I keep thinking that if I ran the circus, the US Mint, I'd issue a nice looking annual Christmas coin, priced from $8-12. Something you can hand to nieces and nephews, etc. Silver eagles are above the "hand out" price point for me, and likely most people. Maybe a bronze $10 coin?
I think they would be able to make a few dollars on that. I'm surprised no it hasn't happened yet. Anrw design each year would keep people interested and possibly get a few new members into the coin collecting community. I'd vote for a commemorative half. No varieties, just proof quality from one mint in one composition.
Must work, The Isle of Man has been doing it for years with special Christmas 50 pence coins, and the Marshall Islands does it as well with their $5 coins.
I think the U.S. mint is missing out on a potential money-maker here! Do you think Mr. Moy reads anything on this site?
I think Christmas has been commercialized enough, and the mint has created enough gimmicky junk in recent years.
Can you imagine the hue and cry from the "Separation of Church and State" crowd, if such a coin was issued by the U.S. Mint?
Oh, with respect to commercializing Christmas, you could do what the Post Office does: have a Santa/seasonal thing and a serious Nativity/Madonna and Child option. You just need to be tough and shrug off the "separation" folks, if you want a Judeo-Christian thing. . . the argument there being that it's a major, major part of American life. I think it's possible to just ignore the first few negative comments and go on. And of course, it's like like the stuff is circulating currency: presumably a coin with Christian content would only be purchased by those wanting it. Not forced on anyone or proselytizing. I know I'd buy a half dozen a year as giveaways.
It wouldn't make any difference to them. They are still trying to get "In God We Trust" off all our coins and currency. I wish they would heed this advice, and, instead, focus on some substantive issue: "It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God." Thomas Jefferson
I have a very simple solution for them... don't buy one then. It's just like television: don't watch it if you don't like what's on.
Indeed. Guess that in a country where a religious motto even appears on all "plain regular" circulation coins, it does not really matter whether some collector coin, not issued at face value, also has a religious reference or not ... Christian
As one of the people who would really like to see the IGWT thing taken off our coins, I would have to say I'm in full agreement here. With a special non-circulating Christmas coin people have a choice. If they don't like it they don't have to buy it. If you made it a circulating coin I would object. (I also opposed Ms O'Hair when she lobbied to try and get the Sunday morning church services off the TV and Radio stations. Unlike her campaign against school prayer, listening to those stations was not manditory. You had a choice to change stations or turn it off.)
Point well made. I also think this would be a great gift idea for those hard-to-shop-for nieces, nephews, Godparents, etc. where you have no idea what they like. I for one would definately order up a couple along with a few selected items they already carry.
Yeah, I don't think it should be a circulating thing. Just an option thing for someone to buy if he wishes. On the other hand, perhaps the Franklin Mint is still in business.
I agree with you. And yes, the Franklin mint is still going and may be our choice if we'd like some type of holiday medal or token. I'm sure they will be overpriced base metal pieces that will be worth nothing. But if the design is descent, I'd maybe consider them for gifts.
