US coins are blah because the relief is too low. This has become this and it is sad! What used to be a stately portrait has become a smirking spaghetti haired freak!
And the designs suck and are boring. The regular coins, the comemerate coins, all the coins. Maybe they should appoint someone from the Smithosian Art museum to design the darn things.
It's definitely time for a new dime and nickel. However I would not want a series, just a completely new design.
I've thought about this for a while. While part of me agrees that it feels kind of blah, I kind of think this... Maybe it's just blah because we see it every day. I'm sure other countries feel the same about their coinage. The grass is always greener.
Why? Even in 1857, the last year of the half cent, there's never been a US coin with less purchasing power than today's dime. In other words, the 1857 half cent had more purchasing power (in 1857) than today's dime. What's the purpose of the penny, nickel, and dime? ...to make change? ...why? I hear..."the consumer will get screwed without these coins"...really!? Did the consumer get screwed in 1857? ..nope. Vendors slightly adjusted portions. I hear..."I collect pennies, nickels, and dimes...we can't end them!!!" YO! ...wake up! ...if these coins become obsolete, your collections will explode in value! So, I ask again...why? Why do we need a new nickel and dime? Why do we need pennies, nickels, and dimes at all? :scratch:
I didn't say get rid of them. I said redesign, like when we went from the buffalo to the Jefferson. If they dont I think future generations will stop collecting because there is not an old available design in change to spark an interest (like a new collector finding a wheat in change). Nowadays you can practically get a hundred year old nickel in change, but it's the same as the new change.
I wasn't aware that 1938 was 100 years ago... 100 years ago, they had V-Nicks, and those don't look anything like a Jefferson...
I think we may be missing the trend of what is going on in the world today. The demand for circulating coinage is decreasing significantly due to debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, online banking, etc. Why would the Mint want to spend money on something that is fading in utility and will most likely become almost obsolete in years to come? This is the electronic age, folks. As yakpoo said, why would we want to invest time, money and effort into something that is losing its place in the world? If circulating coinage was going to maintain its present level of usage or increase in usage, it would make sense to redesign coins, etc. This, however, is not the case. To believe otherwise is to be fooling ourselves. I believe the only coins/medals that will have a place in the future from a utility perspective will be bullion and commemoratives. Circulating coinage will someday be used very rarely. When that will be, though, is anyone's guess. However, it seems as though it is inevitable. Why are U. S. coins so blah? I think it's because (in terms of circulating coins), somebody had the bright idea to stop creating the types of designs that used to be on our coins and decided to replace them with the faces of politicians. In my mind, that was the death knell for attractive coins.
...and I ask again, why? Have collectors stopped collecting...half cents, two cents, three cents, twenty cents, etc? Really? ...you get a lot of Liberty and Buffalo nickels in your change? In the past 100 years, the US dollar has lost 97% of its value. If you find a 100 year old nickel, it only represents 3% of its original value. In 1912 you could buy a good 5¢ cigar...what does a good cigar cost today?
The Jefferson is very plain. As for the half cent etc., like I said they are old and not produced anymore - hence they're collected. Obviously collectors who have been collecting for years also collect moderns, but you rarely hear of a new collector starting their collection on Jefferson or shield penny's. It's usually on finding a wheat etc in change and being intrigued. Or because someone they know collects and it sparked an interest. The time when you can find different designs in change is starting to disappear. And if te amount of collectors out there drops so will the value of your collection. You need a demand to feed the supply.
I agree with you! Nothing SCREAMS collect me than having a variety of different "circulating" designs to choose from! When I was a kid, the collecting "seed" was planted after seeing Wheats AND Indians together. Come 1959, a third varriety was added. Half Dollars could esily be seen in both designs. Quarters could easily be seen in both designs. Dimes were easily seen in both designs. Nickels were easily seen in both designs. Having an abundance of eyeball varieties to look for only peaked my curiosity. As for why are US Coins so Blah? Simple. They are as boring as the dead presidents that are on them. Those political champions should have never replaced the original concept that this country was built on. Namely, LIBERTY in all its different shapes and forms.