This Week’s Letters

From the Feb. 1 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Q. Is it important to you that 2008 Sacs be produced for collectors?

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

I think bank wrapped rolls of the 2008 Sacs are fine. I don?t think ANY of the U.S. Mints can handle what they are producing now, much less to add another coin without quality control. 2007 is the worst coin mintage I?ve seen in years. I know a lot of people have lost money because of the lack of quality control at the Mint. I bought two 2007 two-coin platinum sets. I had to send them both back. Both the proofs were terrible. These coins and other silver, gold and both proof sets should grade a 69 or 70, bottom line. If the Mint started producing 2008 Sacs, they would probably look like the presidential dollars!

S. Stewart
Barboursville, Va.

This is news to me. It was my understanding that the 2008 sacs would be produced as is for mint sets and proof sets. Then the back design would change in 2009. If what you said is true they need to continue producing this coin in 2008. Thanks in advance.

Ernie L. New
Louisville, Ky.

Sacs for collectors? Seriously, who cares?

Keith Oligney
Lakewood, Colo.

Yes. Both proof and business strikes.Why leave a hole in everyone?s collection?

Bryce Hanson
Burke, Va.

I think the Mint should strike 2008 Sacs for collectors as in the past. If not, mint and proof sets should include them.

John Hamer
Bradord, Mass.

Yes, I think the Sacs should be produced for the collectors. I am a collector, not an investor. This is my hobby. I think some of our types have had too long a run and a lot of types (of coins) have had way too short a run. The Flying Eagle went for three years and the Lincoln for 100 years. I feel that a good run should be somewhere in the middle.

Richard Naylor
Harrison, Ark.

Stop making them totally. Selling them in bags at premium prices is also ?producing for sale to collectors.?.If it?s not a real coin available at face value anywhere, it is just a medal, and they should stop wasting their time and our money.

Roland Rhoades
Gorham, Maine

Gee, whiz! I forgot all about those golden dollars! With all the other ones we have (Presidential dollars) I guess it wasn?t hard for me to forget. But, my suspicious mind tells me the U.S. Mint wants us all to the phones and order up on all the remaining 2007 Sacs thinking that it is the last we will see of them. I will predict they will come up with some reason to resume minting 2008 Sacs.

Bill Keklak
Brick, N.J.

Do to the cheap token like appearance of this coin I don?t have any interest in them. But if they are produced with differnt significant indian chiefs and other Indian themes i might develop an interest. If only the mint could produce them with a finish that would last.

Roland C. Gauvin
Cumberland, R.I.

I think the Sacagawea dollars should be available to collectors. I collect mint sets and proof sets. They each contain a coin from each mint that are in circulation. If the Mint is going to strike them for circulation, they should be part of the sets. Thank you.

Larry Clark
Ravenna, Texas

I don?t think Sacs of any kind should be produced. There is no need to have both Sacs and the Presidential dollar coins in production at the same time, especially since there is minimal demand for either. However, if Sacs are going to be produced for circulation, then they should be offered for sale to collectors as allowws by Section 2(4) of Public Law 110-82:

?ISSUANCE OF NUMISMATIC COINS.?The Secretary may
mint and issue such number of $1 coins of each design selected
under this subsection in uncirculated and proof qualities as
the Secretary determines to be appropriate.?

Darren Rosenbaum
Sherman Oaks, CA

Do to the cheap token like appearance of this coin I don?t have any interst in them. But iof they are produced with differnt significant indian chiefs and other Indian themes i might develop an interest. If only the mint could produce them with a finish that would last.

Roland C. Gauvin
Cumberland, RI

NO MORE SAC?s,
Now that the Presidential dollars are circulating, there is no reason to keep producing the Sacs. They should have ended production once the Presidential dollars were introduced.

Bruce Benoit
Milwaukee, WI

We really want to continue with
the Sac. Dollars. It is good for the Coin collectors.

Jay Nielsen
Twin Falls, Idaho

I have never seen one in circulation and don?t much care for them to begin with. I do not understand why the 50 cent piece and any dollar coin are not used more. With the inflation we have seen I believe the penny should be done away with along with the one, two, and five dollar bills. The bills to be replaced with like denomination coins.

