New US $1 Coins - Now With Wives!

So I'd heard about the new $1 coins featuring a president of the US every 3 months in an effort to boost the popularity and usage of the ill-received dollar coin, but this is the first I heard about the additional measure to feature coins with the accompanying first ladies:

Quote:

from CNN
Not to be outdone by their husbands, the first ladies are getting their chance to shine on the nation's coins. Starting next year, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and all the rest will begin appearing on a new series of gold coins.

It will be the first time that the U.S. Mint has produced a series featuring women.

While a new presidential series will be $1 circulating coins, the wives will be on half-ounce gold coins with each likely to sell for more than $300.

...

The half-ounce gold coins for the spouses have been designed to appeal primarily to collectors, although the Mint will be offering bronze medal duplicates that will sell for a more affordable $3 to $4.

It's an interesting idea. A shame that they won't be typically used currency, but very interesting in terms of collecting and the fact that it's the first such series of women-based coins we've had.

Also, I intend to use the new $1 coins. I try to use the Sacagawea dollars (and succeed best when around vending machines), but it's just so difficult to spell Sacagawea that it could never work between us.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Kolba

Aren't these just some woman who haven't done much besides marry politicians? Maybe presidential family pets could feature on a different circulation.

That's part of the point - to educate us on what the wives of the presidents actually accomplished for the country. Some first ladies have been pretty proactive in pushing agendas.

As for the popularity of dollar coins at all, Americans are just stubborn. Don't know why we'd be stubborn about something like dollar coins, but whaddyagonnado. We just don't think to use them most of the time, or don't like carrying change around, and it seems like cashiers never hand them out unless you ask for them (I think that's the root of the problem, personally).

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

from the article
The first coin in the series features a stern-looking Martha Washington, wearing a bonnet. On one side there is a depiction of her mending a soldier's jacket and on the other side the phrase, "First Lady of the Continental Army."

The drawing of Dolley Madison, wife of James Madison, the fourth president, shows her in front of the famous George Washington portrait that she saved before the British burned the White House in the War of 1812.

Thomas Jefferson's wife died before he became president, so the gold coin for his administration will feature a symbolic representation of Lady Liberty that appeared on a half-cent coin during the time Jefferson was president.

Jefferson was one of five presidents who were not married during their time in the White House.

So it's got historical facts, mostly, I guess. I suppose it would depend on the first lady in question, since people like Barbara Bush stood up for things like education but didn't do much that would end up in anything but the most comprehensive histories.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Maybe they'll move on to something like that once the states quarters series runs out. I don't imagine they'll want to run the states again, so they'll have to do something with the quarter.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?