Your opinion -- Ugliest Classic Commem

[keithdagen]

I was scanning through my Redbook after contracting to buy a toned BTW commem this evening, and couldn't help but notice that most of the commem designs are extremely busy or just plain ugly.

 

So, what is, in your opinion, the ugliest classic commem out there (Shriver wins modern hands down)?

[Weidel Legacy Collection]

I just cruised through the Red book to review what there is. For me, the Norfolk Commem is too busy to make up for the poor design. It gets my fickle finger of fate award.

[keithdagen]

We must think alike. Many are bland, but that one stuck out so much that it hurt my eyes trying to figure out what was going on.

[gmarguli]

The GWC commem. Ugly obverse and plain reverse. The BTW obverse is pretty bad, but the reverse saves it from being the ugliest commem.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Being from Maine, I have always thought that their Commem. was really boring.

[Spooly]

WARNING!!! If anyone says Texas ............ you are a "marked" man!

[EVillageProwler]

Tejas, el pais de los Comancheros!

 

[keithdagen]

Well, my next question was going to be what is the best design, and of course, there is only one legitimate answer.

[Hoot]

I have to agree with Greg that of the classic commems the George Washington Carver takes the cake for ugly. Very uninspired, plus they made a lot of them! Of the moderns, though, the Jackie Robinson $5 is to me VASTLY uglier than the Shriver dollar. Disgracefully ugly. Expensively ugly!

 

Hoot

[keithdagen]

I don't mind the $5 Jackie Robinson, at least considering the logic that went behind it. I still say Shriver is uglier, by far. Ever see a bag full of them? Enough to scar new collectors for life!!

[Hoot]

I dunno Keith, I'd take a bag of Shrivers over a JR$5 any day for "purddy". Something about the way they mounted his head on the coin, makes me think of a big game hunt. At least the Shriver dollar redeems itself a bit on the reverse. The JR$5 needed something more than the motto "Legacy of Courage" slapped on a flat baseball!

 

Hoot

[Guest]

The Texas Commemorative is really ugly.

[keithdagen]

I can't remember if the $5 reverse for the JR was mandated or not. I know that the $1 reverse was the same as the MLB logo for their festivities.

[keithdagen]

Dare you to log in and say it.

[Tradedollarnut]

Robinson is pretty ugly.....isn't that Arkansas?

 

Must be a pretty ugly region!

[Spooly]

Chicken!

[Higashiyama]

The Iowa commem has always bothered me -- it looks and feels more like a medal than a coin. Not really ugly, just very unsubstantial. I like them all, actually, even the ugly ones.

[keithdagen]

Here's the obverse of the BTW that I picked up last week. It's a 1948-P in MS-65, with a little color on the rims and light toning throughout.

 

 

[keithdagen]

Whoops.

[Hoot]

Keith - That coin almost makes me want one!

 

Hoot

[keithdagen]

BRDude had a BTW with red and green on the reverse that he showed me at the TNA show this year that inspired me to go and seek colored commems. This was my first, now 49 more to go.

[gmarguli]

This was my first, now 49 more to go.

 

49? Wimp! Go for the 146-piece set (inc. 2 Norse medals).

[keithdagen]

I'm a Type collector, not a series collector. I leave that to the people who get stuck on one design. Who wants 15 Arkansas pieces, or 16 Boone pieces.

 

Now, granted, 13 Texas half dollars would look good