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 Replies: 80 / Views: 10,308 |
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Valued Member
United States
98 Posts |
Since congress basically tells the mint what it can / can't do with the designs on our coinage, I think there's a couple of facts that we all need to live with:
1) Now that the presidents are on the coins, congress isn't going to take them off. It will never be a priority for them and all they'll get is unnecessary flak for trying.
2) Female images that represent an ideal like Liberty aren't going to fly anymore (much as numismatist's would like to see it happen). If we get female images they will have to be real historic figures.
Given those constraints, I'd like to see new designs, OBV & REV, using the presidents every 10 years. I'd also like to see them all get a consistent look & feel with each re-design (for example, the treatment they did on the nickel obverse gets used for all the denominations).
OK, back to the real world, and another 70 years of the same tired designs!
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Valued Member
United States
193 Posts |
Here's my 2 LMC's worth. I think one of the ugliest coins of all times were the Barber 1/4's and dimes. Just not an attrachtive image on the obverse. The 911 medal was a real stinker as well. Never cared for the US Army commen either and the Korean War commen isn't so great either. My all time fovs are the Peace dollar, the merc dime, bufalo nickel, and I like all the halves from walkers on up, including the 82 Washigton commen 1/2. As for the more modern coins, I really like the 09 Lincoln Penny set, and the new sheild cent looks fine to me. The sheild is more of a heraldic device than the Memorial cent was, it's kind of retro. The Roosie dime still looks good and I like the westward journy nicklels too. The state 1/4s are o.k. as are the ATB's. Theres something about the SBA's that I like but I've never cared about the image of Sacagewea. Some of the Presidential dollars are alright but some are kinda stupid looking. I guess with cons theres always something for everyone and no one is ever going to be 100% pleased |
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
I agree that the obverse of the quarter/nickel/dime should have a consistent look. When they change the nickel, they should have changed them all.
Maybe they should honor other early american heros instead of just our 4-fathers and presidents. Others that shaped our country.
@baysinger. I agree that all coins look better in PR, but have you looked at the 2012 AE gold and silver obverse....lady liberty its extremely granular. I wonder why they didn't keep it smooth and shiny like in the past? anyone know?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2295 Posts |
Quote:
Since congress basically tells the mint what it can / can't do with the designs on our coinage, I think there's a couple of facts that we all need to live with:
1) Now that the presidents are on the coins, congress isn't going to take them off. It will never be a priority for them and all they'll get is unnecessary flak for trying.
2) Female images that represent an ideal like Liberty aren't going to fly anymore (much as numismatist's would like to see it happen). If we get female images they will have to be real historic figures. I don't agree with those ideas at all. We, the people, tell Congress, and if enough people tell them, they will do it, or not get re-elected. It is just that the majority of this country (like 99%), don't care and will never do anything about it. 1% of the country, can't change anything. Edited by wquinn
06/07/2012 4:14 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1391 Posts |
I wonder how long until we have current presidents on our circulating coinage?  Isn't that the progression? 1. Symbols and Abstractions 2. Dead People 3. Not Dead People |
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Valued Member
United States
59 Posts |
Nothing looks as good as the coins of old... The Morgan, Liberty Walking Half, or the Standing Liberty quarter, but the twenty dollar Double Eagle is the most beautiful to me. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
950 Posts |
Thinking about it now.. If coins today were equal to the ones from "the good old days" what would be the point of having the old ones?
All good things must come to an end, and thats why they stay good.
