Poll Question: What qualities do you think are most important for a mint director? Why?

 The Mint Director is an appointed position, and I'm sure there are "networking affiliations" that are part of the process. Experience, background, and merit used to be required attributes. Thinking back to Joseph Wright, an accomplished portrait painter and coin designer, he was Washington's first choice as Chief Engraver. Sadly, Wright died before confirmed, and Robert Scot was selected. I have made the argument that Joseph Wright designed the Flowing Hair Dollar.

Over the past few years, some coin/medal programs seemed interesting; one medal should have been a coin, another medal seemed to be suppressed, and a few releases were rather dubious. With the 4-month-old request to self-deport from the position being honored, I feel our next Mint Director should focus on Integrity, the "egalitarianism" of Mint production, and understand numismatic history, as well as the capability to seize on the great opportunity 2026 brings.

I am currently available for Mint Director and trust this exposure introduces my name for consideration.

Michal J. Young, Address withheld

The United States Mint director, as a candidate and as a person, is in a pivotal role to approve quality assurance and all the vast nuances required for the United States to have a successful, long, and prosperous monetary career. As a mint director, you are in a pivotal position where your input and direction lead a large team in various different facilities, from quality control to processing materials, to the final output, which is a beautiful, glorious coin.

1. Integrity: The person who is the United States Mint director should first be a person of integrity. This person should be a person who carries a high standard of himself and others. As we all know, the definition of integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is looking, because you hold yourself accountable to a superior standard.

2. Accountable: The person who is the United States Mint director should be the second person who is accountable for all those under his direction and purview. He should know the names, relations, relatives, and white fours of all those under his care and develop a personal relationship with all his employees, so he ensures that the standard that he holds himself to and those accountabilities. They are the same that they care to show themselves, just as if they were looking in a mirror.

3. A leader & steward: The person who is the United States Mint director should be thirdly, a person who is a leader and steward. He should know the ins and outs, have a basic understanding of even the most menial position within the process of creating the United States currency. From the guy who sweeps the floors and sanitizes the bathrooms to the guy who runs the processing machine to make the blank planchets, period, to the guy who's signing authorization forms at the front desk, he should have some common understanding of how all these things work. So he can relate to every single employee that is under his purview.

4. A person of moral standing: The person who is the United States Mint director should be a person, fourthly, who is of proper moral standing. This is important because 1) this person would not pay heed to people who lend themselves to debaucherous playcations. Nor cultish ideologies. As the United States Mint director represents the United States government's standard for monetary currency. A representation that is known throughout the world. He should be utmost a person who is educated and refined, and knowledgeable, and lend himself to be of the highest standard.

5. A Honorable person: The person who is the United States Mint director should be a person, fifthly, who is honorable and beholden to others to the same standard they should emulate and excel at.

6. A Networker and Builder of ordinary man: The person who is the United States Mint director should be a person, sixthly, who can build the ordinary man and make him better, as well as a networker in relationships in and out of the office. He should realize he's dealing with people’s lives and champion the common man most of all because he is no different and thus is always humble.

Lastly, the reason all these qualities should be embodied in his refined character is that he should not lend himself to corruption or ill intent. He should not use his position for personal gain or interest and should always have at heart the will of the people in mind.

Name and Address withheld

First, attention to quality. Make our coins beautiful, no matter what the design. They have so little intrinsic value, at least we can value them for their appearance. Second, use simplicity in design. It is hard to appreciate a complex image on a small coin. Iconic images are those that the unaided eye can appreciate. 

Tom Pesacreta, Lafayette, La.

I want someone who knows coins from a hobby standpoint. I believe the nominee for Mint Director, Paul Hollis, qualifies in that area.

He must also want to save the cent and be able to 'Joni' proof our coins. A mint director also needs to be insightful - willing to suggest that we need more and better eagles on our bullion coins. China has different pandas every year. To raise money to fight the $36 trillion national debt, coins can play a part with four different sets from the four mints with different designs. A good mint director should be able to see this and recommend it. He should also recommend different shapes for bullion coins in addition to round (IRA acceptable), like bars, one-ounce rectangular versions with both vertical and horizontal designs.

He should also recognize that we need to modify the designs on our current coins. Even keeping the same people, they need to be different. For example, FDR has been there on the dime unchanged for 79 years. I want someone who is about the hobby. Thus far, we have not had anyone linked with coin collectors. It's time we have a mint director who is about making our coins beautiful again, using designs of liberty as a part of the four mints idea.

Wayne Pearson, Union City, Ind.

I think any new mint director needs certain qualities. First, they need a working history of our coinage history, as this is critical. They need to maintain independence and make decisions that are best for the American people and not best for Trump. It can’t be like the current Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, who is insulted daily by Trump for doing his job and maintaining his independence, not bowing down to Trump. The new director needs to take into account collectors and their needs. Also, any new coin designs should reflect true American values.

Roy, Address withheld

The U.S. Mint is basically a very large manufacturing plant. But in the end, experience with running a huge plant can be left to the professional, technical staff. The mint is also the world's largest coin retailer. Having a Mint Director with general management and personnel skills is most important. Having a collector mindset can only be a plus. 

Gary Burhop, Memphis