2022: A New Year, New Series. 1 1

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

2022 starts the American Women in Quarters series.  I realize that many collectors are frustrated with the sheer volume of designs being put-out by the US Mint.  However, what a great series to bring daughters and granddaughters into the fold.  So, just wanted to get thoughts from collectors on this new series.

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 9:05 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

2022 starts the American Women in Quarters series.  I realize that many collectors are frustrated with the sheer volume of designs being put-out by the US Mint.  However, what a great series to bring daughters and granddaughters into the fold.  So, just wanted to get thoughts from collectors on this new series.

I am absolutely not going to collect them for one major reason: that Laura Gardin Fraser obverse is absolutely, dreadfully hideous.  I thought it was butt ugly on the 1999 $5 gold Washington and I think it's every bit as hideous on a quarter.  With so many coins I find beautiful to collect, why would I start collecting something I find criminally, disgustingly ugly?  I wouldn't.  It's a shame, too.  It could have been a great series, but that obverse just kills it.  

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

George does look upset, for sure .

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 9:23 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

George does look upset, for sure .

George looks AWFUL.  He looks like he's trying to pass a kidney stone!  I know that this is going to be a very unpopular opinion with some members here, but I think Laura Gardin Fraser wasn't a great artist.  I've never seen anything she did that I liked one bit.  And it's another big disappointment from the U.S. Mint.  I mean, really, did they have to kill this series by putting something dreadful from ninety years ago by Laura Gardin Fraser on the obverse?  I personally think they should have gotten something new and fresh by a prominent female artist living today.  It's not like we're lacking in that department.  But, no.  In true U.S. Mint form, they had to ugly it up right out of the gate.  I swear the U.S. Mint must have a vault full of godawful, ancient designs to drag out just for such occasions.

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Is that bacon I smell?

Who farted?

I joke, but I know I will be building a P&D album from change.  I think it will be interesting when it is done, and certainly affordable. 

Edited January 5, 2022 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[Mohawk]

Yuck.   I think it looks like more the second option.  He'd probably look happier if he were smelling bacon.  It's definitely a fart smelling face, or one of being in a massive amount of pain.  I wouldn't be surprised if these quarters are ugly enough to make the washers and dryers at the Laundromat ill when I have to pump them in there in large numbers.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Mohawk

[Hoghead515]

I wanna change my vote. Didnt know what they was gonna look like until i scrolled down. Nothing aginst women. Its got to do with George. Looks like he been on a 3 day drunk. Hair all matted up. Thats the worst design Ive seen yet. The pony tail dont even look real. Looks like a rock hanging off the back of his head. Or some kind of Native American artifact. His necks a bit big for that head.  Then they put a nose on him you could plow ground with. 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Hoghead515

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

@Hoghead515 I cannot change the poll, but your wishes are noted in the records. 

 

 

[Hoghead515]

On 1/4/2022 at 9:31 PM, Mohawk said:

George looks AWFUL.  He looks like he's trying to pass a kidney stone!  I know that this is going to be a very unpopular opinion with some members here, but I think Laura Gardin Fraser wasn't a great artist.  I've never seen anything she did that I liked one bit.  And it's another big disappointment from the U.S. Mint.  I mean, really, did they have to kill this series by putting something dreadful from ninety years ago by Laura Gardin Fraser on the obverse?  I personally think they should have gotten something new and fresh by a prominent female artist living today.  It's not like we're lacking in that department.  But, no.  In true U.S. Mint form, they had to ugly it up right out of the gate.  I swear the U.S. Mint must have a vault full of godawful, ancient designs to drag out just for such occasions.

I agree 100%  I think its hideous. I would have like to see something entirely new. The old engravers had their moments. Let some of these new engravers have a chance to put out a beautiful design and start a new series. Hopfully these wont last long. 

 

[Hoghead515]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:33 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

@Hoghead515 I cannot change the poll, but your wishes are noted in the records. 

 

 

I may collect a run of them. Just in case its a short run of that design. Only for that reason. Not because I like it. The reverse designs may be beautiful. 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:38 PM, Hoghead515 said:

I may collect a run of them. Just in case its a short run of that design. Only for that reason. Not because I like it. The reverse designs may be beautiful. 

Buy a trusty blue Whitman folder and push them in "heads first".  Problem solved!

