i>When a living person is placed on your circulating coinage, it means that person is your ruler. They own you. You are their slave and property. >>



Okay, you are entitled to your opinion but "ignorance"? No I don't think the people on this broad are ignorant.

Also, you comment that they "own you" and you are their "slave" is a little puzzling, honestly, FDR and Lincoln are on coins does that mean they 'were' our rulers and we 'were' there slaves? Of course not.

But back to my original point, when a person archives great things, such as a high elected office, they will get their portrait on a coin however; not until their death, I was saying wouldn't it be better for someone to have that honor while alive so they could enjoy it?

clarkbar04

<< <i>

<< <i>As a collector of ancient Roman Coins, it makes for a great collection theme to have a nearly complete group of coins issued during the lifetime of every emperor…. This would be cool in modern day as well… no? >>


I am utterly amazed at the general ignorance of people on this topic. The above quoted statement IS THE REASON no living person is allowed to be placed on circulating coinage and it would NOT be "cool" in modern days.

When a living person is placed on your circulating coinage, it means that person is your ruler. They own you. You are their slave and property. This is known to royalty today and this is why you see certain royalty figures on circulating coinage today, the general cow like public unknowingly thinking it's "cool". They are telling you something.

Our founding fathers knew this and this is the very reason they chose NOT to have a living person on our coinage. The day we do, it's all over.

It's really sad that I'm the 1st poster to actually know this......... really sad indeed.....

This is history, learn from it. >>



From the tone of your post, it sounds like you think you should be on our coins.

SirAnthonyAC

As I said, I was talking about when a person archives great things, such as a high elected office, they will get their portrait on a coin however; not until their death, I was saying wouldn't it be better for someone to have that honor while alive so they could enjoy it?

Rob790

<< <i>

<< <i>When a living person is placed on your circulating coinage, it means that person is your ruler. They own you. You are their slave and property. >>



Okay, you are entitled to your opinion but "ignorance"? No I don't think the people on this broad are ignorant.

Also, you comment that they "own you" and you are their "slave" is a little puzzling, honestly, FDR and Lincoln are on coins does that mean they 'were' our rulers and we 'were' there slaves? Of course not.

But back to my original point, when a person archives great things, such as a high elected office, they will get their portrait on a coin however; not until their death, I was saying wouldn't it be better for someone to have that honor while alive so they could enjoy it? >>


1) Read my post

2) Use reason and understand it before you reply

LOL, it's not my "opinion", it's called history and what I thought was common knowledge. Apparently, the American educational system is doing a spectacular job at being in last place in the world.

Please READ what I wrote and don't put words into my mouth. I said ignorant on THIS TOPIC.

I also specified CIRCULATING COINAGE. Not special medals or commens. When did we see Lincoln or or FDR on a circulating coinage while still alive?

Let me make it simple for you... On coin + still alive = dictator rule. Here is a recent pattern example to be released after final victory.



Cool, huh? Understand yet?

You missed the ENTIRE point of my post about money and what it has long represented throughout history. I am sad that this is what things have come to, people here should know early America history, what our founding father's fought for and especially the history of money.....

Don't ask a question if you don't really want the answer.

Rob790

<< <i>

<< <i>
From the tone of your post, it sounds like you think you should be on our coins. >>


This is why we score dead last on world academic tests. People don't talk facts or use reason, they make snide ignorant comments and pass that off as 'insight', then the small minded cattle join in laughing in some shallow 'victory'. I honestly feel sorry for some of you people.

The answer is given, what you do with it is up to you.

SirAnthonyAC

Rob, Dude, chill out... take a deep breath... there, feel better?

We're debating whether or not great Americans, those who've archived great things including, but not limited to high office, should or should not be honored on a coin while they are alive.

I am still of the opinion that someone being on a coin neither makes them my "ruler" or me their "slave".

Invoking the Nazi's is never a good argument however, since you posted the coin above... I am of the opinion that Hitler would have been Hitler whether he was on a coin or not.

clarkbar04

So if I ask a question about anything I specialize in and you don't know the answer, can I ridicule and belittle you?

illini420

Under the current law, I believe that we might see some living first spouses get a First Spouse Gold coin. It appears that a First Spouse coin is made for each $1 presidental coin minted. So if the President gets a coin then his spouse will as well. The law only says that the President must be dead for a year to get a coin and is silent as to whether the first spouse must be dead as well. Maybe we'll find out if Nancy Reagan stays around for another 8 years or so.

weresteve

I think the law banning living persons applies to paper documents only, not coins.

