The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 34, August 5, 2005, Article 15

NASA COIN BILL PROMISES EVERYTHING

Dick Johnson writes: "Both Beth Deisher and David Ganz have
written articles on H.R. 68 – the new House bill authorizing the
NASA and JPL 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.
But there is so much in this legislation that neither writer covered
it all.

Congressmen are getting cagey in what they put into these laws.
Both writers mentioned the coins to be issued, the specifications,
design, and surcharges. Both a $50 gold coin and nine one
dollar silver coins are planned. Beth did mention that a new
numismatic museum is to be built if the revenue from the surcharges
is great enough. But that project stands third in line.

Perhaps Congress figured if they held out a new coin museum --
Beth rightly called it a carrot! -- this would appeal to collectors
who would buy enough of these commems to reach the magic
amount. The first million in surcharge profits goes to NASA,
the next half million to National Air and Space Museum, and
whatever is left over after that goes to the Smithsonian for that
new stand-alone numismatic museum.

But what hasn#39;t been mentioned, I believe, is that there is some
precious metal that has flown in space and this is to be formulated
into a melt with other precious metal to make the composition
for the blanks from which these coins will be struck. This sounds
like what Franklin Mint did 35 years ago. It#39;s deja vu all over
again, to be redundant.

Numismatists do like RELIC coins and medals – made from
some distinctive artifact metal used previously for some significant
purpose. This must be stated on the coin or medal itself, MADE
FROM, don#39;t forget that. But the percentage of relic metal may
be insignificant in this instance.

Let#39;s see if H.R. 68 passes the Senate when Congress reconvenes
in September. Meanwhile, E-Syluminaries, would you buy either
or any of these commem coins? Would you want a separate
numismatic museum?"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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