Just got to handle new Washington Dollars

CaptHenway · January 24, 2007 5:13AM

The Mint has a traveling exhibit with the new coins that started its tour here in Chicago today. They are letting people handle them raw.

Yesterday I offered to somebody connected with the presentation to put them in KoinTains to protect them from fingerprints, but they didn't care, since the coins are being made for circulation, and they want people to be able to see the lettered edge. That certainly is the highlight of the coin, the design of which is less than impressive in monocolor brass.

After looking at their coins, I showed the nice young lady from the Mint an Ike dollar from my pocket, which she knew what it was, and then I showed her my 1850-O dollar pocket piece and she even knew what that one was, so they do know what they are doing.

Tom DeLorey

flaminio · January 24, 2007 5:35AM

<< Yesterday I offered to somebody connected with the presentation to put them in KoinTains to protect them from fingerprints, but they didn't care, since the coins are being made for circulation >>

I agree with them. The last thing you want to do with a coin like this is to make it seem special or valuable. Nobody puts KoinTains on the coins that fall out of a vending machine; the new Prexybucks should be treated the same way.

<< After looking at their coins, I showed the nice young lady from the Mint an Ike dollar from my pocket >>

Was that an Ike in your pocket, or were you just happy to see her?

jmj3esq · January 24, 2007 5:38AM

When are these things being released into circulation?

flaminio · January 24, 2007 5:38AM

<< When are these things being released into circulation? >>

Mid February.

Bear · January 24, 2007 5:39AM

I believe that they would look

pretty nice in Proof Silver.

Pentimento · January 24, 2007 5:39AM

Did you get a picture with your camera phone?

ricko · January 24, 2007 5:43AM

A picture of the coin that is.....

Cheers, RickO

holeinone1972 · January 24, 2007 5:47AM

Let the gimmicks begin.

CaptHenway · January 24, 2007 5:50AM

<< Did you get a picture with your camera phone? >>

No. Would you believe, I only had my shoe phone with me???

Gemineye · January 24, 2007 5:57AM

<< 

<< Did you get a picture with your camera phone? >>

No. Would you believe, I only had my shoe phone with me??? >>

Maxwell Smart I presume....??

flaminio · January 24, 2007 7:26AM

19Lyds · January 24, 2007 7:38AM

Well thats not too bad lookin!

kwmorgan · January 24, 2007 7:46AM

Now if they'd just get rid of those old, ratty rags they call $1 bills.

flaminio · January 24, 2007 7:50AM

<< Now if they'd just get rid of those old, ratty rags they call $1 bills. >>

Well, yes, of course. These new Prexybucks will ultimately fail because of the continued production of rag-bucks. If the US really wants a circulating dollar coin, they gotta kill the rag-buck first.

BECOKA · January 24, 2007 9:59AM

Japan did it right and got rid of the $1 and $5 bills and have $1 and $5 coins.

My guess is it saves the government a bit of money.

7over8 · January 24, 2007 10:49AM

im surprised there wont be a big kickoff celebration and coin exchange.....

they should do this for all the dollars, maybe at the birthplace or home of each prez.....

that way we could all go on an endless road trip!

AU58WALKERS · January 24, 2007 10:54AM

<< I believe that they would look

pretty nice in Proof Silver. >>

TwoSides2aCoin · January 24, 2007 11:04AM

<< I believe that they would look
pretty nice in Proof Silver. >>

I'm usually in concurrence with ya , bear, and had Congress enacted such a law it would have been cool.
In this case, though... knowing that mint officials were trying to get this added ( government officials influencing or attempting to change congressional legislation) only made it something I am against the idea of. These "officials" are employees of us taxpayers, and would do well to serve instead of rule.
Perhaps members of congress who make up the committees governing coinage ought to get to work, too.

Joe

coppercoins · January 24, 2007 2:48PM

I suspect they will probably discolor like Sacagaweas, they will probably be accepted about as well as Sacagaweas, and will die a very slow and painful death like the Sacagaweas...

Next gimmick?

flaminio · January 25, 2007 2:42AM

<< I believe that they would look pretty nice in Proof Silver. >>

No thanks. All I needs is another 40 or so silver rounds to collect. The brass-manganese ones are just fine.

<< I suspect they will probably discolor like Sacagaweas >>

I realize I'm in a very small minority, but I *like* the way Brass Bucks "tone".

Copper does the same thing, and it's accepted, with designations for degrees of discoloration (RD, RB, BN). Maybe future numismatists will designation Sackies likewise: Golden, Brown-Gold, Brown (or somesuch).