I am sure I will build the whole P&D set.  I really have no reason not to do it.

Edited January 5, 2022 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[Coinbuf]

I have no interest in this myself, just not the kind of thing I care to collect.  So while I voted no if I come across a really nice one in change I will likely throw it into a 2X2, no chance I'll collect the series or spend money to buy a graded one.

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:16 PM, Hoghead515 said:

I wanna change my vote. Didnt know what they was gonna look like until i scrolled down. Nothing aginst women. Its got to do with George. Looks like he been on a 3 day drunk. Hair all matted up. Thats the worst design Ive seen yet. The pony tail dont even look real. Looks like a rock hanging off the back of his head. Or some kind of Native American artifact. His necks a bit big for that head.  Then they put a nose on him you could plow ground with. 

It is awful, isn't it?  Compared to your beautiful Washingtons, this is a poor imitation done by someone of very limited talent.  This series really proves one thing: they were absolutely correct in selecting Flanagan's design over Fraser's in 1932.  What Fraser did is just awful.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Mohawk

[Hoghead515]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:43 PM, Coinbuf said:

I have no interest in this myself, just not the kind of thing I care to collect.  So while I voted no if I come across a really nice one in change I will likely throw it into a 2X2, no chance I'll collect the series or spend money to buy a graded one.

Same here. If I do collect them it will be in 2×2 flips. I can find better coins to spend money on that I like better. Or as Neo mentioned. May put in a Whitman or type album. 

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:38 PM, Hoghead515 said:

I may collect a run of them. Just in case its a short run of that design. Only for that reason. Not because I like it. The reverse designs may be beautiful. 

The reverse designs aren't too bad, making the hideously awful obverse even more tragic:

It could have been a decent series.......well done U.S. Mint.

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:42 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Buy a trusty blue Whitman folder and push them in "heads first".  Problem solved!

That's one solution, for sure.  And that's exactly what Fraser's monstrosity deserves....being pushed into the darkness of the holes of a Whitman folder and consigned to an unseen oblivion.  That design could gag a Tiger Shark.

[Hoghead515]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:45 PM, Mohawk said:

It is awful, isn't it?  Compared to your beautiful Washingtons, this is a poor imitation done by someone of very limited talent.  This series really proves one thing: they were absolutely correct in selecting Flanagan's design over Fraser's in 1932.  What Fraser did is just awful.

If that design waould have been chosen in 1932 @Lem Ewould have another nickel competitor in the registry with him. Lol. Or Id be a dime man or something. 

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:50 PM, Hoghead515 said:

If that design waould have been chosen in 1932 @Lem Ewould have another nickel competitor in the registry with him. Lol. Or Id be a dime man or something. 

And those would have been good choices.  I think that a lot of collectors of Washingtons would share your thoughts, my friend.  Flanagan's work is a good design.  Fraser's is not.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Mohawk
I cannot type.

[Hoghead515]

I like the Astraunaut lady design the best. I dont know her name but I remember the history of her.  And she wasnt a man killer. Im kinda scared of the lady on that one.  

Edited January 5, 2022 by Hoghead515

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:58 PM, Hoghead515 said:

I like the Astraunaut lady design the best. I dont know her name but I remember the history of her.  And she wasnt a man killer. Im kinda scared of the lady on that one.  

That would be Dr. Sally Ride, Hog.  I know that because my fiancée is way into space exploration and has gotten me into it.  She has a NASA t-shirt and I have one with the logo of the Soviet Space Program on it.   And I like that one, too.  My favorite is the Maya Angelou one, personally.  I just dig the motif and I think it's a great design that represents what Maya Angelou was all about.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Mohawk

[Hoghead515]

Well friends. I better call it a night. Gotta get up 3am. Ill talk at you all tomorrow. Im gonna follow this thread. Would love to see more opinions on this. Im sure some will like it and some will hate it. Thats America though. Its great we all get the freedom to share our opinions on these things. Have a wonderful night good friends. 

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 11:07 PM, Hoghead515 said:

Well friends. I better call it a night. Gotta get up 3am. Ill talk at you all tomorrow. Im gonna follow this thread. Would love to see more opinions on this. Im sure some will like it and some will hate it. Thats America though. Its great we all get the freedom to share our opinions on these things. Have a wonderful night good friends. 

