Can't Get Excited About US Coins

I agree with many of the criticisms on this thread, but I have come to like ATB Quarters, and I've been tucking away all the Westward Journey nickels and Lincoln bicentennial cents that come my way. I think those are cool.

Don't collect Modern if you don't like their looks. Many people do like Modern coins as is evident by sales figures.

I couldn't agree more. The US mint needs to cut the output and up the quality.

Being an American living in the UK, the US Mint set for $27.95 is a bargain compared to The Royal Mint offering of their mint sets. £25 (around $37.50) for the standard set with the standard issue coins and £50 (around $75) for the set with the normal issue coins and the commemorative coins for 2013 - and they all have the same observe. So for me, US coins hold more interest than UK coins.

Ken

The only two US coins I actively dislike are the Wisconsin quarter and the shield cent.

The shield cent is just plain ugly and as an ex-pat Wisconsinite the silly cow and corn is embarrassing, especially when compared to the alternatives that were offered.

I grew up searching for Lincoln cents and Mercury dimes and love everything about those designs.

The trend toward more and more simple designs, such as the shield, has discouraged me a bit. Limiting Lady Liberty to precious metal coinage is a pity.

I think the U.S. coin designs are majestic and focused on the core tenants of the country's founders. That is why characters, such as Presidents, Lady Liberty, or Sacagawea, are depicted along with national icons such as monuments, bald eagle, or state landmarks.

I agree that the coins by non-U.S. mints provide more diverse designs. Colorized, Glow-in-the-dark, multi-metal, Mythical Creatures, and chinese zodiac are among those options available outside the U.S.

However, the coins have their own history which lends to collectible interest beyond bullion value. For example, steel pennies are a nice piece of history when the country needed to save copper for war time manufacturing.

As an American, I appreciate the artistry and history of U.S. coins. I don't pretend that I would appreciate a Canadian, Australian, or Chinese coin as much as a native citizen.

I think it really comes down to each individual's opinion of what constitutes a good coin.

Collect what you love!

"...a bunch of boring dead people..."

Washington was one of the primary driving forces in the foundation and formation of the nation which came to be the world's major superpower in the twentieth century.
Franklin and Jefferson were world-class intellects and political and economic visionaries who played key roles in the foundation and formation of the country.
Lincoln freed the slaves and kept the country intact, which made him one of the most important civil rights and racial equality advocates in all of western history.
FDR led the country out of the Great Depression and in the fight against Hitler's war machine and is probably the main reason German isn't the official language in the USA today.
Etc, etc, etc...

And yet, all that the depth of your insight enables you to come up with is "...a bunch of boring dead people..."?

It seems to me that your perspective is myopic, shallow and uninsightful.

I find it amusing that the Washington quarter was introduced to commemorate the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth--eighty-one years ago. How long is this bicentennial observance going to last? Till the 300th anniversary?

That's my two bits' worth.