Here is a sample letter that is being sent out to be against the HR 258 proposal that Virginia is trying. I asked the author if it was ok for me to post this on other boards to try and have everyone send copy to thier congressman. chris
You are probably aware of issues surrounding the redesign of U.S. coinage, in particular those denominations that have been circulated to date for greater than 25 years. These denominations include the Lincoln cent, circulated since 1909, the Jefferson nickel, circulated since 1938, the Roosevelt dime, circulated since 1946, the Washington quarter, until the State Quarters program circulated since 1932, and the Kennedy half dollar, circulated since 1964. In the period of time since the last major revision of these denominations, there has been an attitude of stasis in the design of our circulating coinage. This has arisen for many reasons, but they span the gamut from the rapid changes and improvements in manufacture, to political dogma that has infiltrated the vision of the Treasury Department and those who would exert political control thereupon. The exercise of stasis in the design of U.S. coinage has led also to a commonplace indifference in the American public that the coinage of modern day is fixed, with little or no leeway or reason to change. Nothing could be farther from the truth, as evidenced by Americans’ embrace of the rich symbology of the State Quarters program. Our nation has a rich heritage of circulating coinage. It has deep roots that hearken to the establishment of our autonomy as an independent nation. Indeed, much of our nation’s first coinage did not even bear the denomination, a signpost that our coinage was to be reckoned with as a world-wide force in trade. The lessons of this heritage are many and require significant study, but it is wonderfully summarized in some of the modern works of numismatics: Q. David Bowers’ (1979) History of United States Coinage as illustrated by the Garrett collection, Don Taxay’s (1966) The U.S. Mint and Coinage, and Walter Breen’s (1988) Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. These works texture the mind with the understanding that the evolution and facial change in our circulating coinage is a lucid expression of deep and current history combined, often with the allegorical expressions of Liberty, Victory, and Freedom. These values are held true in the heritage of our coinage, not in it static or institutional form. It is in these truths that I approach you on the topic of the State of Virginia’s legislative proposal H.R. 258. This bill, as proposed by Virginia Representative Eric Cantor, and modified by the Chairman of the House Financial Committee, Michael Oxley of Ohio, is an abomination of the heritage of our rich numismatic history. Indeed, in the long while that our circulating coinage has remained static, it is refreshing that the U.S. Mint and Treasury Department have at last put forth the contention that our circulating coinage should change. Yet, H.R. 258 seeks to destroy the foundations of the allegorical and artistically unbounded impetus of U.S. coinage design by setting constraints on the design reformation of one of our most basic circulating denominations: the 5 cent piece. This must not happen. Indeed, the ramifications of H.R. 258 are extraordinary. I should mention first that the Mint Act of Sept. 26, 1890 empowers the Secretary of the Treasury to unilaterally institute change in coin designs without congressional approval, given that the current designs have appeared on coins for the last 25 years. This act has been instituted numerous times, giving us some of our most wonderful coin designs, e.g., the buffalo and Jefferson nickels, the winged Liberty dime, the Standing Liberty and Washington quarters, the walking Liberty and Franklin half dollars, etc. However, H.R. 258 is an attempt to usurp the intent of the act: to allow a non-politically influenced governmental body to intercede on behalf of the nation’s values to create circulating coinage that by allegory or depiction of history conveys the inheritance of our country’s greatness. This is not a politically motivated intent. We must not allow a political interest veil the inheritance of greatness implicit in the redesign of our nation’s coinage. H.R. 258 and Chairman Oxley’s reformation thereof are designed to remove the power of the Treasury to act on behalf of the benevolent interests of our nation’s coin design. Indeed, Oxley’s proposed abolition of the CCCAC (Citizen’s Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee) and replacement with the CCAC (Citizen’s Coinage Advisory Committee) is windowdressing for the insidious passage of Cantor’s bill. These issues are clearly separate, and must not be allowed to ride together on any form of legislation. I urge you Senator, to lobby against the passage of H.R. 258. Furthermore, I urge you to be a stalwart in the fight for this nation’s numismatic heritage. If H.R. 258 passes the House, I urge you to vote against its subsequent form in the Senate. We must not allow our nations numismatic heritage to be hijacked by the childish charms and ignorant political interests of a few. Sincerely,
If you need your Congresmens address. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm http://www.house.gov/writerep/
