Opinions Please!! Should we axe the Kennedy Half for a 50c Commemorative Series?

[cpm9ball]

Since the half dollar is no longer being placed in general circulation, it seems to me that the U.S. Mint could put the coin to better use. At present, the greatest demand for the half dollar comes from the casinos. As more of them convert to the "ticket in/ticket out" technology, even this will disappear. Why can't the half dollar be used as a denomination strictly for commemorative designs? The size of the coin, alone, would allow for some spectacular pieces pertaining to our history.

 

Look how the States Quarters and the Westward Journey Nickels sparked the coin-collecting interests of millions of new people to the hobby. Our U.S. Congress should take a cue from this and run with it.

 

Your thoughts, please!

 

Chris

[chrisfuccione]

It would be a great idea to do that with all our coins instead of the bland designs that we have had on all our coins for years (except for the sac dollar wich was started in 2000).

[Wihlborg]

I wouldn’t mind seeing a circulating commemorative half as long as the designs were not of dead people. I would love to see a series that commemorates American wildlife or nature. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the idea of a circulating commemorative half would be a success for two reasons.

 

First, there will probably be many in the congress who would oppose removing Kennedy from the coin, and second, because the coins would not circulate for the same reason that they do not now. They are too big and heavy. No one wants a pocket full of them.

 

It’s a shame really because I do agree that the half would make a great canvas to portray some of America’s natural beauty.

 

John

[gmarguli]

You mean take Kennedy off the half!? You must be a communist. That can never happen.

 

The sad fact is that with current politics we will not likely have any dead presidents removed from our coins for a long time to come. Any attempt to remove one of them will result in half of Congress screaming that you only want to remove him because he is a (Conservative/Liberal).

[cpm9ball]

John, maybe I should clarify my point. I'm not thinking in terms of a circulating half dollar. Since the 50c piece is no longer being placed in general circulation, it should be used solely as a vehicle for commemoratives. I'm all for the idea of wildlife and nature.....how about the Chincoteague ponies that have resided on Assateague Island off the MD/VA coast for more than 400 years.......or Multnomah Falls in Oregon.....how about Devils Tower..........those breathtaking redwoods and sequoias.....The Badlands....the list of possibilities is endless.

 

The U.S. Mint is now surcharging most commemoratives earmarked for a specific use. For example, when the Marine Corps $ commemorating their 230th Anniversary is released later this year, the $10 surcharge will benefit the Marine Corps Memorial (someone correct me if I'm wrong). This is a voluntary tax that I wouldn't object paying if I wanted the coin. My point, here, is that the Mint would be able to raise alot of money to help preserve some of our historical landmarks, natural formations and wildlife. To me, a voluntary tax is a much easier pill to swallow than a government mandate.

 

Chris

[cpm9ball]

Greg, what would you rather see.....LBJ riding "cowboy" on a B52 with SE Asia bomb craters on the reverse?......or Ford hitting someone in the head with a golf ball and asking if he may play through on the reverse?.....or a bust of Clinton with Monica staring daggers at his back (reverse)?

 

Just how many of our dead presidents are going to be able to raise money for our national historical landmarks?

 

Chris

[gmarguli]

Greg, what would you rather see.....LBJ riding "cowboy" on a B52 with SE Asia bomb craters on the reverse?......or Ford hitting someone in the head with a golf ball and asking if he may play through on the reverse?.....or a bust of Clinton with Monica staring daggers at his back (reverse)?

 

I'll go with Ford. That way I can hear a bunch of High School "educated" kids make statements like "Wow, that dude that invented the car was also a President".

 

I'd love to see the 50c change. I'd love to see the mint commemorate places and events of history and nature. Even more so, I'd like them to mint these with a nice design in high relief and not give them the dull silver finish look. I might actually buy one if they looked nice.

 

I'd also like the mint to try different minting styles, like matte proofs. Even regular proofs with better cameos would be nice. Compare a UCAM Franklin to a UCAM modern commem and they don't have the same appeal, at least not to me. The Franklin has a nice watery look. The commem a fake, painted look.

[Hoot]

John, maybe I should clarify my point. I'm not thinking in terms of a circulating half dollar. Since the 50c piece is no longer being placed in general circulation, it should be used solely as a vehicle for commemoratives. I'm all for the idea of wildlife and nature.....how about the Chincoteague ponies that have resided on Assateague Island off the MD/VA coast for more than 400 years.......or Multnomah Falls in Oregon.....how about Devils Tower..........those breathtaking redwoods and sequoias.....The Badlands....the list of possibilities is endless.

 

The U.S. Mint is now surcharging most commemoratives earmarked for a specific use. For example, when the Marine Corps $ commemorating their 230th Anniversary is released later this year, the $10 surcharge will benefit the Marine Corps Memorial (someone correct me if I'm wrong). This is a voluntary tax that I wouldn't object paying if I wanted the coin. My point, here, is that the Mint would be able to raise alot of money to help preserve some of our historical landmarks, natural formations and wildlife. To me, a voluntary tax is a much easier pill to swallow than a government mandate.

 

Chris

 

Chris - What you are really speaking of is discontinuing the half dollar as a coin for circulation. Effectively, that's already true, but what I mean is simply stop making it.

 

Every year we end up with commemorative 50c pieces, and have had those virtually every year since 1982. The Mint should simply make the authorized 500,000 of each of these, sell the ones to collectors who buy them from the Mint, then dump the rest into circulation. That'd stir things up a bit.

 

I would love to see "nature" themes and other themes addressed on coins. What about great scientists? (Oops! Then we might also have to give tribute to Jerry Falwell and the like .)

