Dollar designs given nod by CCAC
This American Innovators dollar design pair made the cut at a review Sept. 27 by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
A second try for a decent pair of designs for the 2018 American Innovators dollar coin was taken Sept. 27 by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
It shows the Statue of Liberty on the obverse and various gears on the reverse.
Also included on the reverse is a signature of President George Washington, who personally signed the first patent granted by the new federal government.
These two designs were deemed acceptable by CCAC.
At a July 31 meeting, the CCAC had rejected multiple examples of Washington’s signature as the dominant design feature.
The new reverse design subordinates the signature to a position well under the four gears that resemble the inner mechanism of a mechanical clock.
I agree that these designs are improvements.
But I suggest that stars around the rim of the obverse would improve the empty look of the right half of the Statue of Liberty design.
Adding them would be a reminder of the process surrounding the evolution of the Seated Liberty dollar design by Christian Gobrecht.
Certainly 13 stars would be another reminder of the early federal government.
Whatever the decision, there is not much time left in the year to get this first coin finished and issued.
It will be the first in a series of 57 designs.
The next four designs will come in 2019, with the same number issued each year through 2032.
This will honor 50 states, five territories, the District of Columbia, and the American Innovators who came from them.
These coins will be struck in the same composition as Native American and Presidential dollars.
They will be offered to collectors in bags and rolls and in collector sets.
Details of how the solo 2018 coin will be offered have not yet been revealed.
One thing we already know for sure: the American Innovators series of dollar coins will not win a place in circulation.
Failure to circulate by Ike dollars, Anthony dollars, Sacagawea dollars, and Presidential dollars simply clogged the banking system with unwanted coins. This sad history guarantees collector-only mintages.
An improved Weir Farm design completed the work of the CCAC on 2020 America the Beautiful quarters. The portrait on easel look is something perhaps borrowed from the 1980 Grant Wood American Arts gold medallion, though much more cleaverly done. On the medallion it was simply a portrait on an easel that was not part of a larger landscape.
CCAC also gave its assent to a redone Weir Farm quarter design for 2020 (above) and a gold Liberty coin for 2019 (image dated 2017, below).
New images of Miss Liberty are appearing on American precious metals coinage. This pair of designs was recommended to the Treasury secretary by CCAC. Collectors of Indian Head $10 gold coins might think the rays from Miss Liberty’s head resembles a headdress.
The final design decisions are in the hands of the Treasury secretary.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News Express. >> Subscribe today
If you like what you've read here, we invite you to visit our online bookstore to learn more about 2019 U.S. Coin Digest.
