USMint.gov | Check Out Soon-to-be-Released John Tyler Coin

Visit USMint.gov to see new coin

The U.S. Mint, (web site usmint.gov) is having a busy couple of weeks. Today it unveiled the next design in a line of pennies honoring Lincoln’s 200th birthday. Next week, on May 19, usmint.gov says the U.S. Mint will release a new $1 coin featuring John Tyler.

You can see the coin at usmint.gov. There will also be a launch ceremony for the coin May 19.

For those who love change

If you want to purchase rolls of the $1 coin, you can do so at usmint.gov. John Tyler’s face will  be featured on the front, and the Statue of Liberty is pictured on the back.

You can also buy rolls of the new Lincoln pennies, which show a photo of a teenage Lincoln reading a book on the tails side. Just make sure you don’t go crazy getting installment loans to pay for pennies. The argument that they’re worthless and should not be made anymore has been simmering for a while. There might come a day when pennies are obsolete.

Who is John Tyler?

For those of you who, like me, learned the presidents in third grade and haven’t heard much about John Tyler since, here’s a refresher course from Wikipedia:

John Tyler was the 10th president of the United States. He was also the first man to ever obtain the office of President by succession. He was United States vice president when William Henry Harrison died while in office, serving as United States President.

Harrison had been elected just a month before his death, so John Tyler served as president from 1841 through 1845, finishing out Harrison’s term.

Succession and annexation

Two main things ended up defining John Tyler’s presidency. One, that he was the first vice president to ever take over after the death of a president. Two, the annexation of the Republic of Texas.

Because he ended up president because of death and not election, many of his own constituents never really accepted him as president. According to Wikipedia:

Tyler’s detractors (who, ironically, would eventually include many of the Cabinet members and Congressmen who had legitimized his presidency) never fully accepted him as President. He was referred to by many nicknames, including “His Accidency.” … The rejection of Tyler went so far that he found himself accepted by no political party, making him one of only three Presidents (along with George Washington and Andrew Johnson) to have no party affiliation during part of his term.

Texas annex

Tyler struggled to gain party support, respect and popularity. The annexation of Texas played no small part in his plight. At the time, Texas had won independence from Mexico, but itself was still independent.

“Tyler believed that annexing Texas was a way he could achieve political respectability,” says Wikipedia. After a long, drawn-out effort involving treaties, appointing the wrong people and finally a joint resolution in the House and Senate, Tyler signed the annexation of Texas into law three days before he left office.

Now that you know more about the man behind the face that will grace the new $1 coin, visit usmint.gov to check out the new goods.