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Time for a Change in our Change

Started by GDJMSP,

24 posts in this topic

GDJMSP

GDJMSP

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The subject of re-designing United States coinage has been in the news a lot lately – and as most of you already know it is nothing new. There are many who have been clamoring for a re-design of our coins for decades now. On the other hand there are many who could care less if our coins are ever re-designed. But perhaps the best known effort for this cause was put forth about 10 years ago by Diane Wolf, a New York City activist, with major support from hobby organizations, numismatic publishers and individual coin collectors all around the country. Stubborn opposition by then - U.S. Mint Director Donna M. Pope contributed greatly to that defeat. But in the end it was Congress who killed the grassroots movement.

 

Today however we have some Congressional members who are in favor of a coinage re-design. On Sept. 13,2000 there was symposium held in New York City. http://www.senate.gov/~banking/coin2000/witness.htm The symposium was organized by Senator Phil Gramm to promote a discussion of how US coin designs "may be improved to signify the distinction and greatness of our Republic." I highly recommend reading the prepared remarks to be found at the link above.

 

In Jan. of 2001, in an outline of the agenda for the Banking Committee of the 107th Congress, Senator Gramm had this to say - "I think there is a growing consensus on our committee that we need to reform American coinage. Senator Sarbanes and I held a roundtable discussion where we had the Smithsonian, we had the numismatic associations, we had various coin designers and artists. And the basic situation we have is that when we started our coinage, it was generally assumed that a coin would change about every 25 years. Our penny design was set in place in 1909.

So we're going to take a long, hard look at coinage. We're going to invest some money in trying to develop new composites and new metallurgy that would allow us to produce coins that look and feel like the great coins in American history did."

 

What’s more, the current Director of the Mint, Henrietta Fore is in favor of re-design as well and has forwarded her request for these new designs to the Secretary of the Treasury for approval. So the process has begun anew.

 

In an article published in Coin World; http://www.coinworld.com/news/111102/news-1.asp ; Secretary of the Treasury, Paul H. O’Neill says – "In the spirit of how things ought to be done in this country, it's worthwhile to pay attention to people who have a view about these things," "I can't imagine my telling people we're not interested in their opinions. I don't expect to exercise my statutory authority without consulting with the appropriate people." So it seems Mr. O’Neill is willing, in fact wants, to listen to the opinions of the people of this nation. I say we let him.

 

Furthermore, I think we have an opportunity here. We have an opportunity to not only promote a change in our stagnant coin designs; we have an opportunity to see to it that we do not fall into the same rut of stagnation again. I propose that we ask Congress to amend the current law written over a century ago - The Secretary may change the design or die of a coin only once within 25 years of the first adoption of the design, model, hub, or die for that coin. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/31/5112.html ; I propose to make it mandatory that our coin designs are changed every 25 years.

 

Now in order to have any hope of bringing about a change in the US coinage designs it is necessary for our elected officials to be aware of what the public wants. You are after all are the ones who put them in office and they will listen to you as long as you make your voices heard - and in order to do that I have even made it easy for you. But it will require some effort on your part.

 

Below you will find links that will allow you to directly contact the President & Vice President; any or all of the members of Congress; the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs; the House Committee on Financial Services; any or all of the above’s sub-committees; and all of the individual members of these committees & sub-committees, and the Director of the Mint, Henrietta Fore.

 

I urge everyone who is interested in seeing a change in our coin designs to write not only to your state’s representatives, but especially to the President & Vice President and all of the representatives of the above committees. And if you are in favor of amending the law regarding coin re-design, write to them about that as well.

 

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=878001&content_dir=ua_congressorg

 

http://capwiz.com/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=897001&content_dir=ua_congressorg&mailid=custom

 

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/?id=20004&lvl=F

 

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdir

 

http://www.congress.org/

 

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/agencies/?id=4389&dir=congressorg&command=depresult2&submit.x=13&submit.y=12

 

You can also directly contact the Secretary of the Treasury, Paul O’Neill, and Rasario Marin, the Treasurer of the United States at the following link. It is important to contact them for once the SecTreas makes his decision – by statute even the Supreme Court cannot overrule him.

 

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/agencies/?id=4187&dir=congressorg&command=depresult&submit.x=18&submit.y=16

 

If you are serious about your desires as I am, I also suggest you write Letters to the Editor of your local paper. Contact prominent members in the numismatic community. Contact the ANA, the PNG, the ANS, write to your favorite coin magazine, your local coin clubs, your friends and relatives and practically anybody else you can think of. Ask them to write as well. It will require no small effort on our part to make these changes happen. It has been tried before without success. But it can and will happen if you try hard enough. If you make your voices heard – they will listen.

 

carol@bowersandmerena.com - Q. David Bowers

 

cweditor@coinworld.com - William Gibbs, editor of Coin World

 

http://www.money.org/anaofficers.html - ANA Board of Governors

 

info@amnumsoc.org - American Numismatic Society

 

DavidLGanz@aol.com - David L. Ganz

 

http://pngdealers.com/public/directors.cfm - PNG Board of Directors

 

These are but a few of the individuals & organizations that you can contact. There are many, many more. If you are aware of an individual that should be contacted – by all means please provide an e-mail address for the rest of us by posting it to the thread.

