The US Mint is one of the best government agencies I can think of so why do they constantly make poor decisions when it comes to minting coins? I can name 3 just off the top of my head but there have been plenty. Of course the Susan B. Anthony, the Eisenhower Dollar and now the President Dollars, like nobody saw that coming. President dollars and the unexpected stockpile. Last count according to Wiki is 1.4 billion coins and counting. That is totally ridiculous!! Incidentally, "The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has stated that discontinuing the dollar bill in favor of the dollar coin would save the U.S. government approximately $5.5 billion over thirty years", so it's not like nobody knows what time it is here. We've already had numerous threads about dumping the paper dollar so I won't get into that but this is a total embarrassment. When will the US Mint start taking charge of minting coins? I know somebody is gonna say well it's all up to congress and try to diminish this post but I have to disagree. All of our gov't agencies including congress are full of attorney's. With access to the best lawmakers in the world why can't someone simply write in a stipulation to the HR law that says, (if at any time during the minting of said coins it is discovered that subject coin idea is falling flat and the US Mint is not gonna make any money; then said agency has the right to stop minting them by notifying the House of Representatives 90 days prior to the act of discontinuing the minting of said coins.) It can't be that hard, after all the US Mint keeps great records of how many coins are minted and how many are sold. Excuuuuuse the venting but hopefully some Congressional Aide will read this and pass it on to their boss to put together an idea. Or more likely someone will write about it in CoinWorld magazine or something. Now if it's not possible b/c there's too much gov't red tape involved, then I suggest some people get fired and the gov't start all over again when it comes to minting coins. Maybe they should just sub-contract minting of coins out to Kitco or Provident. That's sure to save money, heck just sub-contract to Daniel Carr. http://www.coinnews.net/2012/01/06/us-mint-adds-presidential-1-coin-products-cuts-prices/
I actually prefer to carry the dollar bill over carrying coins in my pocket, not that my option matters one way or another! LOL
Who carries money? Lately it's all about plastic. I rarely carry money, but when I do, it's usually a few one dollar bills folded up in my wallet for a soda or a snack at work.
Answer: When the Constitution is changed. The US Mint does not decide what and how many to strike. Per the Constitution, Congress tells the Mint what to do. But you already knew that.
The idiocy which runs this country is beyond amazing. It's all about votes folks, Nothing more and nothing less. The real question is: "Who is the biggest idiot?" To stand up in front of a crowd and state that limiting production of the Presidential Dollar coin will "save" the country $50 million dollars a year sounds pretty danged good. Until, that is, its pointed out that eliminating the dollar bill would save the country $180 million dollars a year. Yet, folks continue to eat it up. What they are eating can't be said but they're eating something! Back to the question, "Who is the biggest idiot?"
I carry a grand in cash with me as not everyone I purchase from accepts plastic. NFN, but cash is heard louder than plastic
Exactly! Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity!! When is congress gonna learn from past mistakes? Not to incite a riot or anything but someday (we the people) are all gonna get together and throw these nutcases out of office!! Let's get em' boys!! :yes:
I hope I don't cross the line for the forum rules with my answer. To answer your question: People often say, "We should vote them ALL out!" but when it comes time to vote many people vote for their incumbent because he/she holds some political sway or heads a committee or party leader or something similar. It is easy to say, "Let's vote the ALL out!" but what most people really mean is, "Everybody else should vote against their incumbent."
Oh no, that would be too nice. I say let's go throw them out by their ear like the people of the Phillipines threw out Ferdinand Marcos. Here's another bad US design. Even if it is the DCCAC or whoever the heck picks out these coin designs, somebody needs to change! I think I'll forward this over to them, maybe the janitor will read it and put a bug in somebody's ear. That's usually how things get fixed anyways. The 9/11 design is just terrible!!! Coins and the US Mint is just a small part of what is wrong with the gov't. Some politicians have even come out and said you have to run the gov't as a business. The Tea Party and now Occupy WallStreet people are fed up with this insanity, something's gotta give. And all I ask is for a decent coin design. :rollling: They could even start over from some of the first coins minted and mint them over again if they're out of ideas. I'm just sayin'! Sure every few years the US Mint will hit a home run like they did with their 25th Anniversary ASE's. That said, it was only a $300 or so a set and there were only 100,000 sets. That's not even a drop in the bucket. Dang people, get it together!! :yes:
But you still have to get a Congressman to insert it into the bill, and keep all the others from amending to bill to remove it. And since it usurps Congressional authority on something it will get removed. All to often lately the general guideline of the design is specified in the authorizing legislation. The CFA and the CACC look at the submitted designs and give advice or criticism, but it is the Secretary of the Treasury who actually selects what the design will be. Now in that case, that was a completely within the mint decision. There was no legislation or oversight to deciding to strike that set. The law lets them make the bullion coins and it lets them make special versions for collectors. It doesn't say they should make special sets for collectors using the coins they are allowed to make, but it doesn't say they can't either. And since they don't have to go to Congress for funding they can use their discretionary funds to get the ball rolling. I wouldn't talk to loud to Congress about the success of things like the 25th anniversary set though unless you want them writing legislation to create dozens of other sets to sell to the collectors.
You could probably find the answer to this question by finding who is taking lobbyist money (bribes) from the company supplying the treasury with paper for printing the dollars. On second thought, better not post an answer. This does not need to get political!