 

Hoot

[cpm9ball]

...simply stop making it.

 

That is exactly what I mean!

 

That'd stir things up a bit.

 

I like that idea, but why limit production to just 500,000? Make millions of them. The collectors who would prefer (and afford) the quality strikes could purchase direct from the mint. Others without the financial means could cull them out of general circulation. I doubt that a high number of circulated commems would have any serious effect on the "investment quality" coinage.

 

Chris

[Techno_mike-migration]

Never see this happen...

 

1. Politics

2. Why would the mint stop making money selling circ production coins at a profit? (see Kennedys and Sacs)

3. More politics

4. Too many special interests that would want their "Hero" or cause on the coin.

5. Even more politics.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Seignorage is the big problem, because half dollars are an "asset" on Treasury's books. However, they make Commem. half dollars almost every year anyhow. I guess that they could make circulating Commems. in larger mintages to cover seignorage.

[cpm9ball]

Never say never , TM! Anything is possible if you dangle a carrot in front of the right animal.

 

Chris

[GDJMSP]

The problem is there's too many animals and not enough carrots.

 

A couple of years ago when I coordinated a small campaign for changes in our coinage - know what the net result in the collector community was ?

 

Yaaaaaaawwwn

 

Sure there were a few collectors who were passionate about the idea - but only a few. And it wasn't for lack of them knowing about it. It was in all the mags and all over the internet. It's still out there even - being ignored.

 

But the politicians don't feel that it was ignored. In their eyes - we've had tons of change. A new dollar coin, 5 new quarters every year, 2 new nickels last year and 2 more this year. And yet another new nickel in the works for next year. That leaves the half dollar, the cent and the dime not recently changed.

 

So their response is - What more do ya want ? You asked for change - you got change - lots of it !! And we're talkin about changing the cent too !!!

 

You see - they just don't see it the way we do. To them - it's just loose change. Something they don't even want in THEIR personal lives. And what they do have in their lives - they throw in a bowl on their dressers every night.

 

There's a few politicians out there who seem to understand. Or at least they understand the economics of it - that the govt can make $$$$ on the deal. That's why we have the changes we do have. But they won't stand up in public and say that. Good Lord they'll barely whisper it in private. They like their jobs, they like their place in society. And they're only willing to back an idea if they are assured of its success BEFORE they ever present it for action.

 

The change will come, and I suspect it will be sooner rather than later. For there's a few others out there like me who won't leave 'em alone. But it's not gonna come until they think they can reach that carrot

[cpm9ball]

GDJMSP ..... I coordinated a small campaign for changes.... there were a few collectors who were passioniate about the idea .... in all the mags and all over the internet.

 

Yes, I read the material, Time for a Change in our Change, when Hoot brought it back to the top.....and the articles on CoinPeople.com about the CCAC and the appointment of several members....and the Congressional testimony of David Ganz....and the PCGS articles The First and Last word on Coin Design , 2/16/1998, and A New Look at Coinage Redisgn , 3/30/2000.

 

I realize there has been a lot published on the subject, but I guess it's just my "door-to-door salesman" mentality....... You've got to keep knocking on doors! Has anyone tried to distribute the information and get petitions signed at the shows? My God, they're all over the country, practically every week! Why can't we enlist the services of key members of the various state clubs to get the word out on a state-by-state basis? Each of the state clubs could petition their Congressional Representatives to support the effort. Any elected official who has, in the past, expressed support for a change in our change should be asked to endorse our campaign and use his/her political influence to enroll others for the cause.

 

I'm still new to the Boards , but in my reading and correspondence I can see that there are participants from everywhere....UT, CA, Big Sky! , FL, VA, NY, TX, WA......and they, too, can help spread the word.

 

As for my part, I've already printed the bio's of all of the Congressional leadership. I intend to compose a letter to send to all of them and the President and Vice President of the United States, Secretary of the Treasury, Director of the Mint, Chairperson of the House Banking Committee, Congressional Representatives from Florida and (could he influence his brother?) Governor Jeb Bush of Florida.

 

" You asked for change - you got change - lots of it! "...... "the govt. can make $$$$ on the deal" .... "if they are assured of its success BEFORE they ever present it" .... Yes, and that is exactly the impetus we needed to get the ball rolling! We must drive home the fact that the States Quarters and Westward Journey programs have given the "coin-collecting bug" to millions of people. And, now, we must encourage them to consider the idea of creating an on-going, commemorative series for the half dollar, both circulated and uncirculated coinage, to continue this collecting frenzy after the quarter and nickel programs have ended. That's one hell of a carrot to dangle before them!

 

If anyone on these boards has ideas that I may use, please let me know. I am going to print this thread in its entirety, and I may use quotes (anonymous or otherwise) in composing my letter.

 

Input, please!

 

Chris Machuga

Cape Coral, FL

[GDJMSP]

By all means - give it a shot. But you should know that every single member of Congress, the President & VP and all the others listed were contacted by me personally, given a copy of the Petitions and information. I also talked to many of them.

 

But you will get nowhere unless you can get mass support behind you.

[cpm9ball]

GDJMSP ,

 

I commend your past efforts on this issue, and I am trying to maintain a positive attitude. Let's see. There are 535 (?) members in the House of Representatives and 100 members in the Senate. For a bill to be successful in both, it would need 278 and 51 votes, respectively. That means we would need fewer than 100 fellow collectors, give or take, to encourage their state representatives to support the bill.

 

In my opinion, the mass support you mentioned has little meaning. You should know by now that bills get passed every day at the municipal, county, state and federal level without necessarily having the support of the masses. What we need is a select group of passionate and persistent collectors, like you, to help us make this a reality.

 

Chris