Today is the sesquicentennial of the execution of John Brown, the terrorist-hero, and in a month and a half, the same anniversary of Lincoln's speech at Cooper Union. Tomorrow, the US senate is having hearings on whether or not to authorize a Civil War Sesquicentennial commission. While I support this measure, I don't think it goes far enough, here's what I think they should do as well. Reissue the Gettysburg and Antietam halves in clad. Modify them slightly and issue them in bags and rolls as well as individually, but with little or no premiums. Issue halves with similar themes between 2011 and 2015. Two a year. Sort of like the state quarters...and for the time being, get Kennedy off the half dollar.
I like the concept of the Gettysburg and Antietam halves, only problem is they won't circulate. To me a commemorative is supposed to get people to remember something, a person, a place, or an event. If no one ever sees it then no one remembers and it commemorates nothing. The only real circulating commemorative we have ever had was the Bicentennial quarter (and to a lesser extent the state quarters). And people know the bicentennial quarter, they recognize it and most know what it was for. It fulfills the meaning of a commemorative.
ericl said: "issue them in bags and rolls as well as individually, but with little or no premiums." LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You do know we're talking about the United States Mint in 2009, right?
