Shire Silver Design Contest!

[Barterer]

Wow, this is fantastic.. how did I miss this thread?  Whatever the results of the contest, I will be ordering some of these coin uh, rounds.

Here are my 2 cents concerning designs:
Go with grams as a base unit, not ounces.  It is a smaller, easier to manage unit for small purchases.. as opposed to making the base unit ounces, then subdividing that into tenths, cents, quarters or whatever.

I know this has already been pretty much decided, but I'd leave the MSRP/suggested value completely out of it.. for reasons already mentioned (USD inflation/minting changes, confusion with US currency etc.) Don't give the government an excuse for a LibertyDollar-style confiscation from anyone, small as their stockpile may be.  Even among anti-government types, there was this whole debate at the FTL bbs on whether or not LibertyDollars was a scam, simply because they had to change their USD/Oz.Ag conversion periodically.

[jcchriste]

just a few tips to designers (still mulling over ideas on my own, love the idea).

I'd avoid using names like Aggies and Auggies, just because they sound too similar. For the best ease of use, you want something that can be easily differentiated. Nobody confused dollars and cents.

I do think having the weight on them is the best bet, because that can most easily be converted into competing currencies, like the US or Canadian Dollar. Having a named currency (Shires, Granites) that corresponds to a weight also works but would require more explanation to uninitiated.

Testing:

I think the sound may be able to be used as an easy way to test them quickly, although I don't know much about it. Maybe the testing kit could be a tuning fork and one of those tuning gizmos?

I think vending machines use a system involving a magnet, though I could be wrong. Anyone know how this works, if its transferable?

The easiest method may be to keep one silver coin known to be pure, and simply compare it to the suspect, volume and weight wise

One other idea: Old coins had a hole in the middle so you could string multiple coins together. Would that make backyard production too difficult? if not, it might be a useful idea.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Call them Porcs

1oz. = a porc

1/2 porc

1/4 porc

1/8 porc

[Jim Johnson]

We should cut the Porc into seven parts.  That way the fractionally challenged wouldn't have to relate 1/2 Porc = 4/8 Porc.
It would always be 3/7 Porc = three pieces of a divided Porc, 4/7 Porc = 4 pieces of a divided
Porc.

[yonder]

Ounce of gold is a porc
Ounce of silver is a quill
Ounce of copper is... [?]

[Pat McCotter]

Ounce of gold is a porc
Ounce of silver is a quill
Ounce of copper is... [?]

...a soft underbelly!



Oops! I think I was just channeling Blackie.

[Kat Kanning]

I liked Optima.

So no one is interested in explaining Shire Silver?

Sorry, but we're a bit busy. Is there a deadline?

It was just a long deadline.  If you'd like something in the February issue, I'd need it by the 20th.

[MaineShark]

Ounce of gold is a porc
Ounce of silver is a quill

I'm liking that.

Or make a ounce of gold a "Granite," an ounce of silver a "Porc" and an ounce of copper a "Quill."

Abbreviate "Granite" to "GT" to avoid "grams"

Joe

[jaqeboy]

...
Testing:

I think the sound may be able to be used as an easy way to test them quickly, although I don't know much about it. Maybe the testing kit could be a tuning fork and one of those tuning gizmos?

I think vending machines use a system involving a magnet, though I could be wrong. Anyone know how this works, if its transferable?

The easiest method may be to keep one silver coin known to be pure, and simply compare it to the suspect, volume and weight wise

I have heard that beyond using sizing gates, some coin-accepter mechanisms use a bouncing stage where the coin has to bounce the right distance to fall into the next chute... Sounds like a Rube Goldberg contraption  but maybe it's what is needed.

Thinking.... hmmm.

You could find the manufacturers on the internets, but not sure if they are secretive about their methods and mechanisms. Might be some info available in a patent search.

[Ron Helwig]

Just a reminder...

The whole reason we need this Shire Silver project in the first place is that the Founding Fathers "named" the currency. By calling it a "dollar", they (probably unintentionally) got people to stop thinking in terms of ounces of silver and start thinking of "dollars" as something in and of itself. That allowed the definition of the currency to be changed, thus debasing the currency.

In other words, I am vehemently opposed to calling them anything other than "{measurement} of {element}" or "{element} {measurement}s".

[sandm000]

plus you're the guy fronting the money for the project.

(Also, after the design is picked you can nickname the coin whatever you want.  Gold Eagles, Silver Libertys, Gold Maple Leaf, and others http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_coin#Bullion_coins)

Can people buy shares in your die?

[Ron Helwig]

Can people buy shares in your die?

The idea is that you can buy your own die set, and produce your own!

Massively distributed currency generation is the only way I can think of to return control of the money to the people. The Liberty Dollar case certainly points out that you don't want a centralized system with a "head" that can be cut off. IMHO, Shire Silver only exists to facilitate the distributed production and promotion of silver as a currency.

My thinking is that once we have a design, we will create a test die set. Then we will try various methods out, determining what can be used for pressing/minting the pieces. Then we start making and selling the dies and instructions for the various presses. Build your own press, make your own money!

[J’raxis 270145]

Just a reminder...

The whole reason we need this Shire Silver project in the first place is that the Founding Fathers "named" the currency. By calling it a "dollar", they (probably unintentionally) got people to stop thinking in terms of ounces of silver and start thinking of "dollars" as something in and of itself. That allowed the definition of the currency to be changed, thus debasing the currency.

In other words, I am vehemently opposed to calling them anything other than "{measurement} of {element}" or "{element} {measurement}s".

Exactly. This is also a reason, I think, to move away from Troy ounces, because it's already an obscure, archaic unit that's not used for anything else.

[sandm000]

Just a reminder...

The whole reason we need this Shire Silver project in the first place is that the Founding Fathers "named" the currency. By calling it a "dollar", they (probably unintentionally) got people to stop thinking in terms of ounces of silver and start thinking of "dollars" as something in and of itself. That allowed the definition of the currency to be changed, thus debasing the currency.

In other words, I am vehemently opposed to calling them anything other than "{measurement} of {element}" or "{element} {measurement}s".

Exactly. This is also a reason, I think, to move away from Troy ounces, because it's already an obscure, archaic unit that's not used for anything else.

So we should use grams right? Not the other type of Ounce, because the avoirdupois system is just as archaic, right? Besides 30 grams is a bit more than a avoirdupois oz and a bit less than a troy oz, plus it's a multiple of ten, which for some reason seems to be easier to use than 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 etc etc. when subdividing the unit for mathematical purposes.

[cigarlover]

As someone who buys a lot of silver already I would like to throw in my 2 cents since you are still in the designing phase. There are lots of coins on the market already and many people are already familiar with 1 oz of silver or gold and likewise with the fractionals. To start over with grams will confuse the masses basically. My suggeastion would be to stick with the OZ designation and also 1/10, 1/4, 1/2. Its just going to be easier IMO.. Also you can get coins made like you are doing. Theres a couple of places that will do it. APMEX is one of them. Theres a gold and silver forum that I am also a part of and they had custom coins made for themselves last year. You paid for the dies and then they made all you wanted. The more you order the cheaper it was I believe. They ordered 3000 oz of silver coins and paid a buck over spot. You pick the day you will lock in the price and go from there.