Currently, to appear on a postage stamp, the person has to have been deceased at least 10 years according to USPS regulations.

carzzy

<< <i>As I said, I was talking about when a person archives great things, such as a high elected office, they will get their portrait on a coin however; not until their death, I was saying wouldn't it be better for someone to have that honor while alive so they could enjoy it? >>



Lincoln did... I believe he was the first living person with his portrait on our currency and stamps while serving as president. He first appeared on the 1861 $10 Demand Note and then on the 1862 Legal Tender Note. Ironic too... he was the first president to have his portrait on our circulating coinage.
Other living persons on notes were:
Salmon P Chase (Secretary of the Treasury under Lincoln 1861-1864) on the 1862 $1 Legal Tender Note.
F.E. Spinner (Treasurer of the US 1861-1875) on the 1864 50 cent Fractional Currency Note.
William P Fessenden (Treasurer under Lincoln) on the 25 cent Fractional Currency Note.

These 4 persons were all very much alive while having their portraits on US currency and stamps.

coinmickey

<< <i>Rob, Dude, chill out... take a deep breath... there, feel better?

We're debating whether or not great Americans, those who've archived great things including, but not limited to high office, should or should not be honored on a coin while they are alive.

I am still of the opinion that someone being on a coin neither makes them my "ruler" or me their "slave".

Invoking the Nazi's is never a good argument however, since you posted the coin above... I am of the opinion that Hitler would have been Hitler whether he was on a coin or not. >>



You mentioned that you collect Ancient roman coinage. One of the prime reasons that the emperors put their images on the coinage was for publicity/promotion purposes. To highlight their "achievements", to glorify themselves and in essence to help them curry favor with the public. In other words the coinage served as a vehicle to help them perpetuate their rule, which from historical perspective turned out (for the most part) to be anything but democratic or republican in nature, but rather more kingly.

Putting the image of a living president on the coinage starts us back down the road to empire/monarchy. I think a lot of people would agree that's not a good thing. Washington certainly did not think it was.

messydesk

<< <i>

<< <i>There has been more than one instance of a living American that has been placed on a coin during their lifetime, though this is quite unusual. >>



Eunice Shriver, for one.

Russ, NCNE >>


This was purely by accident. Contrary to popular belief, Eunice Shriver is not on the Special Olympics coin. It's Abe Vigoda with a wig. When the coin was designed, the Kennedy family looked to exploit a loophole in the "no living person" policy by using a profile of "flowing hair" Vigoda, having read reports of his 1982 death in People magazine. By the time they realized the report was in error, the coins had already been release. Vigoda has since declined several invitations from Senator Kennedy to dinner and a riparian drive.

mr1931S

When a living person is placed on your circulating coinage, it means that person is your ruler. They own you. You are their slave and property...Our founding fathers knew this and this is the very reason they chose NOT to have a living person on our coinage. The day we do, it's all over.

Your history lesson is lost on me.I don't think the founding fathers thought there would be this much power in pocket change if their mugs were on it.

Cite some references and maybe I'll change my mind about this.

ProofArtworkonCircs

<<Currently, to appear on a postage stamp, the person has to have been deceased at least 10 years according to USPS regulations.>>

I think they would make exceptions to this on occasion, such as the death of an ex-president.

TwoSides2aCoin

If a living person was honored on a coin, they'd be mocked about it until they died.

That's my take on it.

19Lyds

So far, all the coinage mentioned as having 'living' persons on them were commemoritive in nature and certainly not something someone would spend at the local supermarket.

I think the reasoning behind NOT putting living 'presidents' on circulating coinage was because England's coins had the King on all their coinage because the King WAS England. The King, in a sense, owned England and all the citizenry of England were the Kings 'subjects' meaning, loosely, that he owned them and held absolute power over them.

I think that Mr. Washington and the founding fathers, who had fought so hard to win freedom from such tyranny, certainly did not want to continue or even make the possibility of continuance that the Head of State would appear on the nations coinage which could be seen as indicating who that nation belonged to and who that nation was 'ruled' by. The Liberty from England that was won during the revolutionary war was the correct choice to appear on our coins as 'Liberty' actually represents this country and what this country stands for. Liberty owns our nation, not one single, living, individual.

Granted it would be quite an honor to have one's portrait on a piece of circulating tender but the line between this being an honor vs something being shoved down American's throats is pretty thin. After all, the one chosen to be honored may not necessarily be held in high esteem by the entire country, only in the eyes of those deciding who that should be.

For me, I think the nation should get back to the Liberty concept on all the countries coinage and let Liberty resume representing what we as a nation stand for through out the world.

19Lyds

So did I kill this discussion or what???