# What other Presidents/Americans belong on currency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 25, 2000, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622 "2000-11-25T05:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![theuglytruth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@theuglytruth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theuglytruth)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2000, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/1 "2000-11-25T05:02:04Z")
The following thread had me thinking: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=47954](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=47954) What other second half 20th Century Presidents deserve to be comemorated in coins and bills later after they die? Here’s some pros and cons, though the pros are shockingly low in number: TRUMAN Pro- Ended WW2 Con- Ended it by microwaving 200,000 Japs; Korean War debacle LBJ Pro- Championed civil rights; “Great Society” programs Con- Vietnam War; Great Society turned into projects and welfare fraud; guy was a sunuvabitch who lifted his dog up by the ears NIXON Pro- Opened relations with China; great foreign policy accomplishments; would make perfect candidate for $3 bill Cons- Did not understand the concept of an “erase” button. FORD Next. CARTER Pro- After leaving Presidency, was great ambassador for the US and human rights; work with Habitat for Humanity Con- One of the worst Presidents of the 20th Century; smile worse than Baba Booey’s REAGAN Pro- 2 terms; Beloved by many; restored pride in America; presided over one of biggest economic booms in history Con- Iran-Contra; record deficits; re-introduced white middle class anger into America BUSH Pro- Persian Gulf War victory Con- President with the distinction of having one of the worst free falls in approval ratings in history CLINTON Pro- 2 terms; introduced many bills that appealed to middle class centrist compassionism; viewed by many as a true world leader and a friend of peace Con- Draft dodger; penchant for penetrating college interns with cigars, then smelling them GORE Pro- Intellectual moderate Con- Stole 2000 election from George Bush BUSH Pro- Easy going style appealed to many populist Americans Con- Stole 2000 election from Al Gore Other Americans that might be comemorated on coin: Dr. Martin Luther King; Henry Kissinger; Muhammad Ali; Chuck Yeager; Douglas MacArthur; Bill Gates; Jesse Jackson; John Lennon; Elvis ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2000, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/2 "2000-11-25T06:02:53Z")
Calvin Coolidge. His claim to greatness was his philosophy that the president’s job was to make sure that nothing happened. His brilliance at inaction should be a role model for all presidents. ---
**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2000, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/3 "2000-11-25T15:09:10Z")
I like **Coolidge** too, but the OP specifies the _second_ half of this century. I might suggest George **Marshall** , progenitor of his eponymous Plan. But I hesitate to nominate _anyone_ until, say, twenty years have elapsed, and we have a more informed and less partisan view of things. In the meanwhile, we have postage stamps. Put _all_ these guys on them. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/4 "2000-11-25T15:48:24Z")
Alex Rodriquez, but it would have to a really big denomination. (the ‘A-rod’ 20,000,000 Note) ---
**Author:** ![\_hijack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/c0e974/32.png) [@\_hijack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_hijack)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2000, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/5 "2000-11-25T21:14:02Z")
I’d vote for someone other than a politician. Why are they so special? Washington won our freedom. Franklin also did. He was just never elected. Now that we’ve had Indians and buffalo and Miss Liberty and Susan B. Anthony, the curse of all presidents is over with. I’m proud of Edison. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2000, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/6 "2000-11-26T07:45:56Z")
Don’t you have to be dead to be on money? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2000, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/7 "2000-11-26T19:41:03Z")
