Dollars for Ronnie

Matthew Yglesias reports a suggestion to honor Ronald Reagan: instead of putting him on an existing coin, put him on a new dollar coin.

I actually like this idea, and that's as a liberal who thinks very little of Reagan's eight years and the fruits thereof. First of all, it would in one fell swoop accomplish the aim of those people who want to have something with Reagan's visage or name in every county in America. And secondly, it might even be a way to honor Reagan's legacy -- supposed as it may be -- as the "champion of smaller government", since if we'd ever get a dollar coin out there and eliminate the paper dollar at the same time, it would save the US Mint quite a bit of money (coins last far longer than paper currency, and thus have to be minted less frequently).

Or maybe we could keep the Sacagawea dollar coin (I think the design of that coin is very beautiful), ditch the paper dollar, and then have a two dollar coin with Reagan on it. Canada has two-dollar coins, so I think we can assume that a large, modernized country can exist with big coins instead of paper currency for small denominations. And maybe all that resulting weight in the pockets would induce pants manufacturers to stop being so damned stingy with the pocket fabric. I hate flimsy pockets.

(From Reagan to pants pockets, in a single post. Yeesh.)