Joel Wulff
Bristol, CT

In a nutshell: What does it HURT for the Mint to make Sac dollars for collectors? EVERYBODY wins at NO cost to the taxpayer. Have I missed something here?

Dave Egeland
Linn, Missouri

Please, there are enough junk coins for us to collect. The $1 coin is a flop, and will always be a drain on the U S Mint. Must be a slow week for you if you need to ask this question.

Do away with the $1 dollar bill and then maybe, just maybe. But a ton of old ones will hit the stores to keep the people from spending the coins and getting them back as change.

Joseph Aksamit Jr.
Seal Beach, Calif.

I only order 1 roll of each for my collection. If they do not mint them, so be it. Wouldn?t bother me one way or the other.

Richard G. Hoover
St. Petersburg, FL

Keep pushing for the 2008 Sac Dollars, just for collectors will be fine.

Bob Thiel
Victor NY

Sure. They produce things can?t give away and they have a long run limit items or sets that triple in value in a short time.

James Dracopoulos
San Antonio TX

Yes, I would like to see sac dollars minted for collectors.

Dick Suntrup
St Louis, Missouri

Yes.

William E Kennedy
Schenectady,NY

Yes, to me the 2008 SAC $ is important! But I plan to cancel my annual subscriptions containing the 2009 ?State? quarters! The newest ?state quarters? are a sorry excuse to make money for the US Mint from the coin collectors, and a blow to the 50 real states that deserve the title!

Bob Mobley
Gulfport, MS

I think the USMint has been totally inept in providing a $1 coin for circulation. Surely a junior high student could have predicted the problems with the SBAnthony dollar. Those problems were not really rectified by the Sac. I believe the Mint should just forget both dollar coins and let them fade into history. With Bush?s destruction of the US economy a dollar is practically worthless. Many vending machines required more than $1 for a soft drink or junk food. Perhaps we would be better served if the Mint focused on producing a truly usable $3 coin in a size somewhere between a 25 cent and fifty cent coin. They might be useful for a while before inflation reduces them to nothing. Then instead of a ?penny jar? on everyone?s dresser there would be a ?$3 jar?.

Richard Masters
Pinellas Park, FL

Only if : The last year it is produced in .9999 Gold.
A true Sacagawea Golden Dollar.

Will J. Nix
Dawsonville,Ga

E V E R Y thing produced by the US Mint should be available to collectors. That is important to those that build their collection from circulation.

Robert Lorenz
Mc Kees Rocks, PA

In regards to the Sacs this might seem reminiscent of the 1965-67 mint and proof sets when the mint did offer these set to collectors for one reason or another.

I think what should really happen is to pass a law that would tell the mint to keep producing coins for collectors until such time that the wonderful congress of ours informs the mint not to mint anymore coins of one type or another.

Ed Ciechanowski
Oak Creek WI

Yes of course the US mint should continue with the 2008 Sacagawea dollar. This is just one more example of how the US mint disregards the small coin collector.

Here?s another example of how large coin dealers get preferential treatment. Shop at home TV is selling 2008 Uncirculated Gold Buffalo coins. Uncirculated Buffalo coins are not available from the US Mint only proof coins are for sale; when I called and asked why the uncirculated coin is not available on the US mint webs site I am told ?This is not a regular US mint issue.?

May be you can write an article on US Mint and the small coin collector frustration.

Tony Russomanno
Newbury Park. CA

We should keep the Sacs coming until their 25 years are up. At least one of each year even while the Pres $ are all going to be saved .

Ernie Grassey

Yes, they need to be produced.

Dave Carroll

No, it?s not important to me that the Mint produce collector Sacs because I?ve come to understand that there is little, if any, upside to modern Mint issues and I do not foresee a lasting personal interest in this design.

Charles K. Miller
Havertown, PA

Yes I would like to see Sac. Dollars produced for collectors.
Keith Lefler

London, Ontario
Canada