This Week’s Letters (12/28/07)

From the Dec. 28 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Q. Should the U.S. return to the standard Washington quarter design in 2010 at the conclusion of the state quarter program?

Absolutely. I am ready to see the old quarter again. The SBA was bad. The SAC dollar worse, but the Presidential Dollar series is appalling. I don?t want to give them the chance to monkey with our coinage again. So let?s get back to the Washington quarter of old. We have lost the capability to design coins apparently, for various reasons, so let?s just leave it alone.

Bill Gormanous
Lake Charles, La.

NO! The success of the states reverse program should be easily extended to new themes.
Suggestions: Major U.S. historical events (D-Day, signing of the Declaration of Independence, Amendments to the Constitution, landing on the moon, Pearl Harbor, end of the Cold War) come to mind along with famous national events impacting all citizens (national highway system, national parks, Medicare, Social Security). The list is endless and a great ?teaching? tool for all children already collecting state quarters. These themes will broaden their background and knowledge and remind adults of these unique American institutions and events.

D. Kress
Naperville, Ill.

Yes, stay with the old design, else we might lose ?In God We Trust?

Bob Beni
Phoenix, Ariz.

Yes, I think the Mint should return to the old reverse on the quarters after the state program is finished.

Richard J. Huebner
Youngstown, Ohio

The design of the quarters should be changed. They have been the same since 1932. The state quarters were a welcome change.

Bob Thiel
Victor, N.Y.

The Mint should seize the opportunity to give us a truly great design for the quarter beginning in 2010. I would like to see an entirely new obverse and reverse since Laura Gardin Fraser?s design was used on the 1999 Washington Death commemorative. We should always go forward, not back.

Bob Fritsch
Nashua, N.H.

I think the U.S. should consider reviving the Standing Liberty eagle design for the reverse.

Les Peters
South Riding, Va.

I feel that a new design should used. I would suggest Ronald Reagan.

James Grannan
Indianapolis, Ind.

Yes, I think we should go back to the Washington quarter in 2010 as the artists today could not compete with old timers on design.

William Yanosh
 Albany, Ga.

I thought that this decision had already been made. If it were up to me, I would?ve stopped after the last state coin was done. Adding the territories isn?t a good idea but with millions of people collecting these coins the Mint was actually helping pay down the national debt, and I think they wish to continue that trend.
I don?t know if I helped you with this e-mail, but there?s my 2 cents just the same.

Bryon Christoffersen
West Richland, Wash.

It is time that we have some new coin designs We should not return to the old Washington quarter. I would like to see some of the old quarter designs brought back.

Tom Ryan
Manchester Township, N.J.

I would suggest that the quarter be revitalized.
Have a new face of George Washington 2 dimensional.
The reverse could also have the ?Order of the Cincinnati? instead of the regular eagle.

Robert Bell
Patterson, N.Y.

The end of the statehood/possession program could provide the opportunity for a brand new quarter design. The current design has been around since 1932. While I don?t advocate change simply for change sake, perhaps a new portrait of George, and/or a new eagle design on the reverse could be considered. In any event, if anything new is contemplated, now is the time to start soliciting ideas. I for one, would promote a new reverse using a profile eagle with enough relief to bring out a lot of feather, beak, and eye detail on an angle similar to the 2005 Jefferson nickel profile.

Robert H. Ball, Jr.
Detroit, Michigan USA

No, the Washington Quarter has long outlived its original one year commemoration status.

It is time to move on to a new design emblematic of the 21st century. I would suggest an obverse portrayal of Liberty with a cornucopia symbolic of the United States abundant natural resources and of our generosity to other nations. The reverse should contain an American eagle on a high perch surveying the world around it.
If we are to keep the Washington design, may we at least return to the original bust of Washington and not the one that was enhanced for the state quarter series?

Timothy Scharr
Nashville, Illinois

There should be a new design for the Quarters. It is time to redesign all ours coins. Do away with the dollar bill, so dollar coins will be used in everyday transactions.

Steven Drake,
Hurricane, UT

How about a series to honor Washington, similar to what is being done for Lincoln in the cent series?

Robert Lorenz
Mc Kees Rocks, PA

No!
How could the same old Washington be near as exciting as the beautiful quarters we?ve had for the last 10 years.

Vicki Trammell
San Jose, CA

In response to your question about quarters, I believe it?s time for a change.
George Washington has graced the quarter for 75 years. The President, soldier, statesman, and gentleman farmer been sufficiently honored with the dollar bill, the Presidential golden dollar, several commemorative coins, and of course, the quarter. Has there ever been another human image to appear on a U.S. coin for longer?
There has been talk of honoring former President Ronald Reagan with a U.S. coin. Seems to me that the discussion began shortly after his death in 2004. What a fitting tribute it would be to redesign the quarter with his image.

Bill Davenport
Arlington Heights, Illinois