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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Gregorivs, post: 1134949, member: 29961&quot;]This thread evolved from &quot;Let&#039;s add half dollars to the US Mint&#039;s direct ship program&quot; to &quot;Let&#039;s redesign our system of circulating coinage.&quot;&nbsp; Both topics are interesting.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am actually a frequent user of the direct ship program for the dollar coins.&nbsp; I buy anywhere from $250 to $1000 a month depending on how quickly I use them.&nbsp; I get them both because I set aside a few of each type, and sometimes can&#039;t find each type at my banks (Buchanan, Fillmore, and Lincoln of all people never made it to the banks I use) and because it is easier to get dollar coins this way than to special order them at my bank.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I would be strongly in favor of adding half dollars to the direct ship program.&nbsp; The same logic seems to apply to them as to the dollar coins.&nbsp; They do not circulate and are not readily available at banks.&nbsp; Consumers who wish to use them simply are not given that option without making a special request at their local bank.&nbsp; The economics would seem to work as well.&nbsp; The mint can make $200 worth of halves for something like $60.&nbsp; Add $10 postage and they still net out $130 in profit for the general fund.</p><p><br /></p><p>As to coinage, my thoughts are this:</p><p><br /></p><p>- the dollar coin is fine.&nbsp; The color is good, people will accept it if you just get rid of the dollar bill.</p><p>- Cents are useless and should be discontinued.</p><p>- The same is true of nickels</p><p>- and dimes (When was the last time you bought anything for a dime?)</p><p>- Half dollars really are big and clunky for how little they are worth</p><p>- So are quarters</p><p><br /></p><p>So:</p><p><br /></p><p>- Get rid of the cent, nickel, and dime</p><p>- Stop making dollar bills</p><p>- Use the golden dollars</p><p>- add a golden half and a golden quarter</p><p>- add a silver colored or bimetallic $2 coin</p><p><br /></p><p>That plan is intended to optimize the usefulness of the coinage in circulation.&nbsp; Having done all that, I will add my collector oriented desires.&nbsp; Add a $5, $10, and $20 coin.&nbsp; They don&#039;t really need to circulate, but would provide space for more interesting designs and ever more commemorative series.&nbsp; Since no bank would stock them, they would have to be part of the direct ship program as well.&nbsp; Also, with a face value of $10 or $20, they could reasonably be as large as a silver dollar.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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