Currency re-org.

This methodology honors our best Presidents and a couple of notable non-Presidents, plus three great generals who became Presidents later in their careers.

Emphasis is placed on honoring the most esteemed Presidents on the most commonly circulated currency. I've made a couple notes of themes that could be used on the back of each bill that tie in with accomplishments of it's honorant. 4 are Republicans, 3 or 4 are Democrats (depending on how you view Jackson) and 4 or 5 are pre-modern partisan.

$100 = Franklin - Colonial period, signing of the Dec of Ind.
$50 = Reagan - End of the Cold War, crumbling walls
$20 = Lincoln - Civil War, abolition
$10 = Jackson - War of 1812, national expansion
$5 = Jefferson - Constitution convention, Lousiana Purchase
$2 = Hamilton - National treasury, finances
$1 bill and/or coin = Washington - Revolutionary war, nationhood
50c = Kennedy - Cuban missile crisis, Cold War negotiation
25c = T. Roosevelt - Early 20th C, international expansion
10c = F. Roosevelt - Getting through the Great Depression & WW2
5c = Wilson - WW1, International negotiation
1c = Eisenhower - WW2, Pax Americana

Notice that having a name that ends with the letter "n" is clearly the way to go if you hope to be currency worthy after you are dead.

What's wrong with the current faces on each particular bill?

I don't see any reason to change it.

I'd support most of this. My only objections would be that I still think it's too soon after his administration to put Reagan on currency, and that Jackson still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. If you want to specifically honor national expansion in that era, wouldn't Polk make more sense?

Current people:

Common Bills
$1 Washington
$5 Lincoln
$10 Hamilton
$20 Jackson

Uncommon Bills
$2 Jefferson
$50 Grant
$100 Franklin

Above $100 I don't think any more bills are made any more.

Common Coins
$0.01 Lincoln
$0.05 Jefferson
$0.10 Edit: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, not Eisenhower
$0.25 Washington

Uncommon Coins
$0.50 Kennedy (Edit: still minted, but not in general circulation)
$1.00 Sacagawea
Edit: $1.00 Susan B. Anthony (no longer minted)

If I made any mistakes please tell me.

GerrardCapashen said:

What's wrong with the current faces on each particular bill?

I don't see any reason to change it.

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Well... there is no reason for it, really, other than that it is topical.

But in defense of it:

There's a lot of redundancy -- Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson have two units of currency each. Most of the historical figures are from very early in the nation's history, whereas this system would use the currency to honor the acheivements of the United States over two centuries.

What Reagan has done which was so fabulous except changing America into a conservative hell ?

You think Reagan really did anything to make the Soviet Union fall ? Do you think it's because he "shows the muscle" calling them "evil empire" ? This is utterly crap !

Gorbachov is the one who did reforms and he's been selected by the party for that exact purpose. The key decision had been to decide to not militarely intervene against a member of the COMECON taking a decision against Soviet Union interests. How Reagan has taken a part in such a decision ?

I know I'm not American but I sincerly think there's no more obvious mistake than to pick him. Remember how the US turned in the end of the 80's... European Economies were more powerful than the US economy then. It was a strong crisis, with high unemployment and crime all over the country.

No, the only Reagan has made is turning back the word "liberal" as an insult, a kind of synonimous of "immoral". It's because of Reagan that Americans have followen such a different path than other nations (even Canada). The "conservative revolution"... what a waste. When people in that beautiful country which is America will understand a 19th century foreign policy is not the right way to prepare the world of the 21st century ?

GerrardCapashen said:

If I made any mistakes please tell me.

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None that I can see. The only thing I'd add is that there is also a one-dollar coin bearing the face of Susan B. Anthony which, while uncommon, is still seen often enough to be worth mentioning.

I generally support Mojotronica's proposed reforms, though, because it would reduce redundancy and therefore allow us to honor more people. I also like the idea of mentioning on the bills what each person did to earn them the honor of being on there.

Mojotronica said:

Well... there is no reason for it, really, other than that it is topical.

But in defense of it:

There's a lot of redundancy -- Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson have two units of currency each. Most of the historical figures are from very early in the nation's history, whereas this system would use the currency to honor the acheivements of the United States over two centuries.

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I don't mind having people from mostly the earliest period of our country on the currency. There's not so much political debate about them and we have the advantage of hindsight to judge that they are worthy of being on currency.

If anyone deserves a place on currency, I think that Madison is that person, being the "Father of the Constitution."

I designed it to feature the more revered figures on the more common currency (which of course would change as inflation inevitably de-values our currency, but hopefully it would be good for a half-century or so.)

Some of my reasoning:
FDR belongs of the dime because of his sponsorship of the March of Dimes project. Washington belongs on the $1 because he's the first Pres. If we move Franklin off the $100, P Diddy's song "It's All About the Benjamins" won't make sense anymore, and that's intolerable. Grant should be bumped. Jefferson given a more prestigious unit and Jackson a less prestgious one. Lincoln belongs on the $20 because it's the MOST circululated bill, and he's almost universally revered as our best Prez.

