So, What Do You Think?

Your response, Giorgio, has me scratching my head; on the surface it seems to be a response to me, but in point of fact you're mostly speaking right past me.

I'm well aware of the collective knowledge that George Washington didn't want to be on the currency. Although I haven't sourced it myself, I'm willing to stipulate to its truth. But are you saying that it is disrespectful to nonetheless honor him 133 years after his death? That doesn't seem monarchical to me when contrasted with countries that put a living person on their coinage.

Furthermore, I don't think it is disrespectful to go against our Founders' wishes. What is disrespectful IMO is to belittle them as dead guys, etc. who are unworthy of appearing on our coinage. How about we start referring to Susan B's and Sacagaweas as "dead chicks" (dc$)? I think people would come out of the woodwork to tell us how disrespectful that is.

I further take issue with your (tongue in cheek?) statement that "we have had too many dead presidents on our coins to count". Uh, how high can you count?

Incidentally, your statement, "putting (the Statue of) Liberty on one side and Washington on the other side to me makes it doubly ironic" went right over my head. Are you suggesting that these coins have somehow eroded our liberties? In this, as in many other things, I'm clueless.

Finally, I'm reminded of a post from last November:

quote:

---

I was going through my attic when I found some coins and two dollar bills. below is a list of what I found:

1979 Susan B. Anthony half dollars x7
1972 Half Dollar (dont know who is on the front, eagle on back)x1
Half dollar that says 1776-1976 (same person on front as other half dollar, independence hall on back) x1
One dollar coin that says 1776-1976 (don't know who is on front, liberty bell and moon on back)

---

Apparently, this person can identify Susan B. Anthony, but not Kennedy or Eisenhower! Oh, but we don't need to put our Presidents on our coinage--they're just irrelevant old dead guys!

texasmick, some of your thoughts mirror my own. The beginning of this series features the very founding fathers whose decisions shaped the way of life we enjoy today, and each coin can be a lesson in the history of this country and it's beginnings. Maybe not to all, but there will be that select number that will take the time to study, even if just a little, about the man whose picture is on the coin.
As I pointed out earlier, I've no doubt that each new dollar coin has been received with a measure "less than enthusiastic". The new series are new today, but I would imagine, by the middle of the next decade, they will be an accepted part of the Coin World. And, think of all the young people who will take the time to learn about the person on the coin. In doing that, they will be studying our country's history, and I think that's a fine thing.

Ralph

"I must be in the minority, but I really like seeing the Presidents on a new dollar coin. I like seeing Presidents we haven't seen much of. I like having new obverses several times a year.

"Furthermore, I bristle at the disrespect shown by some members towards our historical leaders. I doubt the majority of them know much about the sacrifices and accomplishments of each one and wish all Americans would make more of an effort to appreciate how what we have today derives from the insight and hard work of those who preceded us." --texasmick

I totally agree.

For many years I taught a course on United States Presidents. I, as well as my students, were always able to find good things about each one, as well as many, many interesting facts. Hard to believe there is anything interesting about Millard Fillmore or Warren G. Harding? Well, there is.

Looking at a coin isn't going to teach very much, except to give a rough idea of what the individual looked like, and the dates he served as President. However, in some cases it is certain to stimulate interest, and that interest will cause reasearch to be done. That's where the "education" comes in.

I don't particularly admire all Presidents I have studied. Also, there have been some during my lifetime I haven't particularly cared for. I didn't think much of Nixon, and I'm not very fond of the guy currently in the White House. However, Nixon was "my President," and George Bush is "my President." The President of the United States is perhaps the most powerful man in the world, and the office is the most powerful in the world. I think we should all have respect for the office.

So, I also am in the minority. I like the coins, and I like having the Presidents portrayed on the coins.

It will be interesting to see how popular the dollars turn out to be. And, as we all know, of course they will not circulate as long as we have the $1 bill, and for political reasons, we will have the $1 bill for years to come.

We can't blame the coin for not circulating. The blame rests with Congress which refuses to do the cost-effective thing.

I continue to be excited about the new dollars, and I would bet that they will be responsible for adding many new coin collectors to our ranks.

Gary, it is not disrespect for the great leaders of the past that you are sensing. Our great leaders of the past are without a doubt some of the finest, most civic mind, heroic men and women in history. I adamantly support furthering the knowledge of these great people and their sacrifice to this nation and what it is today. Honoring them by extending that memory on coin and currency is just and proper. With out being long winded, in my family I have a great great uncle killed at Chancellorsville, my father served in the South Pacific in WW II, I lost an uncle in the Korean war, our cousin Thomas Mattingly served on the Apollo 16 project, my father was county sheriff in Iowa and was killed in the line of duty and is now one of the names on the fallen officers wall at the Smithsonian in DC. I volunteered and join the military to go to Vietnam trying to follow in my families tradition, have taught school and bible study, ran our local bridge club for years and served as a elected official in our community. Today I own two very successful businesses employing over 20 individuals and have been married for 25 years (today) to the most amazing woman I have ever meet. So please do not interpret my thoughts on the Prez dollar as a reflection of disrespect to the past. If anything I hold all of our elected officials, law enforcement officers and leaders to a higher standard than most. Now, if you remember my quote, you know where my disrespect lies. I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said "when they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators don't know whether to answer present or not guilty". Thats' how I feel, and I don't care to see "them" on our coins. Jim

I like them. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and mine is pretty boring. I don't feel too strongly one way or the other. The edge is pretty cool, but other than that I think I like them just because they are new.

Given the direction this thread is taking, I think it's important that I clarify my position on this. The problem I have with the new designs is complete lack of imagination. I have very deep respect for our founding fathers. They have been honored on our circulating coinage for a very long time.

Since our current circulating coinage is not going to be changed (not in any significant way), I think the Presidential series should have been the Liberty series or the Classic series or something along those lines. Some creativity would have been nice and some precious metal content would have helped. I guess I think that people should consider that the coins don't have to have an actual person on them at all. I like the more symbolic images and the more detailed artwork from the classics.

Well, I haven't seen one yet so I can't really tell you how I feel about them I suppose.

I was looking forward to the release date too but it seems out here in the sticks the banks don't want to be bothered with them. I thought it was gonna be a relatively simple thing to find a local bank that was carrying them and grab a roll or two but I stopped in at several banks and called some more in other towns and had no luck at all. Since it looks like it's gonna be a hassle to get them, and I'll probably wind up paying more than face, my excitement level has plummeted to the point were I don't know that I want to fiddle around with them.

From what I've seen in piccies though it seems okay, personally I think it looks a bit odd without all the lettering, not particularly bad or anything, just like somethings missing.