Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Annals of numismatics: All the presidents
New dollar coins featuring all 37 of the nation's dead presidents will begin rolling out of the U.S. Mint in 2007 under a bill Congress is sending to President Bush.
I have previously inveighed against the lamentable 96 year-old tradition of putting dead presidents on our coins. Ugly old white guys are tough to render into beautiful coins, and if Theodore Roosevelt and I agree on one thing, it's that our coins should be beautiful. But I still think this bill is a good idea. Too few Americans read their own history. If coins in the pocket will provoke questions and engender interest where it did not exist before, that is a wonderful thing.
The bill is not entirely free from stupidity:
As of now, there would be 38 coins issued for the 37 presidents -- Grover Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms and would be on two coins.
Huh? Because Cleveland's terms were not consecutive we have to suffer through him twice?
The presidential dollar coin legislation will also, it appears, give us a chance to education our children about the reasoning capacity of our lawmakers.
7 Comments:
By 
joated, at
Wed Dec 14, 01:03:00 PM:
Hey! Come on now TH. Grover is the only US pres born in NJ. True, he moved out of state before running for office but, hey, you take 'em where you find 'em.
(Wilson was born out of state and moved into NJ before becoming pres.)
By 
, at
Wed Dec 14, 07:08:00 PM:
Annals of numismatics should be a more regular feature of the blog
By Ed, at
Wed Dec 14, 07:40:00 PM:
George Washington is quoted as saying "I am certain it will be more agreeable to the citizens of the United States to see the head of Liberty on their coin, than the head of presidents."
By TigerHawk, at
Wed Dec 14, 07:58:00 PM:
Anonymous - Much as I enjoy the collecting of coins, there is no evidence that more frequent posting on the subject would please the Great Unwashed among our readers. I'll keep it in mind, though.
I've been buying pattern coins recently, and have been thinking about a post on that subject.
Do you collect coins?
Ed - In general, Washington was right. Our coinage has gotten progressively uglier as we have put dead presidents on the obverses. Running a long commemorative series of dollar coins with 38 different designs is appealing, though, for its educational value. If even 10,000 people take up the regular reading of history as a result, it will be worth it.
It will also, by the way, encourage an interest in numismatics, which is always good for the hobby.
By , at
Wed Dec 14, 08:17:00 PM:
Who cares what that Great Unwashed thinks?
By Solomon2, at
Wed Dec 14, 08:23:00 PM:
You'll probably like my post "Millions for Defense, Not One Cent for Tribute".
P.S.: I'd be pleased if you would add me to your blogroll, thank you!
By , at
Wed Dec 14, 08:26:00 PM:
And, no I don't collect coins, but the posts are interesting nevertheless and certainly unique
