The U.S. Mint hosted a Coin Collectors' Forum, led by Mint Director Ed Moy. This was definitely the highlight of the show for me, because I learned the answers to some of the questions to which I had been met with a brick wall before. For example, Moy told us why we saw so many Adams Presidential Dollar edge lettering errors despite the popular belief that the Mint would be extra vigilant in preventing them following the Washington Dollar edge lettering-related problems. It turns out that 40% of the Adams Dollars had already been minted by the time the Washington plain edge Dollars emerged, so it was too late for the Mint to do anything about those coins. However, Moy assured us, the Mint has implemented new manufacturing methods and procedures that should prevent any more mass outbreaks of edge lettering-related errors. Indeed, the Thomas Jefferson Presidential Dollars still haven't had any major error outbreaks of the type previously seen.
Moy has a sneaky sense of humor sometimes, and he displayed it eloquently when answering a question about the status of the motto In God We Trust on the Presidential Dollars. Many Americans are annoyed that this beloved motto has been moved to the edge of the Presidential Dollars, and they asked their Congressmen to pass a law to restore the motto to the surfaces. (Full information and background can be found in FAQ form in my article called, "Is Presidential Dollar Edge Lettering Doomed?") Although several attempts were made, the Congressional legislation that actually passed accomplished its goal of putting the motto back on the faces by cutting off funding for the edge lettering process itself. The logic Congress employed was the age-old notion if there is no money to pay for it, the thing cannot be done.
Moy had us all clutching our bellies in guffawing, gleeful laughter when he blithely explained that this legislation was flawed, and why, and then went on to inform us that even if the legislation was enforceable as written, it wouldn't have been effective because the U.S. Mint is one of the very few government agencies that turn a profit, and therefore if Congress wants to cut off funding for edge lettering it's a moot point because the Mint doesn't need Congress's funding for it anyway! Once the laughter died down though, Moy admitted that because of the intent of the legislation, the Mint would have to work with Congress to find a solution.
More from the Forum on the next page...
Moy has a sneaky sense of humor sometimes, and he displayed it eloquently when answering a question about the status of the motto In God We Trust on the Presidential Dollars. Many Americans are annoyed that this beloved motto has been moved to the edge of the Presidential Dollars, and they asked their Congressmen to pass a law to restore the motto to the surfaces. (Full information and background can be found in FAQ form in my article called, "Is Presidential Dollar Edge Lettering Doomed?") Although several attempts were made, the Congressional legislation that actually passed accomplished its goal of putting the motto back on the faces by cutting off funding for the edge lettering process itself. The logic Congress employed was the age-old notion if there is no money to pay for it, the thing cannot be done.
Moy had us all clutching our bellies in guffawing, gleeful laughter when he blithely explained that this legislation was flawed, and why, and then went on to inform us that even if the legislation was enforceable as written, it wouldn't have been effective because the U.S. Mint is one of the very few government agencies that turn a profit, and therefore if Congress wants to cut off funding for edge lettering it's a moot point because the Mint doesn't need Congress's funding for it anyway! Once the laughter died down though, Moy admitted that because of the intent of the legislation, the Mint would have to work with Congress to find a solution.
More from the Forum on the next page...