Lady Liberty shown as black woman on U.S. coin for first time

[techbeck]

 

The United States Mint has unveiled a $100 gold coin featuring an African-American woman as the face of Lady Liberty for the first time in the history of U.S. currency.

 

The 24-karat gold coin, which marks the Mint's 225th anniversary, was debuted on Thursday in the Department of the Treasury's Cash Room in Washington, D.C.

 

It is the first in a series of gold coins featuring Lady Liberty, which has been used on American coinage since the late 1790s, as an ethnic woman, Mint Principal Deputy Director Rhett Jeppson said in a statement.

 

Other editions will use designs representing Asian, Hispanic Americans and others "to reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the United States," Jeppson said.

 

"We boldly look to the future by casting Liberty in a new light... looking forward to ever brighter chapters in our nation's history book," Jeppson said.

 

More...

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-coin-idUSKBN14X269

 

 

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

looks amazing. i'd love to own one if their markups werent so high.

[The Evil Overlord]

Agreed, it does look good.

I'm curious, what monetary denomination (not sure if correct phrase used) is the coin?

[techbeck]

Just now, The Evil Overlord said:

Agreed, it does look good.

I'm curious, what monetary denomination (not sure if correct phrase used) is the coin?

$100

[neufuse Veteran]

< S > This is a disgrace to our beautiful *GREEN* lady liberty < / S >

 

Honestly though, the statue of liberty was already a lady of color, she was copper skinned

[The Evil Overlord]

Just now, techbeck said:

$100

Ok not trolling, 

It is a $100 coin, as in you can buy up to $100 worth of items and pay with this coin?

Or is it a coin that costs $100 but is actually either not legal tender, or is worth a lot less when spent?

[techbeck]

Just now, The Evil Overlord said:

Ok not trolling, 

It is a $100 coin, as in you can buy up to $100 worth of items and pay with this coin?

Or is it a coin that costs $100 but is actually either not legal tender, or is worth a lot less when spent?

It is legal tender.  But these things are really collector items.

[The Evil Overlord]

Thanks man

(For some reason, I had a moment)

 

Edit

 

Kinda like the limited edition £5 coins and such they bring out in the UK, can be used as tender but are mostly for collections.. Got it.

[techbeck]

Just now, The Evil Overlord said:

Thanks man

(For some reason, I had a moment)

It is Friday...and the 13th....I will give you a pass this time 

[DConnell Member]

24 minutes ago, techbeck said:

It is Friday...and the 13th....I will give you a pass this time 

You think @The Evil Overlord is planning some big world domination scheme in honor of the day?

 

Having a variety of designs of different ethnicities is a nice way to reflect diversity. Wonder if they'll do a white one? While admittedly whites have long been represented on US coins, to my mind diversity should include everyone.

[oldtimefighter]

1 hour ago, Jason S. said:

looks amazing. i'd love to own one if their markups werent so high.

Do we know the price?

[Jim K Global Moderator]

26 minutes ago, oldtimefighter said:

Do we know the price?

They haven't released the price ... but it will be a lot ....probably over $1500.  An ounce of gold right now is almost $1200...and this coin, if I read correctly, will be one ounce.  

 

This $50 2016 American Eagle One Ounce coin is $1510.  Probably a good starting point on guessing the price...though Liberty will probably be more since it will be 24-karat gold while the American Eagle is 22-karat.

 

It is a beautiful coin.  

[Hum]

oh brother ....

[bitslasher]

1 hour ago, The Evil Overlord said:

Ok not trolling, 

It is a $100 coin, as in you can buy up to $100 worth of items and pay with this coin?

Or is it a coin that costs $100 but is actually either not legal tender, or is worth a lot less when spent?

The coin's "Face value" is $100.  So it, as currency, is worth $100.  If you showed up at a bank, they'd give you 5 $20 bills for it.  However, since it is made of solid gold, the material it is made of is worth more, much more.  Also, given it is a collectors item, this also affects it's value.  But this value is a "market" value, not the face value, and so you don't use currency as a barter item when purchasing goods with it, it only counts for its face value.  That doesn't keep you from going and selling it however for much more money to someone if for some reason it is rare or valuable.  The mint sells coins based on the cost to make them, not the face values, so you'll see it sale for well over $1000.  It is the same with the U.S. Penny.  The metal in the coin is worth more than the face value of the coin.  Given that it's illegal to destroy U.S. currency (it's the property of the government), you don't see salvage yards melting down pennies for zinc and copper.  They'd get a visit from the Secret Service if they did.  Most pennies aren't rare, or collectable, so the value still stays relatively low.  Gold coins are rare and collectable.

[+Zagadka Subscriber²]

If people aren't capable of handling a biracial couple in a Cheerios commercial, I foresee much complaining. At least most people won't even know it exists.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

2 hours ago, oldtimefighter said:

Do we know the price?

as jjkusaf pointed out, the Mint's markup is usually pretty high - several hundred per coin. if youre going to buy this as a collector's item then that's one thing. if youre buying metal as an investment, then you're better off going for bars/bullion.

[DocM]

Beautiful coin, and I like the concept.

 

This shows the reverse, a flying eagle which to me is also gorgeous.

 

 

[Dick Montage]

I will be ordering one of these

[+Red King Subscriber²]

Well if they made a black one, they should do one per race.

[PGHammer]

4 hours ago, The Evil Overlord said:

Thanks man

(For some reason, I had a moment)

 

Edit

 

Kinda like the limited edition £5 coins and such they bring out in the UK, can be used as tender but are mostly for collections.. Got it.

Such coins are, in fact, made by most of the major mints; however, the United States Mint makes the fewest - hence the ones that the US Mint DOES make have stupid-high collector value - even the silver coinage.  (Look at how the Pittman Act - which was expressly designed to rebuild the Official Silver Hoard of the United States, affected the value of "Morgan" silver dollars since that Act became law.)

 

Other examples (merely of silver coinage) are Canada's $CAN5 Maple Leaf and $CAN10 "SuperLeaf" and Austria's "Philharmonic" - all are worth FAR more than their "legal tender" value merely as collector items - even the freshly-minted examples; you tell ME how "wrong" that is.

[Dick Montage]

34 minutes ago, J. X. Maxwell said:

Well if they made a black one, they should do one per race.

Why?  The depiction of Liberty was that of a slave, a black slave.

 

[PGHammer]

2 minutes ago, Nefarious Trigger said:

Why?  The depiction of Liberty was that of a slave, a black slave.

 

Not necessarily a black SLAVE - the hairstyle can be worn by women of ANY race - it is relatively common in fact outside the Black community today.  (The exception is Native Americans.)

 

In fact, I've seen the style on men. (The "style" is "dreadlocks", and was originally attached to the Rastafarian religion - and has spread far beyond it.  The only sports that it hasn't penetrated are basketball and volleyball - and that is just males.)

[br0adband]

So... so... so... having braided hair makes someone black? Seriously?

 

To be perfectly honest, why currency has pictures of anyone whatsoever has never made any sense to me at all, never will.

[+Zagadka Subscriber²]

Well, it was important historically.

 

In modern times, a lot of nations have moved on to other artwork. The US is insanely conservative with currency design.

[DConnell Member]

56 minutes ago, J. X. Maxwell said:

Well if they made a black one, they should do one per race.

According to the original post, they are.