What If Our Mint Follows Suit?

What rule says coins can't be painted by the gubmint? Over the years, money has been everything from Yap stones to cowrie shells to wampum to tea leaves to lumps of metal with designs on them. Emergency issues have been things like paper (fractionals), fiber, plastic, ceramic and leather. Bimetallics are nothing new, like the early cent with a silver plug.

If we now have the technology to add color to coins that will stand up to use, why not? Who says coins have to be one color and nothing but metal? It's not like paint is going to throw off the purity of precious metals when coins are made from brass and zinc.

If colorization is being done just to get money from collectors, I have a problem with that, because every hobby where that kind of thing has been done has ultimately been ruined--multiple cover comics, stamps, pogs, beer cans + steins, baseball cards, etc.