I think they're beautiful, especially what
they represent to the four non-profits that
collaborated to get this extremely rare
legislation passed. To honor Mark Twain in any
fashion is a good thing, and to further honor
him by generating badly needed revenue when
donations are becoming fewer and fewer is
especially important. Many artists submitted
their work, all based on photos of SLC - many
in which he is smoking a pipe just like the one
pictured on the silver dollar. "In God We Trust"
is required on all legal tender, regardless of the views
of the individual being honored on the coin.

Whether you love the look or hate the look,
I implore all on this forum to recognize the good
this does to keep our hero in the spotlight and
provide badly needed support for four important
entities that do all they can to preserve his
legacy.

Knee-jerk reaction over. This was a long, hard
slog to victory, and I hope everyone on the forum
buys a coin for some lucky grandchild somewhere.

Cindy Lovell



________________________________________
From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Peter Salwen <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2016 3:53 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: "Mark Twain" coins

Aahh, those coins, at last. Fully up to (extremely low) expectations.
Hideous portraits that seem to have employed a very poor (if rugged) Twain
impersonator as the model, with the silver coin showing this compulsive
*cigar* smoker with a *pipe* (more artistic," I guess).

And, of course, the motto "IN GOD WE  TRUST" in great big letters. Anybody
here remember what Twain had to say about that motto? From the notebooks:

"It is simple, direct, gracefully phrased; it always sounds well -- In God
We Trust. I don=C2=B4t believe it would sound any better if it were true."


And,


"The motto stated a lie. If this nation has ever trusted in God, that time
has gone by; for nearly half a century almost its entire trust has been in
the Republican party and the dollar -- mainly the dollar."


Just musing . . . .
*_________________________________*

*Peter Salwen /* salwen.com
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