Has the US Mint ever consider polygon shapes ? 2 2

[EdG_Ohio]

(I posed this question elsewhere too)

Just for discussion, Has the U.S. Mint ever or consider making coinage that had polygon shapes ?
Would it drive the vending ppl insane nowadays ?
Could it just be for bullion related types or for public use ?
I have 2 non-collectables, at least for me, that I've had since 77'(grad year) but every now & then I look at them because I like the polygon shapes, more so with the brass 3 pence.
Has the US Mint ever consider this ?
 

[RWB]

Non-circular coins have been considered multiple times, but rejected for various reasons. Holed coins have also been proposed and rejected. Since about 1890, the vending industry has been the most vocal objector. The last serious consideration was when small dollar coins were being discussed in the 1970s. (See the book Private Pattern and Related Pieces: International Nickel & Gould Incorporated for information on some of the small dollar private pieces and discussion.)

Edited January 10, 2021 by RWB

[EdG_Ohio]

It's a shame that at least a bullion coin couldn't be done even if only for a commemorative coin or the like. At times thinking outside the box, in this case circle, could be a draw for people.
This is all just pondering.

[RWB]

8 minutes ago, EdG_Ohio said:

It's a shame that at least a bullion coin couldn't be done even if only for a commemorative coin or the like. At times thinking outside the box, in this case circle, could be a draw for people.
This is all just pondering.

The Panama-Pacific $50 was octagonal (and round, also) as were USAO gold $50 slugs. Many low-fineness gold California halves and quarters were octagonal as were the jewel imitations.

[GoldFinger1969]

Isn't the Susan B. Anthony octagonal or at least non-round ?  What about the Sacagawea ?

[EdG_Ohio]

Susan B the interior rim was polygon, the Sacagawea was not.

Edited January 10, 2021 by EdG_Ohio

[RWB]

I think Susan B herself was non-round, too/.

[VKurtB]

Somehow the British manage to make their current coins work in vending machines, with three denominations being non-round - 20p, 50p, and 1 pound.

[Henri Charriere]

On 1/9/2021 at 7:34 PM, EdG_Ohio said:

It's a shame that at least a bullion coin couldn't be done even if only for a commemorative coin or the like. At times thinking outside the box, in this case circle, could be a draw for people.
This is all just pondering.

If the USPS can print triangular stamps featuring clipper ships, I cannot see why the US Mint cannot produce a one-time only commemorative as you have suggested if only for its odd and curious appeal to the collector community. Good point!

[zadok]

1 hour ago, Quintus Arrius said:

If the USPS can print triangular stamps featuring clipper ships, I cannot see why the US Mint cannot produce a one-time only commemorative as you have suggested if only for its odd and curious appeal to the collector community. Good point!

...or a three-legged rooster?...odd n curious appeal....one more drumstick n a variety, whats not to like?...

[VKurtB]

I roasted a three legged turkey one Thanksgiving. No wings, no thighs, just a breast with three drumsticks. Best turkey ever. The cats got like a quarter of the food at the end. 

[Woods020]

Some guy in the marketplace section was selling some cartoon themed “coins” that are square. I had never seen them before he wanted to sell some. They are chibi from some island country of Niue. Apparently these crazy things are selling for $499 if they make MS70 when graded. There’s an odd shaped, odd themed, and very oddly inflated coin. 

[Fenntucky Mike]

6 hours ago, Woods020 said:

Some guy in the marketplace section was selling some cartoon themed “coins” that are square. I had never seen them before he wanted to sell some. They are chibi from some island country of Niue. Apparently these crazy things are selling for $499 if they make MS70 when graded. There’s an odd shaped, odd themed, and very oddly inflated coin. 

Those Chibi's were interesting and I thought that they may take off except the market was flooded with umpteen different designs. I picked one up recently at auction for $40, ungraded, just to check them out. Meh. The square is a custom holder for the "coin", it's the OMP, NGC must not have wanted to cut out a bunch of different shapes for their holders.  This place is always asking moon money for their stuff but they probably have the largest selection going of these, just to give you an idea. Harvestor Investments: Search  just type chibi in the search function. 

Niue will slap their name on ANYTHING. 

My favorite is still the Pringle shaped "coin". Mmmmm.

Edited June 15, 2021 by Fenntucky Mike

[gmarguli]

On 1/13/2021 at 9:20 AM, VKurtB said:

Somehow the British manage to make their current coins work in vending machines, with three denominations being non-round - 20p, 50p, and 1 pound.

Vending machines used to take coins?    How'd you fit them in the credit card slot? 