@simonsays- No, I have not seen one in person. Wanna send me yours and I can take a look? I PROMISE I will send it back. LOL
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
Just received my 2012 Silver Proof Set. After looking at the set,I have to disagree with coin design being bad.Just take a look at the reverse of the Sacagawea dollar. That's all I have to say about coin design. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
592 Posts |
Quote:Just received my 2012 Silver Proof Set. After looking at the set,I have to disagree with coin design being bad.Just take a look at the reverse of the Sacagawea dollar. That's all I have to say about coin design. You'll find that that is one of the few modern designs that is liked by a majority here. |
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Valued Member
United States
227 Posts |
just_carl suggested something akin to, who cares what the designs are, thats not what coins are for.... I disagree with that sentiment. The Mint and the government want us to like the coins too... why on Earth would they go through all that trouble if really no one cared about the design? I know for a fact even non collectors do appreciate nice designs on the coins. What is the purpose of it? Now that I really dont know....... but I know the government wouldn't spend money on making all those designs if there was no point. Designs often dont get appreciated right away... it takes time. I agree that some of the modern coins are uninteresting or unattractive in some ways, but like someone said not much is going to change. Now that we've got the presidents, we've got them and they're not going anywhere. Not a chance in today's world would we go back to Liberty... that ship has sailed. Maybe one day they'll go back to it but it wont be soon. I do wish the Mint employed a few numismatists to help with the designs though, would be nice. And who said Barber coinage is ugly? |
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Valued Member
United States
98 Posts |
Quote:Quote:
Since congress basically tells the mint what it can / can't do with the designs on our coinage, I think there's a couple of facts that we all need to live with:
1) Now that the presidents are on the coins, congress isn't going to take them off. It will never be a priority for them and all they'll get is unnecessary flak for trying.
2) Female images that represent an ideal like Liberty aren't going to fly anymore (much as numismatist's would like to see it happen). If we get female images they will have to be real historic figures. I don't agree with those ideas at all. We, the people, tell Congress, and if enough people tell them, they will do it, or not get re-elected. It is just that the majority of this country (like 99%), don't care and will never do anything about it. 1% of the country, can't change anything. wquinn, You make a valid point .. maybe if 10% of registered voters cared about such things our representatives in congress might have to consider some new ideas about the designs of our coinage. But since that is not current reality, and likely never will be, I think we should be ready to deal with presidents and no female representations of liberty on our circulating coins. And to be honest, I actually do care about coin designs, but a congressional candidate's position on changing coin design would have little influence on who I voted for. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1510 Posts |
Quote:And who said Barber coinage is ugly? yes can't agree with that--there one of my fave's Retired USAF 1983-2003
Edited by Coinstar
06/11/2012 9:54 pm
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Valued Member
United States
172 Posts |
What we need to do is: *Stop with the nonsense and never-ending series. I actually like the America the Beautiful Quarter designs, and wish they were used for the original State Quarter series. The law allows for ANOTHER state parks series immediately after this one ends, which is insane. I want to see a return to stability in our coinage, allowing only the $1 coin to change its reverse once per year just to keep things interesting. *In keeping with the notion of stability: have a national obverse that is identical across all designs, using a classical allegory of Liberty. *Coins should tell a story, but it needn't be so obvious. The mint needs to stop designing coins with the purpose of teaching little kids about history. As a child, I loved reading stories about coins, like the Liberty nickel adding the word "CENTS" because people would gold-plate it to pass it off for five dollars. Today's coins are too pedantic, like the Lincoln bicentennial (Here is Lincoln as a young boy! Here is Lincoln as a legislator! Let's learn about Lincoln!). *Raise the relief of coins. No matter how beautiful a design may be, it will look cartoonish and silly using low-relief as we do with our coins today. Imagine a Buffalo nickel made on today's presses! Just look at a Kennedy half from 1971 compared with one from 2012. *And one minor thing: The dollar coins should say ONE DOLLAR, not $1. I love the Native American reverses but slapping "$1" on there reduces it to gas-station token status. "ONE DOLLAR" just looks more dignified. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1704 Posts |
For all of you who would like to see the two dollar bill and Kennedy halves circulate when you go to the bank ask for a quantity of each and take them out and spend them. That's what they were made for and if they sit in the bank then it truly was a waste of money to produce them. I do it all the time and I have no problems with merchants accepting them. I have even received some of the SBA's and gold dollars in change. When others see me use the twos and halves they ask where did you get those? I tell them the bank and they can get them too if they ask. I don't particulary like the designs but that won't stop me from spending them. Ed ANA LM-3175 |
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Moderator
 United States
188770 Posts |
Quote:
*In keeping with the notion of stability: have a national obverse that is identical across all designs, using a classical allegory of Liberty. I like this. Throw back to Capped Bust, Seated Liberty, and Barber designs. Quote:
*Raise the relief of coins. As nice as that would be, it will never happen. High speed minting and maximized die life will see to it. |
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Replies: 80 / Views: 10,308 |
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Posted 06/06/2012 8:46 pm
