Comments on: 2011 Presidential $1 Dollars: Release Dates and Coin Images

By: Vachon

Vachon — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:27:45 +0000

@Munze : While I still think it silly to have the date incused on the edge, I’ll accept it as unavoidable for what I’m about to say and that is, why didn’t they move the motto “In God We Trust” to where the date used to be in order to make it more balanced-looking?

Precedent sort of went out the window with the introduction of the Lincoln Cent (I don’t know if he would’ve objected. Lincoln appeared on paper money while still alive so we may presume that he would not have objected being depicted after his death) but it definitely went out the window with Washington and Jefferson, both of whom specifically forbade their images from appearing on coins with Jefferson I believe by executive order. I guess once you’re dead long enough…

By: Joshua Gavina

Joshua Gavina — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:22:25 +0000

Just you wait, eventually they will have President Obama on that coin. Man, that would be so funny!!!!

By: Munze

Munze — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:50:23 +0000

I don’t think the idea of featuring a current President on a standard circulating coin would go very far. It would change over 200 years of precedent that US coins don’t carry the portraits of any living person, much less the President. That dates back to Washington who rejected the idea as being monarchial. It could also become politicized even if the current toxic climate abates by 2017.

I also agree about Congressional meddling with the Sacajawea design. It was balanced with the date and mottoes on the obverse/reverse. Moving them to the edge leaves a big empty space on the obverse in particular. However “letting it succeed or fail on its own” is impossible so long as the Treasury keeps caving in to Crane Paper’s lobbyists.

By: Vachon

Vachon — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:55:47 +0000

Wait, why wouldn’t President Reagan be featured on one of these coins? He’ll be dead over two years before his coin would come up. President Carter may not get featured but somehow I can’t see this law being amended to feature all the Presidents even if they’re still alive. For all we know, this Presidential Dollar program might result in a permanent program featuring each new President as he is elected. Sigh…I was never happy with the Sacagawea design, but why couldn’t Congress just leave it alone and let the coin fail or succeed on its own?