2007

• George Washington
• John Adams
• Thomas Jefferson
• James Madison

2008

• James Monroe
• John Quincy Adams
• Andrew Jackson
• Martin Van Buren

2009

• William Henry Harrison
• John Tyler
• James K. Polk
• Zachary Taylor

2010

• Millard Fillmore
• Franklin Pierce
• James Buchanon
• Abraham Lincoln

2011

• Andrew Johnson
• Ulysses S. Grant
• Rutherford B. Hayes
• James A. Garfield

2012

• Chester A. Arthur
• Grover Cleveland
• Benjamin Harrison
• Grover Cleveland

2013

• William McKinley
• Theodore Roosevelt
• William H. Taft
• Woodrow Wilson

2014

• Warren Harding
• Calvin Coolidge
• Herbert Hoover
• Franklin D. Roosevelt

2015

• Harry S. Truman
• Dwight D. Eisenhower
• John F. Kennedy
• Lyndon B. Johnson

2016

• Richard M. Nixon

The paper U.S. dollar bill has always been a problem for the mint. A coin is more durable and lasts longer, making it more cost effective. However since the demise of the Eisenhower Dollar coin, the public has mostly rejected all of its smaller replacements. It is speculated that replacing the dollar bill with a coin could save the U.S. $500 million annually in printing costs, not counting the periodic security redesigns. Canada and various European countries have successfully eliminated their basic currency paper notes, but resistance is strong against such a move by the United States. An additional factor in the opposition of a dollar coin replacing the paper bill is that a stack of $100 in “singles” is relatively light, compared to a pocket weighed down by the same amount of coins.

Some have speculated that the new coins were intentionally designed to go directly into collections, instead of everyday commerce, making the U.S. dollar more scarce and thus more valuable. Other studies have shown that the only way the American public would accept dollar coins is if the paper currency were completely taken out of circulation.

The timing would seem to indicate that the announcement was held up until after the November 2006 elections. The religious right wing of the Republican Party is sure to be outraged when they notice that “In God We Trust,” while still on the coin, is no longer featured prominently.

In a side announcement, there will also be a release of 24-karat $10 pieces featuring the First Ladies at the end of 2007, and also the penny will be redesigned four times in 2009 to honor Abraham Lincoln.