There's a difference between a "study" and an "opinion poll."
Let's hope that when members of the interested Senate and House subcommittees dig into the 68-page report titled "U.S. Coins - Public Views on Changing Coin Design - GAO-03-206" issued Dec. 17 by the General Accounting Office, they'll understand they are reading the results of an opinion poll, not a study.
We believe it is essential to make a distinction between "study" and "opinion poll" because Congress mandated that the GAO "conduct a study to identify any changes necessary to maximize public interest in and acceptance of U.S. coins and achieve a better balance in the numbers of coins of different denominations in circulation, with particular attention to increasing the circulation of the dollar coin."
What the GAO did to fulfill its mandate was to contract with the Gallup Organization to conduct a telephone survey and focus groups to obtain the public's views on a laundry list of topics relating to circulating coinage.
Most of the 43 survey questions were framed in the vein of "Do you like things they way they are?" And very predictably, most respondents opted for the familiar. That's understandable because when asked an opinion about changing some aspect of their lives, most people prefer no change, unless and until they understand there is a benefit to change.
For example, 64 percent said they strongly or somewhat strongly would oppose a government decision to halt production of the dollar bill and replace it with a dollar coin. Yet, when provided with the information that replacing the dollar bill with a dollar coin would save at least half a billion dollars a year, 54 percent said they would strongly favor or somewhat favor the change.
When given an opportunity, through focus groups, to suggest ways to increase public interest in the dollar coin respondents recommended changes: increase circulation of the new dollar coin, stop circulating the Anthony dollar and eliminate the dollar bill.
The GAO loudly trumpets that the public is satisfied with the designs on our circulating coins. It notes: "…Most adults in the continental United States were satisfied with how frequently coin designs are changed. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said the design of U.S. coins should be changed as frequently as they are."
This is an interesting conclusion since those being questioned were never told how long each circulating coin design has been in use (Lincoln cent, 93 years; Jefferson 5-cent, 64 years; Roosevelt dime, 56 years; Washington quarter, 70 years; Kennedy half dollar, 38 years; Sacagawea dollar, two years). Nor were they informed that there is a law allowing new designs after a design has been in use for 25 years.
Curiously, the summary report notes: "About two-thirds of respondents said the government should wait at least 10 years before changing the design on a coin."
That statement sent us thumbing through the report to Appendix II to have a look at the question and full response. Question No. 39 asked: "In general, how frequently should the design of U.S. coins be changed?"
Answer: 2.5 percent said every year, 7.3 percent said every 2 to 4 years, 21.7 percent said every 5 to 9 years, 23 percent said every 10 to 14 years, 6.7 percent said every 15 to 24 years and 35.6 percent said every 25 years or less frequently. ("Don't know" garnered 2.3 percent and 0.9 percent refused to answer the question.)
Is the public trying to tell us they really embrace design change?
For the GAO to fulfill its mandate, it needs to analyze information from the "opinion poll" such as that we have pointed out and offer insight to decision makers.
Absent such action, U.S. coinage will continue to stagnate and become less functional to the point of becoming obsolete.
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