As "Maundy Thursday" fast approaches, my thoughts go to Maundy Money...and what this year's tribute may portend. I'm also thinking, why should Great Britain have a monopoly on Maundy Money? Why doesn't our Mint produce special coins (or circulation coins in the MS70 condition) for distribution to the elderly and poor? What does everyone think about US Mint "Maundy Money"? :hail:
I once thought about trying to put together a type set of Maundy coins (1 from each monarch) but the prices - woo hoo!
I used to collect those sets, had the same one you show in the same case even. I managed to find a dozen or so in those cases before I stopped collecting. The coins are not that hard to find, but finding a full set in one those cases - that's tough. And as noted, pricey sometimes. Never did get one of those in the pouches though.
Depends on who you ask. Some would no doubt tell you I was in line when Charles II handed them out Of course they are often sold by the recipients. I just never managed to find one at a price I was willing to pay at the time.
Hello Yakpoo, Thank you for the really nice post. It is a nice idea for the USA to make Maundy money but it might not be that simple (due to the number of US elderly & poor entitled to the coins). There may not be enough time on the coin presses to make both Maundy money and the circulation coins we need for commerce. Here is a nicely toned 1933 Maundy 2 D. I've posted this one a few times at CT.
Wouldn't our tax revenue be better spent on providing helpful services for the elderly and poor? While the British custom is charming (and rooted in history), it doesn't seem like an effective use of mint resources to me. What pattern would you use? The sitting US President (or First Lady) on one side and an eagle with denomination on the reverse? Or the emblem of a different charitable cause / commemorative cause each year (echoing the 50c / $1 / $5 pieces)?
I would like to see the Mint discontinue the Penny, Nickel, and Dime and circulate larger denomination coins such as $5, $10, and $20 coins. It would be nice to see VERY small amounts of Pennies, Nickels, and Dimes to continue to be produced as US Maundy Money and presented to randomly selected poor or homeless. They wouldn't be poor or homeless for long!!! :hail: EDIT: Here's a nice article about Maundy Thursday... http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/maundythursday.htm
Not really. The number of recipients equals the reigning leader's age so for Obama that would be fifty men and fifty women and each would receive a quarter, dime, two nickels and five cents. There would be 100 sets of quarter, dime, nickel, and cent, 100 extra nickels and 400 extra cents. Plus a number of sets for the VIP's at the ceremony. If you dropped the quarter you could have more sets with each recipient receiving three sets of dime, nickel and cent plus two extra cents. That would mean 300 full sets and 200 extra cents. Plus the sets for the VIP's. (Do you start to get an idea why these sets are so highly desired?) In England they use 1,2,3, and 4 penny coins. That is ten pence. The queen is around 80 right now so that is 160 people each receiving 8 sets or around 1280 sets. That number doesn't go very far among collectors. And the number available will be even smaller because some people don't sell their sets. Then there are the ones that sell with the leather pouches and other ceremony items. There are on 160 possible of those.
I always thought that Maundy coins were really cool, and I searched shows for a set from my birth year for a LONG time. I finally found it, and the price wasn't even horrible.