[RWB]

My new book, "Fads, Fakes & Foibles" explains several of the unusual coin configurations considered and tested by the Philadelphia Mint. Check out the thread here, or on the Marketplace forum.

The US had a fairly literate society, so there was little need for tactile differences in denominations. The 11- or 12-sided small Ike and Anthony dollars were a solution to a problem that should not have occurred....at urging of vending companies, the small dollar was made too close in size to the quarter thus ensuring pubic confusion at the convenience of a specific industry trade group. Paper bill acceptors and fast credit readers now have made that obsolete.

[VKurtB]

4 hours ago, gmarguli said:

Vending machines used to take coins?    How'd you fit them in the credit card slot? 

Goodman Vending of my home town of Reading, PA, is the U.S. Mint’s “go to“ experts on money and vending machines. The machines at the county courthouse, where I worked for four years, both accept AND give in change, a mix of SBA, Sac, and Prez dollar coins. I believe CalTrans trains’ ticket machines do also in Southern California.  I went into my bank branch a few days ago in Huntsville, Alabama, and all three tellers had dollar coins in their change holders, and half dollars too. I was there to get my down payment for my new homestead in Dixie. 

Edited June 15, 2021 by VKurtB

[Alex in PA.]

11 minutes ago, VKurtB said:

I went into my bank branch a few days ago in Huntsville, Alabama, and all three tellers had dollar coins in their change holders, and half dollars too. I was there to get my down payment for my new homestead in Dixie. 

Some years ago, when I was living in Anchorage, the local Post Offices gave SBAs in change if you bought a book of stamps from their little kiosk thing.

[gmarguli]

1 hour ago, Alex in PA. said:

Some years ago, when I was living in Anchorage, the local Post Offices gave SBAs in change if you bought a book of stamps from their little kiosk thing.

Same here. I'm pretty sure it only takes credit cards now.

[zadok]

On 1/13/2021 at 12:20 PM, VKurtB said:

Somehow the British manage to make their current coins work in vending machines, with three denominations being non-round - 20p, 50p, and 1 pound.

application of the reuleaux triangle....

[VKurtB]

2 hours ago, zadok said:

application of the reuleaux triangle....

Bermuda literally made a coin of that triangle. I love the sense of humor exhibited. 

[zadok]

8 hours ago, VKurtB said:

Bermuda literally made a coin of that triangle. I love the sense of humor exhibited. 

no humor intended....purely mathematical application...constant width, rolls down the coin slot just like a circular coin....

[VKurtB]

6 hours ago, zadok said:

no humor intended....purely mathematical application...constant width, rolls down the coin slot just like a circular coin....

Not you, …. Bermuda. Doing a triangular coin? C’mon, that’s brilliant. 

[zadok]

2 hours ago, VKurtB said:

Not you, …. Bermuda. Doing a triangular coin? C’mon, that’s brilliant. 

im lost in the triangle, cant find my shift key.....concede its humorous or at least satirical....

[EdG_Ohio]

4 hours ago, zadok said:

im lost in the triangle, cant find my shift key.....concede its humorous or at least satirical....

As in Bermuda "triangle" ... lost aircraft, ships, people..etc.

[RWB]

They might also have tried pollyanna shapes with little success; also polymorph, polident, polyamorous, and polly-want-a-cracker. Same results. The polly-wolly-doodle-all-the-day shapes were better - at least until sundown.

Edited June 17, 2021 by RWB

[Conder101]

Although the only polygon they have done for the US was the 1915 Octagonal $50, they have made them for other countries,  One that comes immediately to mind were hexagonal pieces for Belgian Congo in 1944.  I believe there have been some other four sided pieces.

Edited June 18, 2021 by Conder101

[zadok]

18 hours ago, Conder101 said:

Although the only polygon they have done for the US was the 1915 Octagonal $50, they have made them for other countries,  One that comes immediately to mind were hexagonal pieces for Belgian Congo in 1944.  I believe there have been some other four sided pieces.

yep the '15 $50 octagonal.....the '43 hexagonal 2fran for belgian congo, '43 four sided for surinam n curacao, n the '25 norse-american medal....also made in US but not by mint...calf territorial gold n the colorado lesher dollars....

[Henri Charriere]

[The Intaglio Mint just produced a two-ounce (presumably) .999 silver version of that 1915 Octagonal and since a member here adamantly refused to sell me his counterfeit 1837 half registering 3.7 on the Sheldon scale, I will have to settle for that. There is no other sensation in the world like having heft in your pocket.]