E-Newsletter responses 6

From the Jan. 25 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Do you think ?In God We Trust? should be placed on the obverse or reverse of the Presidential dollar?

Here are the answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

Reverse. I?m glad the Mint spent the money on edge stamping equipment, aren?t you?

Robert Kochis
Reading, Pa.

I think that (the reverse) would be totally wrong. We were founded on God and we shouldn?t put Him behind, keeping Him always in front, (in our lives as well).

Doug Tracy
Rockford, Ill.

Good grief! Don?t they (Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee) have anything better to do? Especially in light of the fact that I have been reading where there is some doubt as to which is the obverse or reverse face of the Presidential dollar.

Robert Lorenz
McKees Rocks, Pa.

What difference does it make as long as it is clearly visible and lends for an aesthetically pleasing coin?

 Roland C. Gauvin
Cumberland, R.I.

hile I?m pleased to see that ?In God We Trust? is being added to the coins surface, I don?t feel it matters which side it?s on. I truly believe that the date and mintmark are more important to us who collect coins, and feel it should be prominently placed on the obverse of the coin. Let?s not forget that many collectors began this hobby because our coins were dated and eventually mintmarked and easily identified. Not sure how you and others feel about the edge dating, but I have a hard time reading it and feel after a few years in circulation, it may disappear from wear.

 Roy Marques
Hebron, Conn.

Although the motto ?In God We Trust? is typically placed on the obverse of our circulating U.S. coins, I think that the Advisory Board is right in suggesting the reverse as the location for the motto on the Presidential Dollars. As best as I can recall, none of our circulating coins has the name of the person depicted on the coin except for the Presidential dollars, so there isn?t the usual area of the obverse available for the motto. And I believe it?s important to have the names of the presidents on each coin because most Americans, including myself, are not very familiar with the faces of these former chief executives, especially these early ones, apart from Washington and maybe Jefferson.

Although you didn?t ask for this opinion, I want to say that I am in agreement with the moving of the motto from the edge of the coin to the reverse due to my personal belief that our nation is well served by this little reminder of our nation?s religious heritage. I?m sure folks from other countries also notice this when they handle our coins, and I think it?s great that we are not afraid or ashamed to declare our faith and belief in the Creator.

Mike Bozynski
 Royal Oak, Mich.

I think moving it to the back is the first step toward removing it completely. All the rest of our coins have it on the obverse. I would be more for leaving it on the edge rather than moving it to the back.

Robert Togni
Heber Springs, Ark.

I vote to remove the motto from all of our coins because I believe in the separation of church and state.

Larry Cutler
Burbank, Calif.

What possible difference does it make where it appears? Just so it?s there.

Morgan Spilsbury
Bolton, Mass.

I think it is getting out of hand. This is a good example of why Congress needs to turn over most of these decisions to a non-political body. First they passed the law to move the motto to the edges, now they decide they don?t like it so they change it back. Pathetic!

Ron Shelton
Memphis, Tenn.

It doesn?t matter to me. I?m just glad to see it taken off of the edge! From a coin collectors point of view, all of the other items that were on the edge should also be moved. Most of my collection resides in albums. I can?t see what?s on the edge and have no intention of trying to! Even in my annual proof sets, edge viewing is just not worth the effort.

 Also, ?smashing? impressions on the edge of coins tend to damage the obverse and reverse surfaces from my inspection of the first year of presidential dollar coins. In addition, I believe that this extra process produces more dents and dings on the coin surfaces probably due to extra trips in large bins at the Mint. I find that after purchasing a roll or possibly two of the dollar coins from my local bank, I?m lucky to find a couple of decent samples for collecting. A part of my coin hobby involves collecting statehood quarters out of pocket change (currently I?m only missing a couple of 2007 coins). The surfaces of these quarters which have bounced around several pockets, purses and cash register bins before I ever get a chance to put them into an album are in much better shape than the typical presidential dollar coins I obtain in original rolls!

 Robert H. Ball Jr.
Detroit, Mich.

With the edge lettering on the new presidential dollar coins being changed to the reverse or obverse of such coinage, I feel that it really should have been left alone. But with the moving of the words on the coins, ?In God We Trust? should remain on all coins and currency we have. You see, this land was built upon the concept, and rightly so, that God in his infinite wisdom helped us to attain and keep certain alienable rights. We all are here because our forefathers had the courage and will to overcome their oppressors so we could have and enjoy the freedoms that we have today.

While there is much to express on this regard I will limit to the opinion that the lettering on the new dollar coins should be placed on the obverse of said coinage. Reason of thought leads me to look at other coins and see that ?IN GOD WE TRUST? is found in most instances on the obverse and not the reverse of the coins. On paper currency, most is found on the reverse. The Liberty dollar has those words on the front, and so by such should the words be with the presidential dollars. As long as the words are on the coins in some fashion I think I will be satisfied.

Collin Cagle
West Jordan, Utah

I think it would be fine on the front or reverse so long as it remains on the coin. Thanks for asking my opinion.

Don Eatherton
Woodburn, Ore.

Actually, I would prefer IGWT to remain on the edge. However, since our congresscritters (in their infinite wisdom) have seen fit to mandate its migration, the reverse makes better sense. Placing the motto on the obverse would leave it far too crowded and would unbalance a design that works. How about some microprinting around Liberty?s crown?

Bob Fritsch
Nashua, N.H.

While I?m pleased to see that ?In God We Trust? is being added to the coin?s surface, I don?t feel it matters which side it?s on. I truly believe that the date and mintmark are more important to us who collect coins, and feel it should be prominently placed on the obverse of the coin. Let?s not forget that many collectors began this hobby because our coins were dated and eventually mintmarked and easily identified. Not sure how you and others feel about the edge dating, but I have a hard time reading it and feel after a few years in circulation, it may disappear from wear.

Roy Marques
Hebron, Conn.