Coins a waste of time?

Inflation has made coins seem insignificant to many people. The latest example of this was the President’s weekly radio message broadcast on Saturday morning. He chastised Congress for not acting…

Inflation has made coins seem insignificant to many people.

The latest example of this was the President’s weekly radio message broadcast on Saturday morning.

He chastised Congress for not acting on his jobs proposal and contrasted this lack of action on what he wanted done with what Congress was actually doing instead.

What could that have been?

Horrors.

They passed a coin bill.

How about that? Congress was messing about with “mere” coins while other more important matters were ignored.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Oct. 26 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., with a $5 gold piece, silver dollar and clad half dollar.

This is not the first time that coins have been prominently held up for ridicule.

I have pointed out over the years that the quickest way to make a movie or TV character look like a cheapskate is to have him tip a bell hop or porter with a coin.

I am not talking 1930s movies where a coin was appropriate, but modern videos.

Coins get no respect. Whatever damage inflation might yet do to the American standard of living, it has already eroded if not wrecked the reputation of coins.