T. Roosevelt deserves a slot, and I think Wilson does too. I put Ike on the penny because of the phrase "a penny saved is a penny earned," and he was the most revered Prez in the last Century to actually balance the budget. Plus I think people would like to use the word "ike" to represent a penny.

Marla_Singer said:

What Reagan has done which was so fabulous except changing America into a conservative hell ?etc?

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I pretty much agree with you that he was less spectacular than he gets credit for, but he was probably better than Grant, and a lot of Americans, for whatever reason, want him on our cash. Give the people what they want, I say.

If not him (or Jackson) we could bring in Truman or Polk.

Mojotronica said:

If we move Franklin off the $100, P Diddy's song "It's All About the Benjamins" won't make sense anymore, and that's intolerable.

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Grant should be bumped.

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Agreed. What the heck did he do that was so great he gets precedence over TR in being on currency?

Jefferson given a more prestigious unit and Jackson a less prestgious one.

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Hear hear!

Plus I think people would like to use the word "ike" to represent a penny.

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"Hey, that stupid cashier short-changed me three ikes!"

Uh, I don't know. It isn't like we call them 'abes' now, or anything. Actually, I'm wondering how much longer the penny will even be minted. It isn't like it has much use anymore.

On a similar note, though, I kept hoping the Sacajawea coins would go into common daily use, and then we could use 'gold' as a nickname for 'dollar'. As in, "Can you believe this burger cost me six gold?" But it never happened.

GerrardCapashen said:

Current people:

$0.10 Eisenhower

If I made any mistakes please tell me.

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt is on the dime, not Eisenhower.

Originally posted by Marla_Singer
Gorbachov is the one who did reforms and he's been selected by the party for that exact purpose.

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Gorbachov was selected by his party in 1985, five years in Reagan's presidency. The Soviet Union had not previously selected anyone even remotely as reformist as Gorbachov before. Evidence has emerged that top Soviet officials were scared about the increasing technological gap between Russia and America, especially with regard to the Star Wars project.

Originally posted by Marla_Singer
It's because of Reagan that Americans have followed such a different path than other nations

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I think that might have something to do with the cultural development of the United States. For example, the lack of any sort of mainstream socialist movement.

Personally I think there should be lesser known notable Americans on your currency. In particular people like Elizabeth Blackwell.

Mojotronica said:

I designed it to feature the more revered figures on the more common currency (which of course would change as inflation inevitably de-values our currency, but hopefully it would be good for a half-century or so.)

Some of my reasoning:
FDR belongs of the dime because of his sponsorship of the March of Dimes project. Washington belongs on the $1 because he's the first Pres. If we move Franklin off the $100, P Diddy's song "It's All About the Benjamins" won't make sense anymore, and that's intolerable. Grant should be bumped. Jefferson given a more prestigious unit and Jackson a less prestgious one. Lincoln belongs on the $20 because it's the MOST circululated bill, and he's almost universally revered as our best Prez.

T. Roosevelt deserves a slot, and I think Wilson does too. I put Ike on the penny because of the phrase "a penny saved is a penny earned," and he was the most revered Prez in the last Century to actually balance the budget. Plus I think people would like to use the word "ike" to represent a penny.

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So other than Washington and Lincoln (and maybe FDR), you don't have any good reasons to shift the people around on the bills.

I personally don't think TR, Wilson, or even Grant are really worthy of being on money. I would like to see Monroe get his rightful place if a new denomination of coin or bill came out, but I don't think anyone should be removed to make way for somebody else.

Godwynn said:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is on the dime, not Eisenhower.

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D'oh! Can't believe I missed that one. Shouldn't read the list more carefully.

Godwynn said:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is on the dime, not Eisenhower.

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You are correct sir. Edited accordingly.

MrPresident said:

Gorbachov was selected by his party in 1985, five years in Reagan's presidency...

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So if Bush looses in November, you would consider then that Chirac has to be congratulated about it ? Not Kerry ?

I think Chirac would have played a much bigger role than Kerry.

GerrardCapashen said:

Current people:

Common Bills
$1 Washington
$5 Lincoln
$10 Hamilton
$20 Jackson

Uncommon Bills
$2 Jefferson
$50 Grant
$100 Franklin

Above $100 I don't think any more bills are made any more.

Common Coins
$0.01 Lincoln
$0.05 Jefferson
$0.10 Edit: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, not Eisenhower
$0.25 Washington

Uncommon Coins
$0.50 Kennedy (no longer minted)
$1.00 Sacagawea
Edit: $1.00 Susan B. Anthony (no longer minted)

If I made any mistakes please tell me.

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You fixed it. Eisenhower was on a $1.00 silver piece through the 1970s, before being bumped for Susan B Anthony.

Other good female candidates for currency would be Harriet Tubman or Eleanor Roosevelt.