In their spare time, while not focusing on the tumbling economy, Senator Chris Dodd and Congressman John Larson are moving forward on an issue near and dear to, well, supposedly some Nutmeggers: A Mark Twain coin.
The duo introduced legislation Wednesday to create a limited edition commemorative Mark Twain coin. It would be available in gold for those who can afford it still. And silver for those who can only sort of afford it.
If the country's out of money, I suppose Twain would have thought, why not just make more?
Larson originally pushed for this in September, as numismatic fans noted in CoinNews (whose slogan I like to think should be "In wider circulation than the Sacagawea").
It appears there was already a gold Twain coin made in 1981. They're asking for the daily price of an ounce of gold plus $10. By my calculations, that's about $955. Quick! Before it goes up!
The proceeds from the coin proposed by Dodd and Larson would help fund historic Twain landmarks, including the Mark Twain House in Hartford.
Twain's landmark "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published for the first time in late February, 124 years go. Dodd noted, in a press release, "While this occasion passed with little fanfare, we should not forget the incredible contributions Mark Twain made to American literature."
Twain himself was quoted in a 1908 speech talking about the phrase "In God we trust" being added to coins. He suggested, rather than that, it read "Within certain judicious limitations we trust in God". And, he said, if there wasn't enough room on the coin for this, just enlarge the coin!
Had he known it would one day be his face, he might of thought better of that plan.
