They Redid the PENNY, too?!

**Gannon** · November-20-09, 01:58 AM

I just caught the redesign of the backside of the 2009 penny.

Freaked me out, because I didn't hear about it.

At all.

They gave Lincoln a nose-job, too.

How is it, in this fallen empire now entirely out of cash and gold, that we can find the money to redesign ALL of our currency and coinage?!

Still weighs about 3 grams, but it sure SOUNDS like it was made in China. [[compared to the 1975 version that was also in my pocket)

**Sstashmoo** · November-20-09, 02:06 AM

Gannon, I seen one of those too. Total waste of money this country doesn't have. The penny needs to be done away with anyway. Round every purchase off to a dime.

**Gannon** · November-20-09, 02:22 AM

LOL, I always say quarter.

I mean, what can you buy for less?

Even the damn gumball machines are quarters now, aren't they?!

**elganned** · November-20-09, 07:56 AM

When they eliminate the dollar bill and go to a dollar coin, then they will have done something. All else is just changing the shade of lipstick on the pig.

**East Detroit** · November-20-09, 08:14 AM

Which penny?

The familiar portrait of Lincoln on the "heads" side of the penny has been there, essentially unchanged, for nearly 100 years. 2009 will be the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, and the 100th anniversary of the beloved Lincoln Cent. To celebrate these milestones, the U.S. Mint is releasing a special series of new penny designs for 2009. The new penny designs, which will appear on the reverse, or "tails" side, depict four different periods in the life of venerated U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. [[The obverse, or "heads" side, will remain unchanged.) The new pennies will be released next year, one at a time, each about three months apart. The first penny is due on Feb. 12, 2009, the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth.

http://coins.about.com/od/uscoins/ig...gns-for-2009-/

**Detroitej72** · November-20-09, 08:47 AM

Didn't Sara Palin say Obama changed it to show his disdain for America, or some other such crap?

One of the things that I find interesting is the way to fold $20 bills to show the Twin Towers burning on one side, and the Pentagon burning on the other. The bills came out before 911. Now, that is a conspiracy theory I would like to see investigated further.

**Sstashmoo** · November-20-09, 09:17 AM

Quote: "the way to fold $20 bills to show the Twin Towers burning on one side, and the Pentagon burning on the other."

The coolest currency trick ever. Amazingly someone figured that out in like a week from the events actually happening. Was it on purpose? I don't think so, just an amazing coincidence and some clever manipulation.

**Gannon** · November-20-09, 11:36 AM

We may start seeing co-incidence differently, if what I'm learning goes public.

The obverse is relatively unchanged, but it does appear they altered the slope of his nose somewhat, but that could also be due the aging of the 1975 penny I'm comparing it to.

Palin was bitching about them taking "In God We Trust" off currency, one of the fear-points of the right DESIGNED to rail the less-critical-thinking Christian sheople to rioting. Nothing to see there, move on.

**d.mcc** · November-20-09, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Palin was bitching about them taking "In God We Trust" off currency, one of the fear-points of the right DESIGNED to rail the less-critical-thinking Christian sheople to rioting. Nothing to see there, move on.

"Who calls a shot like that? Who makes a decision like that? It's a disturbing trend." â€“Sarah Palin, pushing a conspiracy theory that "In God We Trust" had been moved to the edge of coins because of the Obama administration [[the change was made by the Bush administration in 2007 and was later reversed by Congress, before Obama took office), West Allis, Wisconsin, Nov. 6, 2009

**Detroitej72** · November-20-09, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

We may start seeing co-incidence differently, if what I'm learning goes public.

I suspect you might be right.

Originally Posted by Gannon

Palin was bitching about them taking "In God We Trust" off currency, one of the fear-points of the right DESIGNED to rail the less-critical-thinking Christian sheople to rioting. Nothing to see there, move on.

That's right, that was the latest, in a long right wing fear mongering campaign that proved to be false.

BTW, good to read your posts again, Gannon.

**Gannon** · November-20-09, 01:11 PM

Wow, thanks Ej. Honored to the extreme.

**mauser** · November-20-09, 01:51 PM

arent they just reclaiming metals by making these new token coins and taking the actual alloy coins out of circulation ?

**mauser** · November-20-09, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

Didn't Sara Palin say Obama changed it to show his disdain for America, or some other such crap?

The wing nuts were croaking about "liberty" being removed from the coinage as well.

Too bad all this was ordered under President George W. Bush, dumbasses.

**Gannon** · November-20-09, 01:58 PM

Mauser,

There is a distinctively different 'ring' to these new coins, that's why I weighed 'em.

