This week’s letters (12/04/12)

The 60th anniversary issue was splendid! I enjoyed all the articles sent in by all the writers.

Author:
NMN
Publish date:
Nov 21, 2012

Praise for articles by collectors in special issue
The 60th anniversary issue was splendid! I enjoyed all the articles sent in by all the writers.
Tom Fauth
Elizabeth, Colo.

During storm aftermath, currency shows its mettle
I saw your article online while I’m sitting here in downstate New York in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy at a local library.
This residential area of lower Westchester County has been without electric power for over a week. It took Con Ed about one week to restore power near me. At my friends’ house it took about six days, but their lights have been flickering on and off and then totally off despite the power’s being restored. I walk around with a flashlight as I’m shell shocked. There have been gasoline lines and the police have to control the situation at the few gas stations which get a delivery and have electric power to pump the gasoline.
What’s all this to do with currency? After having been through this, there’s no question in my mind, our currency in some form will survive. The swipe machines at the local McDonald’s have been out for four days that I know of. Cash was required. Plastic works in good times, but not in very bad times. Cash still is King.
As I’m not in my usual home state of Massachusetts where my subscription comes in, I’m not able to read the weekly publication, but then who can read in the dark? The batteries are judiciously used for walking around safely and finding things! The local library has been up and running and has cable TV with local news and working computers. I’m just in survival mode.
I’m very grateful to have a hard-wired working land-line phone and a vintage battery powered radio. Otherwise, I’d go out of my mind. Parts of Queens and New Jersey have been very badly hit and I hear they have no food in parts of New Jersey. Time to share and donate to the hardest hit, i.e. message to you in the rest of our country.
Anne Burke
New York, N.Y.

What’s best way to save collections in storms?
Please run a series of articles how collectors managed to save their coin collections during the storm. Include helpful hints on what worked and what didn’t work and what collectors can do in the future to guard against such catastrophes.
Bill Rodriguez
Atlantic Beach, Fla.

1909 cent sent on space flight to mark 200 years
In response to Mike G. Price’s letter in the Oct. 23 issue of Numismatic News, I will agree that perhaps a BU cent would have looked better, but the reason that the 1909 cent was chosen to go to Mars was to celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday, and because the mission was originally supposed to be launched in 2009. Just thought I would clarify.
Name withheld

If penny is worthless, why are so many minted?
I am one who does support the removal of the 1 cent coin from further minting. I truly can see no real value to carrying the 1 cent coin; it really is a nuisance as far as I am concerned.
Now here is my question. If that lowly penny has no value and no real beneficial use, then why are so many billions of them minted each year? Where do they go? There are only so many million piggy banks. How can 6 billion to 7 billion pennies be absorbed every year? Where or where can that little penny go?
Now having said that the penny is obsolete, let me say that I do carry and enjoy using all coins in general including the dollar coin. I go regularly to the bank, pick up some dollar coins, a few rolls of other coins to look through and then spend those dollar coins. And because I live in a small community within a week or two I am probably re-spending those same dollar coins, which are either presidential dollars or the older Sacajawea (generally 2000-P); very seldom do I see one of the newer Sacajaweas with the changing reverse. Very often the bank tries to give me some Susan B. Anthonys, which I do not want, nor does anyone else for that matter. I fear the SBA; once it is received it is difficult to get rid of.
I do sort of feel sorry for the banks who have stacks of SBAs, and Ikes too, that they can’t distribute. It seems to me that if the Mint would recall the SBAs and Ikes, then maybe the dollar coin could circulate better as we would not be concerned about getting SBAs in our roll of dollar coins.
What could possibly prompt the mint to do such a recall? Maybe it would be just too much effort for an organization whose chief focus seems bent on profit rather than on customer satisfaction.
But if they would do so, then I would happily contribute 50 or 60 more to the recall effort.
Jim Grisenti
Jackson, Idaho

Prediction: Copper, bronze will rise in value
Regarding my last year’s prediction, silver fell short of my $40 per ounce prediction. Into next year time will tell where it will go, as well as gold. I do predict that over the next two decades copper and bronze will increase in price as silver had done. Turning 60 next year, who knows if I’ll be around? If I am, I’d like to see that I’m right. If I’m wrong, I’ll be glad to eat crow for sure.
Gary Kess
Berkel en Rodenrijs, The Netherlands

1909 cent sent on space flight to mark 200 years
In response to Mike G. Price’s letter in the Oct.r 23 issue of Numismatic News, I will agree that perhaps a BU cent would have looked better, but the reason that the 1909 cent was chosen was to celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday, and because the mission was originally supposed to be launched in 2009. Just thought I would clarify.
Name withheld