I'm sure you guys have heard that Congress is going forward with a 5 Star General coin come 2013. Yeah I know it's a bit early but I think the more we (coin lovers) say about an upcoming coin the better the coin will look, well I'd like to think!! The last couple of commemorative coins fell short by alot of opinions, not just mine. There was a thread just the other day about the US Mint not putting out innovative designs etc. see link http://www.cointalk.com/t111752/ I hope by talking about it maybe the CCAC who talks to the Director of the US mint will guide the mint into being a bit more creative in the designing of their coins especially this upcoming General coin. Or maybe we can just talk about it and be ready for what we get, I don't know. My understanding is they (the mint) is gonna make a General coin with 5 Generals on it. That's 5 faces on 1 coin, do I have that right? Anyone got anything to say just to talk about it? Anyone? I think the old Phillipines MacArthur coin looked great!! Any thoughts? http://news.coinupdate.com/star-generals-commemorative-coin-act-passes-house-0288/ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:1:./temp/~c111jyk2Qx::
Personally I would rather see great inventors on coins. Ordering a bunch of kids to take a hill over & over doesn't seem noteworthy to be honored on a coin or medal...
I think that 5 images on one coin would be a joke. Despite the fact that others will probably complain about my suggestion, I think they should make 5 separate coins spread over 5 years so they would have room for such things as dates of service, branch, DOR, etc. Chris
I agree. Pasting five mugs on a coin is going to be difficult and the result will probably look ridiculous. Individual coins/medals would be more appropriate (MHO).
I would like to see some cool military insignia, patch or medal on this commemorative. Something classic instead of cartoon-like. TC
I think the medal of honor coin has some possibility for a great design, since the medal itself is beautiful and the subject lends itself to the allegory of bravery, love of your fellow man, and those things seem tailormade for a coin. But a coin honoring five star generals? That coin imo deserves to be ugly, the subject matter is the men who were awarded five stars as their ranking? what could an artist do with such a charge, he could represent the men in profile, or he could represent them as a group, or he could represent them some other way. Marshall, Macarthur, Arnold, Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, so there you go, all competent generals, none that were particularly inspiring for boldness or genius. I feel sorry for the artists that are tagged to have to put their names to such a work. If the CCAC and the CFA want to see great designs they should take the artists off the leash law, I do not expect any decent designs from the 5 star generals coin, I am hopeful for the Medal of Honor coin, if they can use the general sense of ideals that are represented by the medal and can refrain from the narratives where they pick out some representation of bravery to illustrate.
I wouldn't mind what they put on the coin. But PLEASE put some great artistic quality into it. I mean something that is more beautiful than the a Morgan dollar or a St. Gaudin's dollar.. I know that's asking alot but let's not try to honor these generals with a mediocre design. Everthing seems so simple and modern now.
It was once common to portray Liberty, personified in female form, on our coins. Imagine the return of this figure, grown wiser and reflective after her absence, evoking confidence that our nation will endure any hardship and meet any challenge. Then, maybe our coins will once again become respected national symbols. - Michael Zielinski, NY Times OpEd, 5/21/09
Absolutely assnine! If you see the coin specs below the plan is to place 5 faces on the 5 Star General coin. Even when the US Mint has tried to honor 2 ppl on one coin the idea has flopped!! Here's a Booker T. Washington and Carver coin that was a 1953 Commemorative as an example, not a good example I know but I couldn't think of any others. Doesn't the CCAC or the US mint engravers get to attend the Congress hearings on these coin ideas cause something in the process sux, plain and simple!! I had tried to place a pdf of the whole HR-1177 but it didn't work, so here's part of it!! :rolling: --------------------------------------------------------------- SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. (a) Design Requirements- (1) IN GENERAL- The design of the coins minted under this Act shall include the portraits of Generals George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry `Hap' Arnold and Omar N. Bradley. (2) DESIGNATIONS AND INSCRIPTIONS- On each coin minted under this Act there shall be-- (A) a designation of the face value of the coin; (B) an inscription of the year `2013'; and (C) inscriptions of the words `Liberty', `In God We Trust', `United States of America', and `E Pluribus Unum'. (b) Selection- The design for the coins minted under this Act shall-- (1) be selected by the Secretary after consultation with the Command and General Staff College Foundation, and the Commission of Fine Arts; and (2) be reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
The CCAC is a joke! How many times have their recommendations been shot down by some 5-star politician. The members of the CCAC aren't even entitled to a Purple Heart. Chris
Hey Art now there is a great idea. A 5 oz silver coin and I stress coin not medal. That would provide plenty of room/space to design five potraits on. And Ardatirion, Miss Liberty would fit in perfectly with these guys. Next service coin has to be a Rear Admirals seeins how I'm U.S. Navy biased.
Fret, Are you saying that conjoined busts are always a flop. I agree that the Washington-Carver was terrible, but that was the engraver's fault, not the concept of conjoined busts. Personally, I find them to be spectacular. Here is the 1881 Yorktown Centennial medal featuring Washington and Lafayette and was the inspiration for the obverse design of the Lafayette Dollar. Not sure I would call that design a flop.
Well obviously I have eaten my words but you are talking about George Washington and to this day ppl still know his history and love that former President. My gripe is 5 Generals on one coin and regarding your example, that was a long, long time ago. Can you think of anymore that are more current? Obviously I can't say that all double imaged coins were a flop but can you name one that had 5 images that was a success? I know someone else posted a 5 person British coin but was that one a success poster of that coin? My whole point is that one coin with 5 images will look too busy, JMO. :kewl: Oh, here's an example of Mt. Rushmore. Obviously a great sight to see in person but on a coin, it looks to busy. This coin didn't do too well either.
It not only looks too busy but there's no artistic touch and feeling ito it. Emotion is what's missing. Like the 2005 IWO JIMA comemmemorative. These generals accomplished something great. Let the facial lines caused by the stress of World War show. The design has to emit greatness. etc., etc.
Been done: General Arnold General Eisenhower General MacArthur General Marshall Admiral King Admiral Leahy Admiral Nimitz President Roosevelt Don't forget the five-star admirals, too!
The plates: Set of 8 decorative plates featuring World War II generals and admirals My grandmother bought these decorative plates shortly after World War II. Five-star admirals and generals, and Pres. Roosevelt to make eight. From top left to bottom right: Admiral King Admiral Leahy Admiral Nimitz General Arnold General Eisenhower General MacArthur General Marshall President Roosevelt
