I'd Buy That for a Dollar

A stamp machine at the post office gave me dollar coins back as change -- five Sacagaweas and two Susan B. Anthonys. I gave some to my kids, who had to be convinced they were legal tender, and freaked out a clerk at an Arby's by using one.

"Are you sure you really want to spend this?" he asked, marveling at the golden coin honoring a woman so obscure there's no record of her appearance. A coin can't be doing very well when people think you spent one by accident.

Last week the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill to crowd out Sacagawea with new dollar coins for each president, beginning in 2007 with the first four: Washington, Jefferson, John Adams, and Madison. I'm setting a task in Microsoft Outlook to corner the market in 2010 on Millard Fillmore, widely recognized as our least accomplished leader.

The earliest a Hillary Clinton dollar will be available is 2017.

Politics · 2005/05/02 · 12 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

I'm going after the Hillary Clinton dollar (or I'll have my kids do it). And there will be a Hillary Clinton dollar...

#1 · Eddie Dickey · 2005/05/02

With enough of those dollars you could buy the SUX 2000, unless E.D. 209 gets you first.

Seriously, I think the Sacagawea dollars are great, but they'll never become popular unless the gov't eliminates the $1 bill. And my pal Teddy Kennedy isn't gonna let that happen as long as Crane & Company in Dalton, MA is providing the linen for all those greenbacks. Too bad, so sad.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the H. Clinton $1 coin.

#2 · RoverDaddy · 2005/05/02

Up here in the Great White North we switched over to one and two dollar coins a while back leading to the Canadian saying..."Last election I voted for change and now that's all I gots left in my pocket" We call ours the "Loony"-a real confidence builder eh?

Also "I'll buy that for a dollar"? I know that one. Is it RoboCop or Running Man?It's got to be one of them.

Be Well.

#3 · dethspud · 2005/05/03

Don't be silly. Millard Fillmore was endowed by nature with the most glorious baritone voice to be heard on an American stage!

I'm holding out for William Henry Harrison.

#4 · Aaron Swartz · 2005/05/03

The bill-reader lobby will never countenance an end to the crappy $1 bill. Every developed country in the world has switched towards high-value coins, but the US holds out. Why? Because you'd have to stick a five in a stripper's thong? Because people who tip in coins are considered cheap? Dear me.

The lowest-value note in England is worth $9.50. The lowest Euro note is worth around $7. But heh, isn't it great to have a stuffed wallet only to find that it's bulked out by singles?

At least this time they could come up with dollar coins that don't look like discoloured quarters, okay?

#5 · nick sweeney · 2005/05/03

I"ll be looking forward to the Harrison dollar in '09. Will There be Cleveland dollars issued in '11 & '12, since he was the 22nd and 24th president? I also believe a president would have to be dead a year before a coin is issued, same rule as for stamps.

#6 · crazy charlie · 2005/05/16

In reference to Sacagawea.
Not sure how Marge Simpson said it, but it was something like this.

"...And today she is memorialized on a commerative Golden Dollar coin, which you can trade in for a real dollar"

#7 · Mr X. · 2005/07/27

Actually Hillary will never be on a dollar even if she is President, nor Bill, nor George or Jr. (hopefully none of them will be on a coin) Presidents must be dead for them to appear on the Dollar coin. First ladies will appear on PURE GOLD coins, REAL GOLD! I plan to offer all of the Presidential Coins and First Lady coins as well as official United States Government issued Bronze and Silver Medals at my coin site buydollarcoins.com Happy Collecting:)<>

#8 · Coin Collector · 2006/12/25

P.S. the first issues will be released to the banks for circulation, but that will be short lived! These coins are NOT going to circulate! They are too heavy and fuel expenses increase when dollar coins are used instead of paper dollars. The weight for ONE of the coins weighs about the same as 20 worn U.S. dollar notes! The expense of transporting them is too high. IF the Government would change the coin to the size of a cent it would circulate. Cents are soon to be made of paper since it now costs 1.25 cents to produce a cent coin (post 1982, composition 90% zinc, 10% copper coat). The old pre 1982 cents are 90% copper, worth about 6 cents in copper per coin! It is now illegal to melt cents and nickels!

#9 · Coin Collector · 2006/12/25

I'm holding out for the Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush dollars.

#10 · Jim S. · 2007/01/11

To correct myself, the cent will be made of plastic, in the near future, not paper (most likely starting in 2009, the 200th anniversary of Lincolns birth. IN 2009 there will be 4 reverse designs for the cent!) To be specific as to the weight of the new dollar coin vs. the paper dollar, the new coin weighs about 8.1 grams, the paper dollar weighs about one gram. The cost to transport the coins (by Wells Fargo) will increase if they start carting dollar coins around...... The George Washington coin may circulate, but the number of coins produced will decrease with each design, eventually being distributed only to coin dealers and coin collectors (like to 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Sacagawea Dollar coins which were never issued to banks or intended for circulation and produced in a FAR less number than the 2000 Sacagawea coin. If you find a Sacagawea Dollar coin in change it will be either 2000, or the limited circulation 2001. The coins will be ugly with black toning, circulated. Only Uncirculated coins are worth keeping when it comes to modern issues.....

#11 · Coin Collector · 2007/02/17

Prediction, by mid 2008 the coins will be produced in LIMITED numbers and will no longer be sent out to banks and will be reserved for coin dealers / collectors only.

#12 · Coin Collector · 2007/02/17