By Ryan Kramer, Guest Writer 

On Sept. 1, an updated design for the $1 coin entered the U.S. economy.  The dollar coin has a storied legacy, once having the faces of Susan B. Anthony, President Dwight Eisenhower and Lady Liberty.  

The new design features the portrait of President Donald J. Trump to celebrate the 250 year anniversary of the U.S., but it leaves up for question who and what did not make the cut for the coinage.  

Abraham Lincoln 

As pennies fall out of circulation, Honest Abe’s head will disappear as well.  Therefore, it would only be right to include on each $1 coin 100 images of Abraham Lincoln to remind future generations that he is, and forever will be, one of the four U.S. presidents that American citizens can actually name. 

Tom Noe 

This Ohioan was a fundraiser for the Republican Party and dealer of rare coins.  He played a prominent role in the 2005 Coingate scandal, where he was convicted of money laundering for George W. Bush’s presidential campaign.  Every time Americans look at their $1 coins, they can be reminded that misusing money can come at a heavy cost – specifically an 18-year sentence. 

The Apple Pay Logo

When a company like Apple gets as large as it is, new frontiers get less and less common.  Allowing the U.S. Mint to create the first sponsored coin could scratch the itch of corporate leaders looking for new innovations.  Every time one of these coins is used, it could remind consumers of the success of American industry and how much easier it is to just pay on your phone instead of pulling out a coin purse every time you need exact change to buy your Currito bowl. 

Calvin Coolidge 

Former President Calvin Coolidge may not have guessed it at the time, but earning the nickname “the do-nothing president” is what makes him a perfect candidate to press his likeness into a slab of metal.  Especially for the youth, Coolidge gave the perfect example of an investor, by simply doing nothing while the country fell into the Great Depression.  But things still got better over time, just like the stock market. 

The Blue Blob 

While paying with coins has never been the most exciting of tasks, a novelty coin plastered with the ever-smiling face of Xavier’s blobbiest mascot could make everyday transactions into an excuse to show school spirit.  The tails side of the coin could even have D’Artagnan the Musketeer on it.  While some cities in central Nevada may wonder why the new face on their money has a nose three times bigger than a normal person’s, Xavier students would enjoy it enough for those somehow not in the know. 

Dr. Walker Gollar 

Few can be deemed more American than Xavier professor of Theology Dr. Walker Gollar.  From running for student council president in high school to being an expert on the Underground Railroad, Dr. Gollar exemplifies who should be on coins if for no other reason than it’s fun to say “Gollar dollar” really fast. 

Allen Wrench 

Every time someone purchases furniture from IKEA, they receive a handy little Allen wrench that is somehow supposed to put together an insufferable set of rectangular boxes that the instructions say form a round table.  Coins are practically the same thing.  Every time you buy something, you get change, which you throw in a random drawer in your house and never look at again.  Getting the Allen wrench on the $1 coin would remind us of just how useful coins really are not. 

The Number One 

Coins are confusing enough as they are, prompting questions like “Why is the dime worth more than a nickel when it is smaller?” and “How is George Washington worth 25 cents?”  It is these questions that support replacing all faces that are only worth $1 with something understandable to all people: The number one.  It is no wonder people have a difficult time figuring out what fraction of a dollar Thomas Jefferson is worth.  Just label the coin like Super Mario Bros. has been doing since the 80s, and people can move on with their lives.