MajorDuty · January 25, 2007 2:48AM

<< I realize I'm in a very small minority, but I *like* the way Brass Bucks "tone". >>

I concur. The way BU gems tone anyway.

I've got a nice BU Sac that's been in my Dansco 7070 for several years and I agree, the toning it is developing is quite cool. I like it. On the other hand the circulating ones can get quite fugly.

*spelling, again.

RWB · January 25, 2007 3:11AM

There are some very good people, who are trying very hard to at the mint to engage collectors as well as the general public. Unfortunately, that side of the operation is badly understaffed and they have limited resources.

flaminio · January 25, 2007 3:13AM

<< There are some very good people, who are trying very hard to at the mint to engage collectors as well as the general public. Unfortunately, that side of the operation is badly understaffed and they have limited resources. >>

I don't think they should be staffed or funded at all. Just kill the rag-bucks and then Prexybucks would be an unprecedented success.

BobaFett72 · January 25, 2007 3:16AM

nice coins, but I still like my Dollar bills

Kip · January 25, 2007 3:17AM

<< There are some very good people, who are trying very hard to at the mint to engage collectors as well as the general public. Unfortunately, that side of the operation is badly understaffed and they have limited resources. >>

Trying hard...I doubt it. With overpriced, drab looking, un-artistic crap....they don't have a chance IMHO.

flaminio · January 25, 2007 3:20AM

<< nice coins, but I still like my Dollar bills

>>

Stop wasting my tax money.

<< With overpriced, drab looking, un-artistic crap....they don't have a chance IMHO. >>

Overpriced? It's a dollar for a dollar. Did you want to pay less for a dollar?

SmallSizedGuy · January 25, 2007 3:22AM

<<

>>

Almost remind me of the Shell Presidential tokens. I wonder if anyone will try to spend any of them also.

Gemineye · January 25, 2007 3:37AM

<< 

Almost remind me of the Shell Presidential tokens. I wonder if anyone will try to spend any of them also. >>

Can't get gas for a buck...can't get coffee for a buck.......how 'bout abs for a buck..............

BobaFett72 · January 25, 2007 4:15AM

$1 coins vs. crisp clean, brand new, sequential dollar bills. Love the smell of new paper money. Coins, not so much. maybe if they made the dollar coins like those little tree air freshners that smelled like dollar bills, i'd get into them :0 )

flaminio · January 25, 2007 4:18AM

<< $1 coins vs. crisp clean, brand new, sequential dollar bills. Love the smell of new paper money. >>

Well, I can't argue that -- new money does have a lovely fragrance. Still, you can get the same high off a stack of $2s or $5s, and help save the country half a billion dollars a year.

Do you think rag-bucks still smell fresh after they've become encrusted with fecal bacteria and cocaine? All sufficiently used paper money has both.

BECOKA · January 25, 2007 4:19AM

<< 

<< $1 coins vs. crisp clean, brand new, sequential dollar bills. Love the smell of new paper money. >>

Well, I can't argue that -- new money does have a lovely fragrance. Still, you can get the same high off a stack of $2s or $5s, and help save the country half a billion dollars a year.

Do you think rag-bucks still smell fresh after they've become encrusted with fecal bacteria and cocaine? All sufficiently used paper money has both. >>

Great, now I have to ask for quarters instead of dollar bills when getting change from purchases.

BobaFett72 · January 25, 2007 4:51AM

and coins arent covered in germs lol? after falling on bathroom floor, of afte someone picks his nose and jingles the change in his pocket, or doesnt wash his hands after a monstrous dump

magically delicious!

And, ill happily take the $2 if you must have your dollar coins.

Pentimento · January 25, 2007 4:57AM

mmmm... that fresh $2 bill smell. I'm hooked on them. They're always sequential, always brand new 2003 series, and have that sweet sweet 1929 obverse.

basestealer · January 25, 2007 5:01AM

I can't get behind anything new they're putting out, until our worthless fiat currency is returned to the gold standard. I think they need to enlarge the dollar coin--that is the main reason why the Susan B's and Sacagawea's failed. They never learn!

dcarr · January 25, 2007 5:05AM

I got one too:

dcarr · January 25, 2007 5:06AM

CaptHenway · January 25, 2007 5:12AM

<< I can't get behind anything new they're putting out, until our worthless fiat currency is returned to the gold standard. I think they need to enlarge the dollar coin--that is the main reason why the Susan B's and Sacagawea's failed. They never learn! >>

If in 1979 they had made the Susie slightly larger than the half dollar but thinner and discontinued the half dollar, it might have had a slightly better chance of succeeding.