A Canadian’s non-partisan opinion: If you’re going to restrict yourself to the late 20th century, the first candidate for being on a coin or bill has to be **Dr. Martin Luther King,** arguably the most positively influential American since 1950. Franklin and Hamilton are on money and they aren’t Presidents, so there’s no reason King can’t be honoured. The only other particularly good non-Presidential candidate I can think of is Gen. Marshall. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2000, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/8 "2000-11-26T21:10:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\*A Canadian’s non-partisan opinion: > > If you’re going to restrict yourself to the late 20th century, the first candidate for being on a coin or bill has to be **Dr. Martin Luther King,** arguably the most positively influential American since 1950. Franklin and Hamilton are on money and they aren’t Presidents, so there’s no reason King can’t be honoured. > > The only other particularly good non-Presidential candidate I can think of is Gen. Marshall. \*\* I second the motion. King would be the perfect choice to grace a new currency. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2000, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/9 "2000-11-26T21:20:19Z")
Dr. King would be a courageous choice, but would meet with a lot of opposition from various idiot groups in the US. Others would point out some of his personal flaws, which, since he was a 20th Century figure, count for more than the personal flaws of people like Jefferson and Hamilton. I’ve never figured that out. However, this is all a hypothetical debate. No one is likely to get booted off of any currency in the near future. The only likely candidate to get the boot would be Grant. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/10 "2000-11-27T00:19:49Z")
> [@](#): > > No one is likely to get booted off of any currency in the near future. The only likely candidate to get the boot would be Grant. I dunno. Several folks are “doubly-honored” at present. Washington on both the quarter and the dollar. Jefferson on both the nickel and the two dollar bill. Lincoln on both the penny and the five dollar bill. Furthermore, there is a vocal lobby of numismatists who would like to see some more new coin designs. We’ve had our current set of coins longer than any others in our nation’s history. I’ll ignore the OP to some extent (sorry) and not limit myself to the latter half of the 20th century or to Presidents: I agree with the previous nominations of **George Marshall** , **Martin Luther King, Jr.** and **Thomas Edison**. All are worthy of the honor. Other potential nominees:[li] **Frederick Douglas**. (sp?)[/li][li] **Lewis and Clark**.[/li][li] **John Marshall**. The Supreme Court justice most responsible for shaping the institution.[/li][li] **Clarence Darrow**. Why not? Lawyers get a lot of bad press, but here’s one who put his talents to good use.[/li][li] **Elvis**. He’s the King, right? Kings belong on currency.[/li][li] **Chief Joseph**. As a reminder.[/li][li] **Rachel Carson**. The mother of the environmental movement.[/li][/list] ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/11 "2000-11-27T02:23:16Z")
theuglytruth: Note of reality, John Lennon was British… at most he held a green card. …and chalk up another Canadian voting for Martin Luther King Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/12 "2000-11-27T05:24:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > Other Americans that might be comemorated on coin: > Dr. Martin Luther King; Henry Kissinger; Muhammad Ali; Chuck Yeager; Douglas MacArthur; Bill Gates; Jesse Jackson; John Lennon; Elvis > \*\* I’d rather see Harriet Tubman on the dollar coin then Sacajawea. Or however you spell her name. Marc ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/13 "2000-11-27T16:25:34Z")
Other nations celebrate famous writers, composers, and painters on their money, as well as former rulers. In that spirit, I humbly suggest that we add the following: [ul] [li]Willliam Faulkner[/li][li]George Gershwin[/li][li]Ernest Hemingway[/li][li]Martha Graham[/li][li]Louis Armstrong[/li][li]Isaac Asimov[/li][li]Carl Sagan[/li][li]Duke Ellington[/li][li]Jackson Pollock[/li][li]Irving Berlin[/li][li]Walt Disney[/li][li]Jimi Hendrix[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/14 "2000-11-27T16:29:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Other\*\* Americans\*\* that might be comemorated on coin: > Dr. Martin Luther King; Henry Kissinger; Muhammad Ali; Chuck Yeager; Douglas MacArthur; Bill Gates; Jesse Jackson; **John Lennon** ; Elvis John Lennon was a legal resident, but he was most definitely not an American. The Brits can put him on the five-pound note if they wish. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/15 "2000-11-27T18:36:45Z")
I’d like to ditch portraits of actual persons and go back to symbols…they made some of our most memorable coins. I always liked the old Mercury dime, or “flapper dime.” Let’s do a nice punkette Liberty to enshrine current ladies’ fashions. The Buffalo nickel was also good for yuks…how about a coin honoring the spread of kudzu through the Southeast? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-presidents-americans-belong-on-currency/42622/16 "2000-11-27T21:47:57Z")
Speaking of symbols on coinage, isn’t it kind of ironic that during the latter half of the 19th century, when we were most ardently pursuing a policy of pacifying (read: taking the land from) Indians, our pennies were adorned with an Indian in a war bonnet? “Here is a proud symbol of our nation! Now let’s wipe it out!”