This Week’s Letters (1/28/10)
A selection of letters from readers of Numismatic News to Editor Dave Harper.
Do errors send message to end Lincoln’s reign?
I was reading through my favorite coin newspaper the other day and saw an ad for a West Coast coin shop selling ancient Roman bronzes. I had to take a double look at the particular ad because there was a coin pictured in that ad. Instead of a Roman “bronze,” the coin pictured was a Lincoln head cent.
I know someone somewhere misprinted the ad, but it struck me as funny and reminded me of another misprint in the newspaper’s anniversary issue from 2008, “Lincoln Wheat Ears (1090-1958).”
Perhaps these misprints are “suggestions” to retire the Lincoln head cent? After all, Mr. Lincoln has been on the cent for 100 years. Let’s give someone else a chance to be on a coin.
Bill Tuttle
Cleveland, Ohio
Roll searching yields satisfactory results
I have been searching nickel and dime rolls for the 2009 dates. Let me share what I have found:
1945 Mercury – XF
1950-D Jefferson – Unc.
2009-P Jefferson
1938-D Jefferson – AU
1940 Jefferson – Unc.
1941 Jefferson – Unc.
These are just a few of the good ones. I love to roll search. Keep on searching.
Bob Atwater
Conway, S.C.
First park to be honored on quarter a natural spa
Located in central Arkansas southwest of Little Rock, the famed Hot Springs National Park of 1,001 acres secured in 1832 became a national park in 1921.
Seven-hundred-thousand gallons of 143-degree hot mineral water rises daily from 47 local, underground sources of therapeutic value but with no curative powers. It is in fact rainwater that seeped into the ground and was heated by a natural process.
The Bathhouse Row, located on the Central Avenue, offers revitalizing body and facial massage stations, hydrotherapy, hot stone treatments, whirlpool baths, manicure and pedicure, all staffed by professional employees. The city of Hot Springs offers a number of hotels and motels to the visitors.
The Hot Springs National Park, a wonderland of nature, is one of 390 other American national parks. The park’s water is free and safe to drink.
Zdenek Vesely
Portland, Ore.
‘Proof’ sets similar to Haynes’ description
In regards to Carol Haynes’ inquiry of sets issued in 1982 and 1983:
I also have sets, “Proof Coin Sets,” issued in San Francisco, Calif., as “special” sets. No proof or mint sets were issued in Colorado or Philadelphia those two years.
My acknowledgement card has the address of the Bureau of the Mint in California. Could these issued sets be the ones in question?
Ethel Hughes
Black River Falls, Wis.
When were 1965 Kennedys produced?
Upon reading Ginger Rapsus’ excellent article, “Clad Coins” in the Jan. 5 issue of Numismatic News, I have a question regarding 1965 Kennedys.
The article accounts for cents and nickels dated 1965 with production beginning Dec. 29, 1965. What was the beginning and ending dates of production for the 1965 Kennedy half dollar?
I’m guessing it’s Jan. 1, 1966, to July 31, 1966. Is this correct?
Daniel DeCamillo
Cape May, N.J.
Production of half dollar, dollar coins a waste
I realize that volumes have been written on this, but I want to state emphatically that the government is wasting its time minting half dollar and dollar coins for circulation. Neither of these coins circulate in any appreciable way and if they do, they seem to be regarded as a nuisance or oddity by everyone but coin collectors.
The half dollar is unpopular simply because of its size. People regard it as too big, which it is. Reducing the size or shape probably wouldn’t help. Canada reduced the size of its half dollar in 1968 and it still doesn’t circulate widely. It would take a Herculean promotion on the part of the Fed to use this coin even if changed.
The dollar coin is even worse because, unlike the half, it is struck in large numbers. When will we ever wake up to the fact that a dollar coin will NEVER have wide acceptance as long as there is a paper dollar counterpart?
I urge the following:
1. Reduce the size, and possibly the shape, of the half dollar or otherwise consign it only to uncirculated and proof sets each year.
2. Stop printing paper dollars while minting dollar coins. If this is not acceptable, then use the coins in uncirculated and proof sets after the current presidential series ends in 2016.
Our government is spending money as though the barbarians are at the gates, and I am sick and tired of having them waste money by minting money.
I conclude on a totally unrelated point. I did not receive a single D.C. or territorial quarter anywhere in change in 2009. Did this happen to anyone else?
Walter E. Scheid
Hermitage, Pa.
Reader obtains rolls of fourth Lincoln cent
Just a few lines to let you hear from me. I want to report that I received four rolls of the #4 Lincoln penny awhile back – two Denver Mint and two Philadelphia Mint.
Virgil Griffith Jr.
Camden, N.C.
