| Author |
 Replies: 33 / Views: 4,247 |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4867 Posts |
Maybe it's just me but I feel that there is just too much going on simultaneously with coins these days. Are multiple designs becoming the norm? I think the novelty has worn off and I think it's time for a regular design to last at least 25 years or more. Just some thoughts, Statehood / Territory Quarters: I thought this was unique to American coinage and I think it did wonders for the hobby. Kinda refreshing. But by the end I was ready for the return of the eagle reverse or even a different rendition of that. America the Beautiful Quarters: I admit I was rather unexcited about these. At this point I was ready for some normalcy. The designs are interesting but I think they'd be better suited on a larger coin. The one thing I didn't care much for was the low relief and the loss of Washington's "spaghetti" hair. I do see a number of these though to be very flashy and almost proof like. I am sad this series will run through the early 2020's. These programs are just too long IMO. Also I found it disturbing that "S" mint quarters were being struck after the series had already started. Sacagawea Dollars: Totally loved them, especially the eagle reverse. But my love for them died when the edge lettering appeared and the reverse designs started changing yearly. Presidential dollars: I really love the Statue of Liberty reverse a lot. Again what I dislike is the edge lettering and having $1 instead of ONE DOLLAR. They remind me of Chuckie Cheese tokens or something. Final thoughts: These are just too much to keep up with and not easily available outside of the internet. When the Presidential dollar series concludes, what will the mint do with the billions of these things that are being stored in government vaults? Even if they see the light of day they will be "old coins". |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1747 Posts |
just a note, the statehood coins were actually developed after Canada released the 1992 Provincial/territory series. For us up here North of the border it is even worse than you southerners, we have several designs each year since 2007 (starting with Olympics).
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
513 Posts |
I kinda like the State Quarters. When I returned to the hobby a while back, gathering a set of these from circulation was one of the first things I did. Still looking for a couple of decent D mintmark ones . . . and a couple of territories . . . ATB quarters--enough already! Those are just State Quarters all over again with a different reverse. But I still have an ATB album with empty spots. Dollars--ain't gonna work until and unless we get rid of the paper ones. Hate the edge lettering. But I did put together separate sets of the Sacagawea and the presidential ones from circulation (except all the NIFCs). Much prefer the old Sacagawea, all having the same reverse. Not keen on the changing reverse for these coins that nobody uses. Even those of us on CCF can't use these coins enough--we're still working on it--see the related thread about using dollar and half dollar coins in circulation. Does anybody really collect these commemoratives now produced every year by the USMint? How about all the different USMint bullion coins? Somebody must be buying them--appears to be a cash cow for the mint. It's like minting money . . . literally! {tangent alert} Somebody also must be buying those collectible plates and hummels and hello kitty's and private bullion pieces, and . . . But I guess there was the "thing" of tons more different one ounce silver bars many years ago when I last seriously collected. And how about those coins having color put out by various mints? Really? OK, all that stuff might look cool and might be collectible by folks who think they look cool, but is that stuff (artificial commems, color coins, etc.) really "numismatic"? The history of those pieces might go back maybe three or four . . . months. {steps down off of soapbox to give somebody else a turn} |
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2869 Posts |
It's not just the US mint - unfortunately a lot of mints around the world seem to think that pumping these things out by the truck-full will encourage collectors but I think it will just burst the bubble and ultimately put people off. That's part of the reason I just don't collect much post WWII.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
4867 Posts |
Very true, however there were still caribou quarters issued those years, albeit in sets though. Quote:
just a note, the statehood coins were actually developed after Canada released the 1992 Provincial/territory series. For us up here North of the border it is even worse than you southerners, we have several designs each year since 2007 (starting with Olympics). |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
997 Posts |
I would finish out the Presidential and ATB series and then standardize the obverses with a vision of Liberty, either just one or reuse various images from past coins. I would have an annual reverse rotating through the coins. Select a half dozen iconic symbols of Liberty, like the eagle, Liberty Bell, SofL, US Capitol etc., and rotate these designs in order among the coins. In Year 1 have the cent with the Liberty Bell reverse, the nickel with an eagle, the dime with the SofL etc. Year 2 the designs would rotate like a volleyball team. Every 6th year the cent would have the same design and so on. This would get the designs out there on both circulating coins (currently 1c, 5c, 10c and 25c) and non-circulating "circulation" coins (50c and $1) equally over a 6 year period. It would eliminate the politics. The Mint can create as many non-circulating coins and tokens as they want with specialized themes or designs but the circulation coins would remain in the pattern as above. |
|
Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
I am with you on the edge lettering. Although I do not like it, I do understand why they did it for the Presidential dollar series, they needed the real estate. However, there was no reason at all to do it on the Sacagawea/Native American series. The obverse was just fine the nine years prior. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
This is 2015. We're in the post Internet, technology based, gotta have it now, anything we can think of society. It can be a headache at times but just remember that we're on track for a Star Trek replicator by 2050 and full Holodeck by 2100  |
|
Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Time to brush up on your Rules of Acquisition.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
513 Posts |
I'd be ok with the holodeck {grin}
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Personally, I've never taken joy in anything minted in clad since the start of it all in 1965, and particularly the endless parade of razor-cut US mint junk over the last 20 years. It is fiat money, lacking the intrinsic value, feel in hand, and enduring simplicity of our traditional classic coinage.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
932 Posts |
Quote:
Personally, I've never taken joy in anything minted in clad since the start of it all in 1965, and particularly the endless parade of razor-cut US mint junk over the last 20 years.
It is fiat money, lacking the intrinsic value, feel in hand, and enduring simplicity of our traditional classic coinage.
I agree! It gives you and indescribable feeling when you know that you are holding a premium coin! |
|
Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Tell us how you really feel. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
932 Posts |
Quote:
Tell us how you really feel.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
932 Posts |
I guess it feels like you're not holding a Chuck E Cheese token!
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
The satisfaction of holding (in your hand) a gem WL half or even a worn Draped Bust cent is unforgettable. Compare that to mass-produced base metal junk in some fancy holder from today's US mint.  |
| |
Replies: 33 / Views: 4,247 |
Posted 09/10/2015 1:30 pm
