I realize that this is off topic, but the inability of the US Mint to
circulate the new US dollar coin is relevant to the struggle for
metrication in that it is a good idea falling on deaf ears. In recent
weeks, I have felt frustrated enough over this issue, and yesterday, I
sent the following snail mail letter (there is no e-mail address
published) to the Inspector General of the US Treasury:
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872
February 20, 2001
Treasury Hotline
Office of Inspector General
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20220
Dear Madam or Sir:
I wish to repeat the question which appeared on the US Mint's web site
in 1999, but with new emphasis: when will the Sacagawea Golden Dollar
appear in circulation?
When this new coin was first announced, I was jubilant. At last, the
United States will have a coin commensurate with the times.
But, WHERE IS THE COIN??????
Not once have I ever routinely received a Sacagawea Dollar Coin in
change since the Mint issued the coin. Also, very few vending machines
are equipped to accept the coin. I see many more with the dollar bill
readers. To what extent did the Mint work with vending machine
manufacturers prior to the first release of the coin? I think very
little or not at all, and that is the supreme tragedy.
Also, what happened to the Mint's sticker campaign mentioned on the
web site, i.e., stickers on vending machines which accept the coin? The
only place I ever saw the sticker was on theweb site.
One place at which I do see heavy movement of these coins is in sales of
coins by the bag. Is it possible that the coin has been sucked out of
circulation by speculators and numismatists? Wasn't this coin struck for
the public? Isn't it supposed to circulate?
You should know that there is a public myth that people will be stuck
with carrying large amounts of heavy change if this coin circulates (it
is an almost subliminal concern; I heard this as a passing comment on a
local talk show). The Mint should campaign against that notion. We will
end up carrying no more dollar coins around than we would quarters, and
in the course of a day, I can find my pocket heavy with change anyway. I
would think the dollar coin will reduce that burden since it is a
higher-denomination coin.
I couldn't imagine that the Mint would repeat the 1979 Susan B. Anthony
fiasco. Here was a dollar coin that was a new color, making it
unmistakable from other coins. The Mint appeared to have a strong public
campaign to introduce the coin (the TV ads were terrific, but didn't
last long). But, in the end, the only beneficiary was Sacagawea herself,
who now has a more prominent place in American history, while the Mint's
poor planning has left the rest of us holding the bag (of coins going
nowhere).With its mission being so clear this time, and the plan so
good, how did the Mint fail again?
There is still time for the Mint to act. It is better late than never.
Why not start working with vending machine manufacturers, re-launching
the advertising and sticker campaign, and, perhaps, curtailing the
funneling of this coin into those collector bags? Finally, why not work
with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to do what Canada did, which
is to remove the dollar bill from circulation? I always thought that
part of the planning for the the Golden Dollar coin was to reduce the
cost of printing US paper currency.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Sincerely,
Paul Trusten
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
(915)-694-6208
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
