American Eagle Palladium Bullion Coin Act Introduced in House

Thank you for putting the two images up. I was thinking to do something like that and didn't get around to it earlier. :thumb:

 

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no problem krispy ... the reverse reminds me of the Walking Liberty Half reverse.

 

Indeed it does look like that reverse design. It would be great to see it used and UHR at that!

 

Ahh thanks coinkeeper

 

I'd deffinitely like to own some of these... especially in proof!

 

Why do we recycle so many coin designs from the past? I love them all just as much as the next guy but why not create a new depiction of Liberty to put on the obverse and a new eagle for the reverse?

 

i agree with you ...

it's probably because the modern designers are awful.

instead of coming up with allegorical designs of liberty and freedom
they are all hung up on dead presidents, buildings, and depicting scenes

have you looked at the modern commemoratives?
most are really bad

just look at the sheer beauty of these coins from 1916 ...
it would be great if modern designers would start creating some new designs along this ilk ...
but i am not holding my breath for that happening anytime soon.

 

It may be perceived by the drafters of the bill, easier to get a previously known and accepted design accepted for a new coin issue, and thus get the bill passed into law and into action.

I love the old designs too and would love to see modern designs reference the older designs. I think many European coins, especially French coins have done this successfully. It could work for the US too.

 

House OKs palladium coin from Numismatic News - Buzz by Dave Harper [10/01/2010]

 

I have a hardtime beleiving that there's no one out there that can come up with a clean, new, modern design that is beautiful. I think I'd agree with Krispy in that if you can use an old design, being nostalgic, perhaps it would be easier to pass?

I just think there are too many coin designers out there that would love a chance at being the next great coin designer.....

As for palladium coins, I'm willing to buy a couple when they come out. I just don't know enough about palladium to understand if these would be good long term items to hold onto???

 

Three reasons i can think off

1. Using a old design guarantees a collector base, every mercury dime collector is going to want at least one

2. Making a new design they would have to be "PC" and make a design that none of us would like.

3. The coin design was the next logical step after using the design of the walking liberty half and Saint Gaudens double eagle in bullion coinage

 

I can see your point. I'm not sure how they would have to be PC about the coin designs, although if they did, then I wouldn't buy any. So for the sake of having to be PC, then I would vote to go with older designs....

 

Points #1 and #3 are quite valid obsevations but I disagree with your point #2.

What one person calls "PC" is often highly subjective when something doesn't resonate with them but it doesn't express the views of all. Coin collectors notoriously cling to the past and bemoan with nostalgia the older era of designs that are ingrained in the hobby's mindset, but the same conflicts and insider direction of new coin introduction and new designs went on, there are books on the history of coinage design and innovation.

Coin collectors focus heavily on the past and often shun the current and new. 'Modern' coin collectors contend with being shunned all the time. Certainly, the review boards assembled to decide upon new designs are complex and have many egos and agendas to satiate, and they are never going to simply speak the voice of the collector, it's too small of a population to whom the coins serve. Collectors are not the audience they serve in the first place despite what most seem to feel. Collectors and dealers are a fraction of a thought in the overall consideration of new coins and their designs.

Despite a majority of hobbyists disliking a new coin design initially, the Mint continues to sells out large mintages of new collectible coin products. Some say mintages are shrinking but the hobby is also a healthy growing one and willingly buys anything new. A lot of clever marketing sees to that as well. Bullion investors don't (shouldn't) give a hoot about a coins design, if they are pure investors, the design simply doesn't matter to them as much as the guarantee on the coin does.

What you over generalize as the voice for all, "what none of us would like." isn't reasonable to support your argument in point #2 for all those involved because a fraction of the overall base of coin hobbyists resists the new immediately and disapproves the politics of the process of new coin legislation.

The best thing to do if you agree/disagree is to write your elected officials and to those proposing the new bill(s). Afterall, don't forget that without new designs the hobby would stagnate too and eventually by not attempting anything new, designers would suffer too, be less in need and unable to innovate. The bill is known as the 'Coin Modernization, Oversight and Continuity Act' so it should allow for modernization of the process and to usher in new coin designs without being shackled to some nostalgic lost era.

 

Why can't we just have new lady liberty or eagle designs? Keep the same look and feel, but just different poses? This way if anyone thinks we are getting too "PC", we aren't, it's the same thing, different angle...etc etc...

 

When i said a PC coin design i was talking about coins such as the First Spouse series, How does just being the wife of someone justify them being on a coin? All you have to do is look at the mintage compared to the Gold Eagles and Golf Buffalos to clearly see that it has had a major inpact on demand and sales.

 

I don't buy the First Spouse series either. Never really thought about it being PC, but I can see that.

 

I don't see the FS as being PC but rather another marketing concept that targeted the deeper pocket consumers (collectors). It was a poorly thought out plan as it doesn't seem to have captured a significant enough chunk of the modern collector base to warrant the demand originally thought to exist. The idea simply seemed to be riding on the heels of the State Quarters and territories program, Westward journey nickel series, the National Parks Quarter program...

Where I feel things get dicey in the "PC" debate are the Silver Commemorative coin bills and designs. There are competing lobbyists and special interests groups behind most of them and the oversight and review boards are politically motivated as well. These however differ from planned long running bullion (and collector version) coin designs, which must create a lasting and strong impression with the coin that will represent across decades of issuance. This is where allegorical and symbolic figures seem to really show their merit and why they are sought for such long running coin programs.

The classic designs on AGEs, ASEs and AGBs are all representative of this, so its no surprise we will see other popular symbolic imagery reconsidered for the palladium coins. Some reworking of the designs like has been done on the ASE from the WLH helps to freshen up the design and make it distinct from the older predecessor. There have been many excellent reverse shields and eagle designs in the last 25 years worth of commemorative coins whose designers should also be sought, however, there is very little in modern US coin design that approaches high relief as mandated by the bill for the palladium coins. Quite the opposite with US coinage, designers have been pressed to innovate flatter and and thinner designs, like the 3/4 portrait of Jefferson on the recent forward facing portrait design of the nickels five years ago. Most likely the UHR eagle they select for the reverse will have to be from an older era more accustomed to coin and medal relief work to carry a strong sense of design into this coin.

The new palladium coins are a departure if they are to be UHR compared to the other bullion coins: AGEs, ASEs and AGBs. I am curious if bullion versions will have one die set for low relief and the West Point collector palladium will be proof-like UHR only? I think the palladium coins will be a pricey addition to the product catalog but one that will help to complete the eagle programs metals line up and draw attention to more collectors and investors in this precious metal.

I feel certain that modern design aesthetic can render us wonderful new concepts of liberty and other national symbols but that the production time lines and technical parameters that seem to challenge the Mint and coin legislation prevent much success, which seems to be one major point this bill is trying to address, given the name of the bill. It should be interesting to watch this one unfold. I hope it doesn't just collapse like previous palladium coin plans have recently.

 

Keep us updated!

Coin World has a good article about this.the metal is going to be one of the harder thing to get.the old 1980's the law written on metal the the US Mint can use.they may need to update the metals used in the coin act
Plus it maybe look like a Mercury Dime:thumb:

 

I LOVE the mercury dime designs, I'm not sure why. If the APE's end up with that design, I may end up purchasing many....I think I would get hooked....

 

I hope palladium would be able to pull back before they start producing these. It's been up so much in the past 18 months. Selling regularly over $610/oz for Canadian Maples.