EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt
Scott Pruitt, the 14th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has decided that rather than saving taxpayer money, he will spend additional money to have the EPA redesign the challenge coin that he uses on behalf of the EPA.
According to the New York Times, Pruitt wants to make the challenge coin bigger and to delete the EPA logo. According to a retired career EPA employee, it appears that Pruitt wants the coin to be all about him and not the agency.
The reverse side of the E.P.A. challenge coin conceived under Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, left, and the face of the coin issued when Gina McCarthy led the agency. (Photo Credit: Ron Slotkin/The New York Times)
“These coins represent the agency,” said Ronald Slotkin, who served as the director of the E.P.A.’s multimedia office. “But Pruitt wanted his coin to be bigger than everyone else’s and he wanted it in a way that represented him.”
It is reported that Pruitt does not like the agency seal because (brace yourself) he felt it looks like a marijuana leaf!
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- Official logo of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
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- Leaf of the cannabis sativa plant
Pruitt is not the first agency head to extend his ego to challenge coins. Last fall, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke commissioned his own challenge coin. At the time, it was thought to be the only Cabinet-level official to have his own challenge coin.
In order to create a new challenge coin, the manufacturer must create new dies. Making new dies does have a cost, as opposed to either using an existing die or having an existing design reworked. According to the website of Challenge Coins Plus, the company The New York Times story said was involved with making other challenge coins for the EPA, if Pruitt wants a 2.5-inch coin, the mold fees are $100 per side ($200 for both sides). Once the molds are made, 2-sided colored coins are $5.57 each for 2,000 coins ($11,140) without customizations such as custom edges and capsules.
However, Pruitt is not stopping with challenge coins. He has ordered pens, notebooks, and leather binders to exclude the logo and replaced with his name in a larger font. All at an additional charge to taxpayers.
At least when the U.S. Mint fails, it does not cost the taxpayers any money since the U.S. Mint’s operations are paid by the seignorage and not from the general treasury.
I guess Pruitt will not be collecting this 2010 Republic of Benin Marijuana Scented Coin!
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I have seen several posts that indicate you are possibly suffering from Trump Acceptance Resistance Disorder.
FYI, the challenge coin is a fairly recent phenomena in local, state, and federal agencies. They have replaced the once ubiquitous coffee mug that could not go into the microwave. They are common, and it is common for them to change when there is a new police chief, a new prosecutor, a new director, etc. This has nothing to do with coin collecting at all, unless you want to collect challenge coins which have little value.
Donald J Trump is your president.
Now get back to coin collecting.
Two points:
1. Challenge coins are numismatics. They fall into the category of exonumia just like medals and orders. While they may not be the most popular numismatic collectibles, there is a place for them in the hobby.
2. As a former fed, every agency has standards that are supposed to represent the agency. The challenge coins I have received over the years are representative of the agency and not the agency head–and my government service extends back 25 years and three administrations. When an agency head oversteps their bounds, I will comment accordingly regardless of party. After all, stupidity shows no party loyalty. There are schmucks in all political parties!