I was just thinking that all I ever read on this forum is how modern U.S. circulating coinage is all ugly, and I don't disagree at all. What I was wondering is how long do you all think it will be until the U.S. mint puts out a coin that has a design that most people can agree is great. After I thought about that, it got me wondering if classic designs like the walking liberty, the mercury, and other beautiful designs were always thought of like that, or was it not until years after they stopped being minted that people looked back and realized their beauty. Will that happen with some of the coins we find in our change everyday now? What are your thoughts? I'm only 23, so I have many years and design changes ahead of me and I hope that I can see a new design that may be an instant classic.
Unfortunately, politics drives coin design. Beauty in our coinage is a thing of the past (and you can lump paper money in with that also).
The classic coins we adore now were sculpted by famous (even in their day, and outside of the coin world) artists of the day. They weren't committee designed and laser engraved and politically correct. So yes, even in their day those coins were considered a beautiful work of art, in most cases. If they held competitions among well known artists to design coinage designs today, we might see coins that don't resemble clipart images with no meaning at all. Guy
The future of U.S. coins is bleak long term as is the future of paper money. Eventually the government will push for all electronic banking systems with no cash or coins involved is my thought.
This is something that I'm up in the air about it. I hear people all the time say "Go back to Lady Liberty." I hear what they are saying, but in a way I feel like it would take something away from our traditional coinage. When you see lady liberty on a coin, you know you have something special. What would happen if coinage was over-saturated with lady Liberty?
Actually, some of the earlier coinage was loathed. Like the Trade dollar and the Morgan dollar. Barber coinage also was hated...and still is by most. The Mint Director Kimball thought our coinage at the time (1880's Seated Liberty) was inferior.
Actually youd be surprised. Ive read several articles and books on US coinage. The general population have ALWAYS been harsh critics. Almost every coin ever issued was ridiculed by the public. They didnt like the early half dollar designs because Lady Liberty looked like a crazy person with the hair. They didnt like the Seated Liberty design when it came out (thought it symbolized weakness)or the Barbers (unimaginative). Mercury dimes were criticized. The flying eagle cent was ridiculed. They didnt like the Peace dollar originally because the eagle was clutching a broken arrow (seemingly signifying defeat). So that had to be changed. I think I remember reading somewhere that they didnt even like the buffalo nickel. If they only knew what was to come! lol You should read the book "The History of the US mint and its coinage". Very very interesting with great illustrations. It talks alot about the problems and general concensus people had concerning newly issued coinage. Sent from my Motorola Electrify using Tapatalk
I've noticed the subject of coinage designs always leading toward the images on the coins. I have an equally big issue with the low lifeless relief on today's coinage. You could put the most beautiful design on the next updated coin, and lose all the warmth by making a flat, lifeless, low relief version of the original. Am I alone on this modern annoyance?
Have to agree with Vess1. As I was reading about the history of the Morgan dollar, it was clearly stated the public hated the scrawny eagle on the reverse. It didn't seem like a lot of people liked the Trade and Peace dollar at the time either. But now, it seems that a lot of people like the designs and are collecting them. Only time will tell if people in the future will like the coins been minted now.
I agree with you with the low relief appearance. However, this is the sign of the times when newer technology is introduced into the minting/engraving process. One day in the near future, computers and laser engraving will completely take over with little or no human intervention.
I do realize that in order to produce the coins at the rate the U.S. mint does, the relief had to be reduced. But, I'm seriously doubting they will reintroduce higher relief designs as the demand for coins decreases with more and more electronic fund transfers.
I think that people are always wishing for an earlier time. They certainly didn't make coins better in the old days. Look at the date issues with the Buffalo nickels and Standing Liberties. The V-shell Nickel was certainly not even a good looking coin. I must say that I did like the Walking Liberty Half better than the Franklin or Kennedy.
I don't think they will ever find a design that we will ALL agree with. And yes at some point I think today's coins will be looked at as appealing but I think that will only be because the coins then will be even more awful and PC. Or even worse...no coins at all.
The US and the world coin designs has been going downhill for many years. The saying " it takes money to make money " is a good way to describe it.
