Who decided to make US coins ugly?

Looking at some Morgans, Walking Liberty halves, and Standing Liberty quarters you get the point. Who and why did we decide to take lady liberty off our coins and put dead presidents and national Monuments on our coins. Holding a Morgan or even a Peace dollar in your hand is so much better than a Eisenhower dollar. Why oh why did we take away the artful way our coins were made? Ice

 

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I guess we would have to look back in history and find some common threads with the smucks in Congress that started each coins change. It's been a slow process, but the walkers and merc dimes were the last liberty coins I think.

 

You'd have to go back many thousands of years to answer this, as people have put portraits of living and dead leaders on their coinage from the very beginning. It all boils down to politics, egos and rear end kissing.
Guy~

 

Who ya callin' ugly??

 

I really don't think the dead presidents care if they're honored...

I could easily do away with the lincoln cent, washington quarter, and jefferson nickel. Those presidents get enough honor with monuments, history books, etc.

it might be too soon for say, kennedy and roosie to be replaced?

I dunno... I'm all for the beautiful coins we used to have... no more sacagawea taking a dump in the corn field plz

 

we need another crazy president like Teddy to come along and lay the smack down with regards to the coinage.

P.S. I call him crazy with the utmost respect. He is one of my favorite American characters Read "River of Doubt" to see how he was awesome to the end...

 

One of the most beautiful US coins - the Standing Liberty Quarter - had a run of only 15 years, even though the law states coin designs cannot be changed until the design is 25 years old. People now live long lives without ever seeing a change in our boring coins. The Lincoln Cent obverse remains unchanged for 100 years. Roosevelt - 63 years. I say change is long overdue.

 

Teddy was the one that dished out the legislation behind St. Gaudens's double eagle. I definitely agree with you. That specific design is one of my favorites. especially the reverse

 

he said that the united states should have coinage as great as the country, or something to that effect. He wanted gaudens to re-do every denomination, but gaudins died before he could finish (barely started) but it got the ball rolling...

IMO the coinage of the time was the most beautiful ANY nation has ever had.

 

Who? I don't know.

Are they ugly? Yes.

By the way our paper money pretty much sucks these days as well.

 

Plain and simple - blame the Mint and Congress. And the complacent population that doesn't care enough to complain or demand a change.

 

You're totally right. Let's think about this...

St. Gaudens 20$
Indian/Liberty 10$/5$/2.5$
Morgan 1$
Barber $ .50 (I would prefer the walker...)
Barber $ .25/$ .10 (meh)
Liberty $ .05
Indian $ .01

Ok so other than the barbers (which are ok considering Walking Halves, SLQs, and Mercs) TR's presidency was a great time for U.S. coins

 

I have been utterly dissapointed with this crap we call coins. When will it change. Now, we have the dump dollar to look forward to. Yay

 

Maybe we should look at what the mint produced in 1916. WOW!

 

You got that right. What ever happened to the elaborate and beautiful designs we used to have on paper? Maybe all the artists are dead.
Guy~

 

Who was the first to decide to put a dead president on a coin? Teddy Roosevelt to honer Lincoln's 100th birthday. Before 1909 folks had been opposed to having the likeness of a individual on a coin. So it was Teddy who started the trend of individuals on coins in the first place.

Lou

 

As you know it was bad in the 19th century, most people never saw a circulating silver U.S. coin with anything other than the Seated Liberty design. Ran 53 years. As for Roosies and Kennedys, it might be too soon politically (although I don't see why) but numismatically they are getting awfully long in the tooth. Lincolns too, although the cent denomination's sheer survival seems in question when commodities next spike.

Best Regards,

George
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VDB Coins

 

You know... I don't think people will care as much. Not about the kennedy at least... when was the last time you saw someone spend a half dollar?

The roosevelt is long overdue for an overhaul... the reverse nor the obverse have seen a change since it came out... over half a century ago... blegh

 

ugly coin may become rare and price skyrocketing. who knows. just buy every issue from the mint for collection.