But they'd have to be similar, or they'd throw off all the old coin machines that used weight...although I suspect those are all on their way to a Chinese scrap recycler now.

There is considerable noise through the conspiracy static about counterfeit gold bars that are actually titanium with a mere gold plate. With the banking troubles, you HOLD your gold, right?!

Cheers

**slick** · November-20-09, 02:20 PM

Many of these coin changes is the result of the "state quarters series"
The mint makes money of the numistats that collect the various types of coins.
a money grab of money???

**oladub** · November-20-09, 02:26 PM

Pennies used to be copper. Nickels used to be nickel. Dimes, quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars used to be made mostly of silver. A dollar worth of dimes , quarters, hald-dollars, or one dollar had an equal amount of silver. At the moment, one dollar worth of old silver coins is worth $13.37 as scrap metal. Paper money used to be 'silver certificates' that were redeemable, upon demand, for an equal amount of silver coins.

To find the value of your old coins as scrap medal-
http://www.coinflation.com/coins/sil...alculator.html

Every fiat currency, such as our federal reserve notes, eventually become worth onty the paper it is printed on but silver and gold coins that are hundreds of year old retain their value even though the issuing governments are long gone. New pennies are zink plated with copper. Cardboard pennies and government IOU's are next.

**elganned** · November-20-09, 03:41 PM

What, exactly, is the "value" of gold?

You can't eat it, you can't burn it, you can't build with it. It's pretty and shiny, and heavy, and conducts electricity very well...and that's about it. Same could be said about silver, except it's not so heavy.

Its only real [[as in useful) value lies in the fact that you believe that someone, somewhere will be willing to take it in exchange for things you really need. But the same can be said for "fiat" money, as you call it.

In the end, it's all about trust. Beyond that, there's no difference. The value of both is purely arbitrary.

I have this discussion every now and then with my wife, who likes Longenberger baskets. They're hideously expensive, and whenever I complain she retorts, "They're an investment." I then point out that they're only an investment if a) you plan to sell it eventually [[which she doesn't) and b) you can find some other sucker who will be willing to buy it at the exhorbitant price you would be asking.

[[About that time I pull out the sleeper-sofa, 'cause I know where I'll be spending the night...)

**Jimaz** · November-20-09, 04:29 PM

Careful, elganned: Beware of the Doghouse.

[[Coincidentally, it's a J.C. Penny ad.)

ccbatson · November-20-09, 05:07 PM

Once Obamanomics hyperinflation takes hold, it will cost 5 dollars in metal to make a penny.

**oladub** · November-20-09, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by elganned

What, exactly, is the "value" of gold?

You can't eat it, you can't burn it, you can't build with it. It's pretty and shiny, and heavy, and conducts electricity very well...and that's about it. Same could be said about silver, except it's not so heavy.

Its only real [[as in useful) value lies in the fact that you believe that someone, somewhere will be willing to take it in exchange for things you really need. But the same can be said for "fiat" money, as you call it.

In the end, it's all about trust. Beyond that, there's no difference. The value of both is purely arbitrary.

One advantage of gold, or at least silver based currency, is that it protects people from having their governments inflating the money supply as governments are wont to do when they issue fiat money. An example, already provided, is that a dollar worth of pre-1965 coins will sell for $13.37. So the difference between a dollar worth of 1964 coins and a dollar worth of 2009 coins is $12.37. [[$13.37-$1.00=$12.37) The difference in value being a hidden inflation tax used by our governmernt in an attempt to print its way out of its spending mess.

Imagine if our government gave us a choice between silver certificates or federal reserve notes beginning On January 1st and they were assigned an equal value on that day. In other words, if silver costs $18 federal reserve note dollars/ounce on January 1, then the government would present upon demand one ounce of silver coins upon demand. Which currency would you choose; the silver certificates backed by silver or federal reserve notes backed with nothing?

**Gistok** · November-20-09, 07:37 PM

"In God We Trust" was first found on 2 cent pieces starting in 1864. It soon made its' way to the rest of coinage.

The first paper money that had "In God We Trust" was in 1953 when it was introduced on $1-$100 currency.... so it's not like its been there since 1776....

ccbatson · November-20-09, 11:12 PM

Gold...or other relatively scarce commodities that cannot be generated allow a way of establishing a consistent standard [[the "gold standard") so that value is, well, consistent.

**d.mcc** · November-20-09, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by ccbatson

Gold...or other relatively scarce commodities that cannot be generated allow a way of establishing a consistent standard [[the "gold standard") so that value is, well, consistent.

Then why aren't we trading in Fabrege eggs?