Female doesn’t belong on Boy Scout coin
I haven’t written in a while and I’m a little behind on my Numismatic News, but I have to get this off my chest. I’m looking at the Jan. 5 cover and I see the story about the “Boy” Scout commemorative coin. Let me say that this is one coin that I will NOT waste my money on. Oh, I have nothing against the Boy Scouts; I think it is or was a fine organization. But I don’t want a coin that every time I look at it, will remind me of the height of lunacy, known as “political correctness” that has infested this country.
I don’t want a coin that reminds me of some liberal feminists who got their knickers in a knot because the Boy Scouts was mainly for (gasp!) boys. Never mind that there was and is a Girl Scout program for (double gasp!) girls.
Why can’t people just accept the fact that God made us all, men and women, and there are inherent differences between us and guess what?? That’s OK! Why do some people have to turn it into a battle of testosterone vs. estrogen? I have no problem saying that there are many, many things that my wife and many other females do better than me, and I don’t limit that to typical differences that you and I can think of. Whether it’s reading, singing, doing dishes, playing golf, driving, solving complicated math equations, chopping wood ... whatever. Some women do it better than men and some men do it better than women. DEAL!
But having a girl right there on the front of a coin that is paying homage to the Boy Scouts? That’s like taking the recent Braille commemorative and showing someone on there doing sign language ... that’s like taking the upcoming National Parks quarter series and putting the Sears Tower on it ... that’s like making a coin to commemorate basketball and putting a close up of a Titleist Pro-V 1 golf ball on it. For those of you who watch “Monday Night Football’s” half-time show, you’ll know what I mean when I say “C’MON MAN!!” (which, by the way, is NOT a sexist remark)
For you ladies who are reading this, please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t dislike women, on the contrary, I like women. I think women are the crowning jewel of creation. I have just had it up to my ears with all the political correctness crap and the stupidity that comes from it. This coin is a testament to that, and another “epic fail” from the Mint.
Thanks for letting me vent. Keep up the good work on Numismatic News. It’s still the best value in a coin publication that both entertains and educates.
Dan Petroelje
Holland, Mich.
Club drops out of ANA over new fee hike
An open letter to the ANA.
In response to your ANA membership renewal for our club, C-1039927, I make the following observation.
Our club, the Waynesboro Coin Club, was organized on June 16, 1960, and joined the ANA in 1961. We have been loyal members of the ANA ever since, paying our annual dues (this would have been our 49th year with the ANA) and will be celebrating our 50th anniversary this 2010. There seems to be a tendency with the ANA to recoup the funds from the membership, especially the clubs, that were lost during the past internal problems within the ANA.
We, like many other coin clubs, have a very small number of members and try to keep our dues at a nominal fee because most of the members are elderly and living on a fixed income. Your request for a membership fee of $75 is more than we take in from our members, therefore we will not be able to continue our membership with the ANA at that price. We would continue our membership at the previous fee of $36.
It would be interesting to know how many other clubs have dropped from the ANA because of the large increase in dues.
Allen White
President
Waynesboro, Pa., Coin Club
Shield cent shows up in Puerto Rico
I received three 2010 Lincoln cents with shield in change on Jan. 19 in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico (near Ponce).
My wife and I are in Puerto Rico from November through April. We come and go from Pennsylvania with the leaves.
Small town. Walk to the plaza (where two of the three banks in town are), a very old-fashioned supermarket and a newspaper vendor. There is a shoe-shine stand under one of the huge umbrella-shaped trees.
Temperatures are from 65 degrees to 85 degrees now during the “winter.”
Bill Gray
Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico
And another 2010 cent found in Puerto Rico lot
I just want to tell you that I found a new 2010 Lincoln cent in the Walmart parking lot in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 23.
Paul Sanderlin
Coamo, Puerto Rico.
‘Two to seven known’ rooted in hobby history
The “Viewpoint” article by Curt Wood (no relation) was one of the stupidest articles I’ve ever read. Sorry, but it was.
Stating “two to seven known” for a coin’s “known” number is rooted in a tradition of trying to give a more accurate idea of a coins population. And it IS more accurate than simply saying “two known” - certainly one would want to know about the suspected other five if they were in the market to buy such a coin. Hopefully Wood’s misleading logic won’t become a trend – it certainly won’t among reputable dealers.
Teddy Wood
Riverside, Calif.
Final quarter report would be appreciated
I have been a subscriber since the early 1990s. I enjoy reading about coins and people you write about. I also look forward to the page about the amount of U.S. coins that have been minted. Of late (about a year or so) you stopped printing the amount of state quarters that have been minted. Would it be asking too much, for one time only, to print a page on state and territorial quarters P, D and S? For the final amount minted?
I may be jumping the gun on this request, because you may have this in the works down the road, as soon as the last quarter (Northern Marianas) is complete.
Vincent Anello
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
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