Father Flanagan Boys Town 2017 Commemorative Coin Design Candidates

In an email dated March 14 2016, Michael White of the United States Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications released the following mock-up images of proposed designs for the obverse and reverse of the 2017 Boys Town Centennial commemorative coin program. The Boys Town commemorative program includes a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin, and a half dollar clad coin.

Most of the designs feature Father Edward J. Flanagan, a Catholic priest who founded Boys Town in Nebraska in 1917. The participating artists were tasked with producing matching pairs (obverse and reverse) for each candidate design.

http://www.coinweek.com/coins/news/2017-boys-town-gold-silver-commemorative-design-candidates

Any comments?

 

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Gold pair #1 is very nice. The posture of his head is unusual and conveys that he is looking at a child. Nicely done

 

Catholic Priests and Boys

 

Most of those are horrible. Gold pair 1/2 is alright but don't really love it. Silver pair 14 would probably look nice as a finished product but quite a few of those designs have the potential to challenge if not win the low mintage record

 

The designs are OK. Maybe it's because I don't collect moderns, but I don't see these being hot sellers.

 

This is a joke, right?

 

There is potential among the designs, but some simplification would be in order. There seems to be a desire to cram way too much onto a single side of a planchet. Busy, in other words.

Although the Boys' Town organization is worthy of commemoration, I do not see this series of modern commemoratives as 'must haves.' Personally, I will purchase the silver and clad coins in proof and uncirculated condition as I have every time commemoratives have been issued since 1982.

 

wasn't there a lot of controversy surrounding Boys Town back in the eighties or am I thinking of a completely different one?

 

I think Boys Town has escaped all the controversies involving priest misconduct. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It's important not to use that paint brush if it's not justified.

 

I'm not fond of any obverse/reverse combination. I'd mix and match them.

I plan on buying one because of the charity it represents. I give to this charity on a yearly basis. It's one of the few that actually use the majority of your donation for actual purpose.