Night, Hog.  Sleep well, my friend and have a great day tomorrow! I should go to bed soon, too....gotta keep sleeping off this damned cold!

[Hoghead515]

On 1/4/2022 at 11:02 PM, Mohawk said:

That would be Dr. Sally Ride, Hog.  I know that because my fiancée is way into space exploration and has gotten me into it.  She has a NASA t-shirt and I have one with the logo of the Soviet Space Program on it.   And I like that one, too.  My favorite is the Maya Angelou one, personally.  I just dig the motif and I think it's a great design that represents what Maya Angelou was all about.

Thaats a great design to. It was my second choice. I havent a clue who the other ladys are. I dont get towatch alot of TV or nothing. 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

I liked Sally Ride too, Hog.  But...

I have to say my favorite here is Anna May Wong.  I didn't know who Anna May Wong was; never heard of her.  But... just from the design I guessed she was an actress.  Again, just from the design, I guessed from the 1920s.  THAT'S a successful design!

CAVEAT:  We are looking at drawings.  I reserve all design comments until I see them on actual coins.

Edited January 5, 2022 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[Mohawk]

On 1/4/2022 at 11:11 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

I liked Sally Ride too, Hog.  But...

I have to say my favorite here is Anna May Wong.  I didn't know who Anna May Wong was; never heard of her.  But... just from the design I guessed she was an actress.  Again, just from the design, I guessed from the 1920s.  THAT'S a successful design!

So true, Neo. It succeeds to a high degree.  Which is a lot more than we can say for the obverse, which fails to just as high of a degree.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Mohawk

[Coinbuf]

I am curious to see hos this series goes, when I saw the first five above I only knew three of the women and had to look up the other two.   I would bet that many to most of the younger generations will have no idea of who any of those women are.   So I have to wonder, will this be a success and get people to at least do a google search when each design is released.   Or will most just say who the heck is this and go on with their day.

[Jalistair]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:35 PM, Coinbuf said:

I am curious to see hos this series goes, when I saw the first five above I only knew three of the women and had to look up the other two.   I would bet that many to most of the younger generations will have no idea of who any of those women are.   So I have to wonder, will this be a success and get people to at least do a google search when each design is released.   Or will most just say who the heck is this and go on with their day.

I suspect most will simply continue on.  Look at the coinage we have out right now, most people out there have no clue what is on the back of the coins.  Why?  Because less is more.  When you had an eagle on the back of Washington and then you changed it to a drummer-boy for a single year, people were excited to find something different in their change.  Now?  As a coin collector I don't even know what was on the back of last years quarters let alone any other quarter over the last five years or so.  We should have gone back to the eagle as soon as the 50 states were complete.  Now it simply doesn't matter anymore.    

[Fenntucky Mike]

More lifeless coins coming from the Mint. 

I believe this is a 4 year series, with up to 5 coins per year.? The series itself is a fine idea and that they chose to make the first five designs as diverse as possible is great, women from five different ethnic backgrounds.  But that Harriet Tubman was omitted from the initial release seems odd to me, especially with all the noise to have her on a FRN. I don't know if she was even considered or one of the finalists, but she's not getting on a FRN anytime soon and this would be an excellent opportunity to commemorate her, at least on coinage. If I search for lists of "Most Influential American Women" or similar only two of the five names above, occasionally, appear. Tubman is on most if not all lists. Just saying. 

[scopru]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:35 PM, Coinbuf said:

I am curious to see hos this series goes, when I saw the first five above I only knew three of the women and had to look up the other two.   I would bet that many to most of the younger generations will have no idea of who any of those women are.   So I have to wonder, will this be a success and get people to at least do a google search when each design is released.   Or will most just say who the heck is this and go on with their day.

I assume most will do what they do now - pay no attention to the designs or who is on it. 

[Revenant]

I said in the last thread about these, these coins just don't look pretty, much less beautiful to me, and I have no daughters to catch the imagination of, only 2 sons.

I made a journal recently about the early 1900s Italian 20 C coin. That coin immediately struck me when I saw it. That coin I thought was cool and it immediately made me want it in my collection.

I looked at these the first time and I just blinked a bit, and then shrugged a little. They just seem "Meh."

I have an abandoned set of Statehood quarters and I'm not adding an abandoned set of these.