Community Voice Responses (07/30/13)

From the July 5 Numismatic News e-newsletter:

Should the Presidential dollar series be modified to allow portraits of living presidents on the coins?

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

No, the rule should not be changed to allow living president images to appear on these coins. These are history items and should stay in that context.
Griff Carnes
Kerrville, Texas

No,living presidents should not be depicted on our coins. Our founding fathers thought it would be wrong to honor a living person on our coinage, and i think that idea should still stand.
Besides the aforementioned reason of tradition, I do not believe that there is a living president alive that is so revered by the American people that they deserve to be honored that way.
Phil Jones
Brookfield, Conn.

No living person should be placed on a coin. Let the series end as it should. We have enough types of dollar coins stockpiked. Lets due away with paper dollars and force the use of the coin. Vending machine will soon be accepting credit cards so they can’t say they would have difficulty with dollar scanners.
Frank Yenalecitch
Forty Fort, Pa.

Absolutely not! End the program by the rules established at its inception. The Mint has had a way of changing the rules that has caused many problems for the collector.
I am still upset that the San Francisco Mint is still minting America the Beautiful quarters. I must now look for another page for my coin book for the additional coins that I must buy directly from the Mint. Held hostage by the Mint in order to complete our sets.
Now look at the silver Eagle. In that series the changes made to the program are numerous. Although, I received my 2013 PCGS certified (PR-70 and MS-70) American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Set and they are two of the nicest coins I have ever seen. The Mint is doing a great job when it comes to the latest techniques.
When the Presidential series officially ends, the following year the Mint should remove all Presidential images from all of our coinage and replace them with “Lady Liberty.” I don’t believe our coinage should have actual people on them.
I also think that the “In God We Trust” should be changed to “In Liberty We Trust” or “In Freedom We Trust.” Let’s make our coinage stand for Liberty and Freedom. Might make a difference when our politicians see Lady Liberty in their hands; it may remind them of what’s at stake. We can only hope.
Jayne Shelby
Hollywood, Md.

The series is the “Presidential Dollar” program and the series would not be complete unless all the Presidents appear on the coins. Even the ones that are no good :)
Dave Goodman
Address withheld

A President is a President, living or dead, and should receive the appropriate and equal consideration.
It is conceiveable that given the young age of President Obama, a succeeding president could die first and be eligible for inclusion on a dollar coin before Obama. Seems to me that would screw up the sequence of Presidential coin issues. At this point in time, Presidential dollars are not highly circulated throughout the general public anyway; they are more of a collector’s item, in my opinion.
Robert J. Tempert
Grapevine, Texas

I say no to living presidents on a coin. Take all the dead ones except for George Washington off the coins as well.
Douglas Ivey
McAlester Okla.

While this series is not as popular as others it is still ongoing. In theory, it will be impossible to complete as there will always be a new president coming into office. There has been one modification in the law in favor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1995. I think that a modification of the law is warranted in this case.
Mike Roman
Allen Park, Mich.

Yes, I think the Presidential dollar program should go through all the current presidents whether deceased or living.
Scott McGowan
Chicago, Ill.

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