Forever Stamps and Whatever Dollars

[MTHead-migration]

Had to buy first class stamps today.

 

Opted for one book of twenty Forever Stamps and change from a $20 bill.

 

Got ten Prezy bucks (1 Washington, 9 James Monroes) and a Sacajawea plus real coins.

 

After a look at the Dollar coins I opted for another book of stamps.

 

If that's the best the Mint can do then long may they languish in vaults, uncirculated.

[rons]

You mean, you don't think these will be the Morgans of the mid century??

I can see them being sold in black GSA cases with a note from our president

[DC Dawg]

After a look at the Dollar coins I opted for another book of stamps.

 

If that's the best the Mint can do then long may they languish in vaults, uncirculated.

THE MINT DOES NOT DESIGN THE COINS!

 

Coins are designed by Congress and placed in the legislation that authorizes the minting of the coin. Read any coinage legislation and you will see that the design of what is to be on the coin is dictated by law.

 

When the legislation passes, the Mint's artists come up with several concept designs to be submitted for approval. The coins are first selected to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). The CCAC can select one of the designs to recommend to the Secretary of the Treasury (who ultimately has to sign-off on the design). The CCAC can also tell the Mint's artist to "fix" aspects of the design.

 

Once that is completed, the designs and the CCAC's recommendation is submitted to the Committee for Fine Arts (CFA). The CFA can accept the CCAC's recommendation or make their own. The CFA can also recommend design changes to the artists. The CCAC's recommendations are not binding and are frequently ignored by the CFA.

 

Both organizations are supposed to understand the law, art, and the history of the depiction of the coin. But both organizations tend to fall flat on their collective faces. For example, the CFA recently recommend that one of the 2009 Lincoln Cent reverses not include a partially built Capital Dome but included the completed one. However, historically the Dome was damaged during the Civil War and would be historically accurate for the design.

 

Although the Secretary of the Treasury is supposed to have the final say, there is an aspect of the law that "suggests" the secretary accept the recommendation of the CFA. Even though the CCAC is supposed to be part of the process according to the law, the decision of the CFA can make any of the work performed by the CCAC moot.

 

Once everything goes through that process, then the final design--which may not resemble the initial design--goes through the engraving process to become a coin.

 

BLAMING THE MINT FOR THE COIN DESIGN IS LIKE BLAMING GM WHEN ONE OF THEIR CARS ARE USED IN A HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT!

 

This has been a public service announcement.

 

Scott

[cpm9ball]

You mean, you don't think these will be the Morgans of the mid century??

I can see them being sold in black GSA cases with a note from our president

 

But I don't have another 60 years waiting for it to happen.

 

Chris

[Conder101]

Read any coinage legislation and you will see that the design of what is to be on the coin is dictated by law.

True but it used to be, long ago, that the dictates were very vague and just a a generalization use these mottos, have a representation of liberty, and if the denomination is larger than a dime have an eagle on the back. What the specific design was was left up to the mint and the Secretary of the Treasury. Today they tend to get much more explicit and tend to leave the mint out of it pretty much completely except for the final tweaking of the design.

 

For example, the CFA recently recommend that one of the 2009 Lincoln Cent reverses not include a partially built Capital Dome but included the completed one. However, historically the Dome was damaged during the Civil War and would be historically accurate for the design.

The dome was not damaged during the war, the Capital building had been greatly enlarged during the 1850's and the old wooden dome was now out of proportion to the building. The new dome was started before the war and some wanted the building of the dome delayed while the war was fought so the government could concentrate on "more important things" but Lincoln wanted the building to continue as a visible symbol to the people that the government was still continuing. (Hence the connection with Lincoln and the unfinished dome.) I don't know how long it took to finish so it may not have been complete at the time of Lincolns assassination. If it wasn't then showing a completed dome would be very wrong historically. OK just checked, the dome was finished in 1863.

 

Here is a picture of how it looked at Lincolns inauguration.

[DC Dawg]

oops... Thanks Conder... senior moments are coming too frequently!

 

Scott

[MTHead-migration]

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