Just what we needed: 43 new dollar coins

Posted Feb 13th 2007 6:50PM by Brandon Barker
Filed under: Other Issues, Press Releases

Can't get enough state quarters? You're in luck: The U.S. Mint is launching The Presidential Dollar Program. $1 coins featuring our nation's presidents will be released in order, with Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison this year; Monroe, Adams, Jackson and van Buren next year. Chester Arthur fans have to wait until 2012. And the last scheduled is Richard M. Nixon, slated for 2016. Mark your calendars.

For the skeptical, the Mint promises "larger, more dramatic artwork," and what they call "edge-incused inscriptions," marking the year of issuance, along with the words "E Pluribus Unum," "In God We Trust" and the mint mark. The Mint web site claims "due to the minting process used on the circulating coins, the edge-incused inscription positions will vary with each coin," encouraging obsessive coin collectors everywhere to embrace their inner pack rat.

But isn't this just a retread of the ho-hum Sacagawea Golden Dollar? Not even close, as the new coins promise unique features including Obverse Design, Edge Lettering and a Lady Liberty on the reverse.

No doubt, Americans young and old (but not in-between) will rejoice. For the rest of us, it's nothing but continued coin confusion and heavy pockets.

B. Brandon Barker is the author of the novel Operation EMU.

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Reader Comments (Page 6 of 6)

101

4-02-2007 @ 1:41PM

Dennis said...

Our so called paper money is not made of paper. It is made from old, new jeans scarps. then it is broken down into its most common form Cellulose. Then there is more cotton fibers added and then the short colored fibers of polyester is added. So actually our money is made from linen. and the ink is infused into the paper money. This is the answer Samuel Clugston comment on our paper money. It does not come from trees. We also do have a good money system. It is most like every other country's money. But we could do away with the penny and make everything come to the nickel.

102

4-02-2007 @ 2:17PM

Douglas MacDonald said...

IN GOD WE TRUST SHOULD BE ON THE FACE OR REVERSE.
Hope the coin is a hugh success. D.MacDonald

103

4-02-2007 @ 2:10PM

D.MacDonald said...

IN GOD WE TRUST SHOULD BE ON FRONT OR REVERSE.
Hope coin is a great sucess. D.MacDonald

104

4-03-2007 @ 11:22AM

Jack said...

As previously mentioned, the Postal Service is one of the few businesses that regulary dispense dollar coins as change in their automatic stamp dispensers. The entire vending industry needs to get onboard and modify their machines to accept the dollar coins. The government had seven years (2000-2006) to get industry onboard but limited general issuance of the Sacajawea dollar to the first three years. Hopefully industry will do a better job in the future.

105

4-02-2007 @ 10:29PM

Gary Rossbach said...

I hate carrying pocket change. The bulge it creates in your pants looks stupid and feels awkward - to say the least. Did the government ever think to ask the American people if they even wanted this?
Another case of the government dictating their will upon the masses. These dollar coins will become what the others before them became: the domain of coin collectors. I like my money in my wallet where it folds nicely and smells good!!

106

4-03-2007 @ 11:37PM

ziggy said...

that will be so cool to see Nixon and others like wilson,harrison and hayes on money

107

4-03-2007 @ 11:43PM

ziggy said...

that will be so cool to se nixon and others like hayes wilson,harrison on money

108

5-14-2007 @ 9:44AM

ed potts said...

I enjoy getting and spending the new dollar coins. You don't need twenty of them in your pocket anyway to spend them. All collectors should be spending them too.