Cutting Up a Coin

The U.S. Mint has struck some handsome coins over the years, the buffalo nickel and the Kennedy half-dollar among them. But the Government's 1984 silver dollar, designed to commemorate the Summer Olympics, is drawing a chorus of catcalls. One side of the dollar, portraying a bald eagle, is pleasing. But the opposite, or "heads" side, contains no heads at all. It features the bare torsos of a male and a female athlete, apparently standing atop the Los Angeles Coliseum, the principal site of the Games. Sniffed Coin Columnist Ed Reiter: "It is quite possibly one of the ugliest coins in U.S. history."

The design could hurt sales of the noncirculating, 90%-silver coin. The Government plans to mint almost 5 million; it will offer them to collectors at about $30 apiece and will donate $10 of each sale to the U.S. Olympic program. The Mint is also commemorating the Olympics with its first gold piece since 1933, a $10 one of separate design that will sell for $352, with $50 going to the Games.

So far, the precious-metal coins have been slow movers. Officials at the Mint blame that mainly on weak marketing, and will try to boost sales next month by offering the coins through banks and thrift institutions.