 

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nwcs

nwcs

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Very well done article. Thanks for posting it. Some of the info I knew, but not all of it. What did you think of Coin World's article and poll on the possible ways we can approach redesigning the coinage?

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GDJMSP

GDJMSP

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Sadly, Senator Gramm retired, so the #1 champion of redesign is no longer serving our nation in public office.

 

You are correct - partly. But he is still the ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. And his voice is one that is listened to. Also - who is to say he will not contribute to the cause in the future.

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keithdagen

keithdagen

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That will only last until the new Congressmen are sworn in, then the senior ranking on the committee will take over the job. We did elect another to replace Gramm, but I doubt that he would be placed on that committee right off the bat.

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GDJMSP

GDJMSP

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An update -

 

There is now an active web site on this subject with additional information to what I had in my original post. The web site will be updated periodically as new information becomes available. There will also be additional contact information provided from time to time.

 

I hope you will visit this site - and make use of it. I also hope you will forward a link to this site to those you know - perhaps even post it in additional forums. The more exposure this site has - the better our chances of achieving the goals set forth within it.

 

http://www.jdsworld.net/change/coinage_change.html

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GDJMSP

GDJMSP

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You know - I really find it hard to believe that in this Forum - there are so few who care enough to discuss an issue such as this.

 

Post a thread about free coffee mugs - and there are endless replies. But post a thread about something that affects us all - something that Really Matters regarding the future of numismatics - and after 20 days virtually nothing. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

Do you not care ? Are you so pathetically mired in apathy that you cannot even comment against the idea let alone in favor of it ? I am sadly disappointed.

 

I am not doing this for me. I am doing it for YOU ! I am doing it for all coin collectors and the entire numismatic community. The members of this Forum are a part of that community. I wonder if you deserve to be.

 

Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps some of you do care and have taken the time to write a letter or two - and if so - I apologize. I really don't care if respond or make comments here - as long as you particiapte in this campaign.

 

Well for those who do care - the following is an on-line petition to change the law of 1890 & another petition to redesign US coinage that allows those in favor of these campaigns to sign and show their support. For any petition to be effective it is necessary to sign your name. And it will be even more effective should you choose to provide your e-mail address. However - this petition has been formatted to allow you the signer to make your e-mail address - Private - Public - or Available to the Petition Author only. So privacy concerns have been addressed and dealt with in order to facilitate the petition's success. The petitions are available here -

 

Change the Law of 1890

 

Redesign US Coinage

 

 

 

 

 

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EVillageProwler

EVillageProwler

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I think the typical *collector* here tends to care about stuff that are already considered classical, and so changing the coinage designs and the relevent legislation won't affect our avocational pursuits much.

 

Call it a hunch...

 

Besides, I think it's a good thing that the average citizen gets a daily reminder of the mediocrity that comes from the efforts of our duly elected political leaders.

 

Perhaps one day we'll actually care to have exemplary folks serve in the government!

 

EVP

 

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cladking

cladking

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Everyone who can see past the tip of his nose knows that there are real problems nowdays. Politicians certainly are the cause of and a part of many of them. There is little danger that people will forget this. But there are still two very solid reasons to change the change. Peoples memories are shaped to a great extent by their mementos. If people are given an old worn coin of tired design then they are more likely to remember the bad things about the age. If given a lively design they just may be more likely to remember some of the good things that are around us. New designs may also help to continue the rebuilding of our hobby. Many new collectors have come around but there is no gaurantee there are sufficient numbers to carry on as we old timers retire. Many of these newbies will never progress to become true numismatists and the larger the pool the greater the next generation.

 

Perhaps, too, new designs could actually help spur us all to do a little better. People get a lot of cues from our icons and now the only cue that they can be getting is that things are stagnating. It is time. Any help might make a difference.

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Hoot

Hoot

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TTT for cpm9ball thumbsup2.gif

 

 

Good Lord Hoot !! You had to some diggin to find that one pal grin.gif

 

One of the best posts ever made! thumbsup2.gif I have it bookmarked!

 

Hoot

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Hoot

Hoot

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I believe that web site is still active. You can also PM GDJMSP and ask him for updates.

 

Hey GDJMSP - What's up in the "time for a change in our change" political world?

 

Hoot

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GDJMSP

GDJMSP

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Never fails - read the wrong post first foreheadslap.gif

 

I have already commented to a degree HERE

 

But I will add a few additional comments. I talked to quite a few of our illustrious political leaders back then. Even talked to the man in the funny lookin house on Pa. Ave. The long and short of it is that in their opinion the change is taking place. But there are other, more important issues that must be dealt with first.

 

Like I really expected a different answer tonofbricks.gif

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cpm9ball

cpm9ball

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You're right, it never fails! I read your other post, "HERE", first. I'm undertaking a crusade to change the half dollar. Thanks!

 

Chris

 

PS. It's going to take me a while to learn how to use all of the "aids" that are available on the Boards. You know how it is with an old dog and new tricks. Does anyone have a spare training manual I can borrow?

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Hoot

Hoot

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You are a very positive influence, Chris. Write like a mad man and post your letters to the politicians on these boards! Pass any petitions around!

 

Hoot

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