Presidential Dollars Concluding Next Year (2016) Yippie!!

I may be in the minority but it seems to me that we've reached the point I knew we would when this series started- where do we draw the line on who is honored? There is precedent for putting living persons on our coinage, not ample precedent but it has happened. I'd like to see them just extend this series through Obama. Yes a lot of folks won't like seeing Clinton and Obama, so what? Some others won't like seeing Reagan or Bush, jr.
Leaving a gap between Ford and Reagan just because Jimmy Carter happens to be alive now seems awkward. My view is that this is supposed to be an historical record of our presidents.

Carter is still in politics. He flies all over the world praising dictators and criticizing Israel. I don't want his drivel legitimized by having him on a US coin while he is alive. However, once he does pass on, I think that we should give him a special honor. His dollar coins should be clad with a reeded edge like the original SBA. Instead of "Dollar", it should be marked "Carter Quarter" in honor of his skills at generating high inflation rates.

OK seriously now, I can understand why some would say we should just do it to complete the series. However, once we cross this line, then judgment comes in to play. This is something that politicians seem to lack. For example, the next President (who appoints the Director of the US Mint) might just happen to get on a dollar coin that gets released right during the reelection campaign.

Which could easily happen if they're from the same party as the President as they'll want their guy reelected. Think about it. Doing something to make even a 0.1% difference in a state's results can change the winner from one party to another which can impact the overall election. If politicians have the opportunity to do something to give themselves any sort of advantage, they'll do it.

I agree that Carter is less relevant than the others, but it still might benefit him and his causes. When we ask power hungry politicians to use their good judgment to decide who can benefit and who can't, then we're asking for trouble. Besides, it's not Bush Sr.'s fault that he has another son who wants to be President. Would we really exclude him just because of that? When someone's dead, being on a coin certainly won't benefit them. It may indirectly help some of their beliefs, but that's an argument for why actual people shouldn't be on coins.

Other scenarios exist that are hard to imagine. What if they decide to do coins for Vice-Presidents, Generals, Secretaries of State, etc. and that person happens to be running for an elective office or supporting someone who is? It's just a line that I don't think is safe to cross.

I think we also have to think about US history. Kings were on coins to remind everyone who the ultimate boss was. The founders rejected that sort of thing.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but just trying to offer the perspective that the current law is based on wisdom. Sometimes you can get more than you bargained for when you do a small nice thing. It's good to be kind, but it's also smart to be vigilant.

We do not have to exclude him, or to be clear, I would not raise concern if he were included with Carter. However, I feel there could be more argument, or at least raised eyebrows. Maybe.

How about this, both Carter and Bush 41, being nonagenarians and veterans, should get their dollars issued. It could be offered in the same bi-partisan legislation. Continuity saved.


No problem with that at all. I would never say you were wrong, only that we may hold differing opinions on details.

No matter what happens, we will continue to look back at this series and wonder "What if..."

I should agree with that, but those holes in the Dansco, you know?

Thank you for clarifying your post.

This thread pushes the line regarding politics, which is generally forbidden in the numismatic forums. However, it is hard to avoid given the nature of the Presidential dollar series. I want to thank everyone for keeping this topic as focused as possible.