Can Coin Collecting Survive Awful Modern Designs?

The Washington quarter was a beautiful coin in 1932. The obverse was stately, dignified, modern. I agree that the Standing Liberty is a beautiful coin- but it was a problem coin with the date constantly wearing off with a couple years of wear.

I also love the eagle reverse with the art deco letters.

But the Washington quarter's revision in the 90s- before the State Quarters flattened the coin and lessened the impact of the bust. Things went further south with the design when they started doing the State Quarters. now the quarter is probably the ugliest circulating coin. Seriously.

The America the Beautiful reverses may be swell- but the mint's designers making the reverse the focal point of the coin is really backwards thinking in my view.

I do not like the shield cent. I have no idea why they felt the need to go that direction. It looks like play money. The reverse looks empty- like the space isn't being used correctly. I don't see it as a classic design. It seems like something they'll do a few years before they drop the cent from circulation.

I also don't get what they've done to the nickel either. The script of Liberty does not befit coinage. It looks like a novelty token from Colonial Williamsburg.

The best new coin designs are the Native American dollars and reverses.

The Presidential dollar reverses are just plain awful... and the fronts are even worse. I agree with the arcade token description... and I just don't see anyone really wanting to collect these thirty years from now when they'll look even tackier and more dated.

In my opinion, the Buffalo nickel, the Mercury dime, the Wheat cent, the Original Washington quarter, the Walking Liberty half, and Peace dollar were the pinnacle of American Coin design...

what we are getting now doesn't come close.

And on the commemoratives. I served in the army- but the Army commemorative from this year, well both of them, look awful. I almost bought them, but I couldn't get over how cheesy they look.

The commemoratives from the 1920s- through the 1950s are what coins should look like.

I think I like the new union shield design. It's not my favorite design, but the shield is bold and it stands out on the reverse in a 19th century sort of way. I also like the Lincoln bicentennial designs as well. I'm also missing those four from my collection. Once I find them, they are going into my Dansco album.

I never did like Roosevelt dimes much because I thought the design is too plain over-all. I much prefer the Mercury dimes. Those dimes have a lot of style and probably in my opinion, one of the best designs for US coins.

Coin design is really an art form.

Like all art, eg music, sculpture, industrial art, dance, painting etc., there is always an attempt at innovation or development of an idea that has gone before.

In my opinion, most new art art is a failure. However we all remember the successes. That is exactly what drives an artist on, that is, a need to succeed. Sometimes that happens, and if highly successful, becomes recognised by all, and has the potential to become timeless.

The great art and artists of the past are the ones that are remembered, not the failures. Same with coin design.

One problem: coins are made by the millions and because of the robust nature of a coin, even the failures can survive, for all of us to criticise.

Perhaps, and because of this, we all can have our opinions, and so you get the whole spectrum of universal praise to universal rejection of a coin design.

We need to remember that one of the most beautiful coins collected today was hated by the population during it's hay day. The Morgan dollar. While I agree most of the current coin designs lack the appeal of the "classic coins" who knows what the numismatic community will think about these in the future. Collecting is as much the thrill of the hunt as it is the satisfaction of viewing ones personal collection.
With that said I would be ecstatic if they employed some classic design into today's' mundane coinage. The art of coin design has long been forgotten.

I enjoy some of the newer stuff and some I could certainly do without but I really don't go out of my way to get the new stuff. Usually my wife or oldest daughter will cull the new ones out and tuck them in my shoebox of coins. I do agree that the older style and all the reincarnations of Miss Liberty are beautiful and nothing (in my opinion) even comes close although I do like the Sacagawea dollars for whatever reason. I may do a book. I'm struggling right now on weather to commit to a Dansco 7070 or the Commemorative halves so another one in the mix is right out for the time being. The new stuff will have to wait.

I suspect almost everyone misses the main point of our coinage. It's not supposed to be works of art, just a round piece of metal to buy something with. Something to put into a machine to get coffee, candy, pop, food, etc. A round thing to make change with for a paper type currency.
Those little round things are also produced by our government so kids can put hem on RR tracks, throw in wishing wells, open something instead of using a tool, melt for bulk metal, etc.
So just why would anyone care about those few people that like artistic things in life. Make coins plain, ugly, dumb and then they will be used for what they were intended to be used for.
Now time for me to get back to putting those Roosevelt dimes in my Albums.

They did. I remember dollar coin ads back in 2007:
"The Presidential dollars are real change. Use them."

Yes, I am glad you brought that up. I remember that campaign--it lasted all of two weeks. You can't change a society's centuries-long habits in two weeks.

just my Two Cents.......i think the 1999 dolly madison and the 2008 bald eagle commems are two truly beautiful modern commems.Oh,almost forgot the 1994 Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the 1994 U.S. Prisoner of War Museum<<<---also beautiful commems