Get Your Dollar's Worth

Expect a lot of change tonight at Jazz in the Park. 

What I mean is that every vendor on location for this week’s performance will be giving change in $1 coins, according to the East Town Association. This is in honor of the Thomas Jefferson dollar coin that was released into the public today. 

You can enjoy Latin jazz from Nabori, sip a glass of wine under the stars, eat a picnic dinner in the park, and play heads or tails with one of the first Jefferson coins in circulation. 

The release of the Thomas Jefferson dollar is the third presidential coin to be added into circulation, preceded by George Washington (released February 15) and John Adams (May 17). The coin honoring James Madison will go into circulation in November and the U.S. Mint will honor four more of the nation's presidents every year in the order they served in the White House, according to TMJ4 News.

The U.S. Mint is hoping its new dollar coin series will help refresh some hazy memories of Adams, Jefferson and all the other presidents.

Additionally, by having a rotating design on the new dollar coins, the Mint is hoping to keep interest high and avoid the famous flops of two previous dollar coins — the Susan B. Anthony (introduced in 1979) and the Sacagawea (2000).

Perhaps the fate of the Susan B. Anthony coin has already foretold the outcome of the new dollar coins. I can’t understand why anyone would want to carry more change. It seems unnecessary since we currently have a dollar bill. Even if that becomes obsolete, I would hate carrying around the extra change. 

Anyway, if getting your hand on one of the first Jefferson coins doesn’t get you out to Jazz in the Park tonight, I bet fantastic Latin salsa music will!

See you there!

Comments

[char]

I didn't like the previous dollar coins, so I agree that this to shall pass.

[Eric]

It's a nice idea, but I would hate to have to carry around a whole bunch of dollar coins. Anything that doesn't fit in my wallet ends up behind my couch or in my washing machine. I'd hate to get four dollar coins back every time I have to break a fiver.