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PaperclipPerfector  11hr ago (text post)   434 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for February 13, 2026

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A bill passes unanimously through US congress, regarding an issuing of coins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the US. While it authorizes the 2.50 USD coin only in commemorative quantities, it also directs a study to be conducted regarding it being issued in circulating quantities.

If the latter goes through, the most valuable circulating USD coin would be worth slightly ore than the most valuable circulating EUR coin (2 EUR=2.37 USD).

Weaklings ... make a coin with value e ...

They can’t do that. It would ruin financial derivatives.

I still like my idea for a five-dollar coin better, but this would be an improvement on that status quo if it also retires nickles.

Given the price level in the US, $5 makes more sense.

We have the equivalent of the $2.50 coin here. It's not as convenient as it used to. A couple years back you could buy dinner in an affordable restaurant with 2 of them, now you'd need 3-4. So it was handy for people who went out and didn't want to risk losing a wallet. (e.g. if you're going running etc). Guess you could wrap some bills in plastic too.. but coins are just convenient.

Considering the utter flop of the $1 presidential coins, I don't see the use of a $2.50 coin.

IMO the coin flopped because most register tills couldn't accommodate any more coin types, so cashiers never provided them as change. Now that the penny is going away, that opens up a slot. There's also now no reason not to retire the $1 bill.

the most valuable circulating USD coin

Pedantically, aren't Double Eagles still, in theory, legal tender? They're worth far more than their face value, so I doubt anyone uses them as "currency" per se.

Another definition of "circulating" could be "its numismatic value is equal to the face value" or "has no numismatic premium". This would then exclude your objection.

Text of bill

The Secretary may mint and issue—

(A) not more than 100,000 $2.50 numismatic coins, each of which shall weigh 4.1795 grams, have a diameter of 0.425 inches [smaller than a dime], and contain not less than 90 percent gold [i. e., around 1/8 ounce];

(B) not more than 300,000 $2.50 numismatic coins, each of which shall weigh 26.73 grams, have a diameter of 1.5 inches [same as the pre-1979 dollar coin], and contain not less than 90 percent silver [i. e., around 4/5 ounce]; and

(C) not more than 750,000 $2.50 numismatic coins, each of which shall weigh 11.34 grams, have a diameter of 1.205 inches, and be minted to the specifications for half-dollar coins.

The Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Director of the United States Mint[,] shall conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the feasibility, practicality, and potential public benefits of minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation in the United States.

Current coins for reference

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