However, as I recall from working at Coin World when the coin was being developed, the size they picked was picked because it did not correspond with any other coin in the world. Remember when the Euro came out, and it was the same size as a Thailand coin worth much less? The Thailand coins were quickly imported into Europe and used in vending machines, until the vending machines were adjusted to reject them.

Many years ago the NY transit system was changing the size of its subway tokens, and they checked the clearinghouse for such things and found a size nobody else was using AT THAT TIME. However, by the time NY issued its new tokens, the Connecticut Turnpike Authority had already come out with a token the same size but half the value. Guess where they ended up. It was cheaper for NY to pay Connecticut to change to a different size than to rechange their new system.

TD

basestealer · January 25, 2007 5:16AM

Yes, but much of the success of a new dollar coin will rest with their acceptance in vending machines and casino slot machines. During the 1980's, Vegas casinos used the Ike dollars, until collectors hoarded them right out of the casino doors. Then, casinos began minting their own dollar coins the exact same size as the Ikes... the Susan B's never worked in the slot machines and they don't work in vending machines either. The only place I've ever seen to get these new dollars is US postal service vending machines! It's funny how many of these they mint, too. The Ikes were popular and they circulated well--they minted what, 20-50 million of those per year? The Susan B's they upped to 150 million per, and nobody wanted them. Then the Sac's came out, and 350 million were minted that year! People want those even less.

The one thing the new Presidential dollar has going for it is it is capitalizing on the popularity of the state quarter series. Great. So people will buy them and collect them, but will they use them in everyday transactions?

kwmorgan · January 25, 2007 5:29AM

Most casinos are changing over to coinless slot machines. Went to Vegas in December, and a few of the casinos had slots with bill readers only. Their $1 tokens are on the way out. I don't like the coinless slots. it really takes away from the slot machine "experience".

flaminio · January 25, 2007 5:31AM

<< Most casinos are changing over to coinless slot machines. Went to Vegas in December, and a few of the casinos had slots with bill readers only. Their $1 tokens are on the way out. I don't like the coinless slots. it really takes away from the slot machine "experience". >>

I agree. I went to my first coinless casino last year. They also had the volume of the machines turned down. Lots of old folk there. It was real creepy -- I won't go back.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 25, 2007 5:34AM

<< Most casinos are changing over to coinless slot machines. Went to Vegas in December, and a few of the casinos had slots with bill readers only. Their $1 tokens are on the way out. I don't like the coinless slots. it really takes away from the slot machine "experience". >>

If you wanna gamble , buy NGS , NTC, NNC or any other WANNABE grading company coins.
Otherwise, gambling is not legal here

LOL

19Lyds · January 25, 2007 5:36AM

<< During the 1980's, Vegas casinos used the Ike dollars, until collectors hoarded them right out of the casino doors. >>

I need NAMES!

Back on track now!

From the photo's, these coins look really, really clean. I don't see any scuffs, nicks, or gouges! Do you suppose this was a "special" run or can we expect 68's and 69's as the norm?

basestealer · January 25, 2007 5:37AM

The coinless slots suck

It makes money management much more difficult, and it takes all the fun out of the slot machines. I like the feeling of putting carthweels into the slots and watching cartwheels fall out. This new paper ticket voucher crap is ruining it.

kwmorgan · January 25, 2007 5:53AM

I don't gamble when it comes to slabbed coins

All of my slabs are PCGS or NGC.

walkerminus1 · January 25, 2007 6:39AM

<< Japan did it right and got rid of the $1 and $5 bills and have $1 and $5 coins.

My guess is it saves the government a bit of money. >>

5 Japanese yen is worth all of about 4-cent USD. They make a 100-yen coin that is worth around 88 cent and a 500-yen coin that is worth 4.38 USD. Are those what you are referring too? I could be wrong, but I don't believe they have issued anything less than a 1000-yen note since the 60's.

walkerminus1 · January 25, 2007 6:53AM

<< The one thing the new Presidential dollar has going for it is it is capitalizing on the popularity of the state quarter series. Great. So people will buy them and collect them, but will they use them in everyday transactions? >>

Working for a bank, the tellers have promised to set aside a brand new roll for each issue, no paying the mint markup. I plan on keeping the best couple out of the roll for myself, 1 for each of the kids and one for my niece, for a total of 8 coins. I will then put the other 17 coins back into circulation. I'm going to do my part.

On a side note, we had a fed reserve employee down here the other day with one of the Washington's. To be honest, I was very disappointed. Same thing with the 2006 nickels, I just don't like the front view, give me a side shot.

Rob

I believe Becoka and everybody else that said we need to get rid of the rag dollar is right. That's the only way these will catch on. However, paper is easier, debit cards are easiest...flame away, I can take it.

Just got to handle new Washington Dollars

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