When Star Wars came out, it was one of the first films to take advantage of a rabid fan base by selling all manner of merchandise related to the film. From action figures to plastic tumblers, if they could slap the Star Wars logo on it and make a buck, they’d do it. But, what in the name of George Lucas is the government thinking?
Fox and the Franklin mint have teamed up to produce limited edition Silver Sufer QUARTERS to promote the release of the new Fantastic Four film. Holy legal tender, Batman!
Look, I get promotional stamps. There are tons of stamps with different themes. There are military stamps, Disney stamps, stamps with fuzzy animals…I know this because I often stand in a long line at the post office between little old ladies who want to look through an entire cataolg of them before choosing the one they want for their letter to dear Aunt Mertle.
We’ve all seen promotional coins as well. Franklin Mint, it seems, will make you a coin of pretty much anything. Want your ass emblazened upon a coin (who doesn’t?)? The Mint will make you a dozen in different values and colors. But, to actually release them into circulation is something no one had really thought of until now.
I’m not a big freak about the sacredness of American currency or anything. I like the state coins. Those are pretty cool. But, does anyone else find it more than a little icky that the sequal to a crappy movie whose sole redeeming quality was Jessica Alba in panties gets to choose how I pay my toll fare or what I put into a vending machine?
The good news is, thank the God we trust, you won’t have to worry about reading those antiquated words on normal quarters like “liberty,” because instead of those ridiculous throwbacks to less commercial era, we’ll get the films website URL and a Fox copyright statement. How positively patriotic!
Lastly, am I the only one who finds it odd that what would appear to be the first US coin being circulated as part of a movie promotion will have the film’s VILLAIN on it? The least they could’ve done is put Alba on there. Sheesh.
This has got to be a joke.
I have sent this to http://www.snopes.com for verification.
That is just so … wrong. The Franklin Mint coins are just creepy too - but I can’t believe these will be released into circulation!
Hey, can anyone start up a for profit mint to make legal tender? Because I would like to make some of those special coins that you’re talkin’ about!
[...] You may recall I wrote about a Silver Surfer quarter being produced by the Franklin Mint and Fox for promoting the new Fantastic Four film. Apparently, the US Mint is not real happy about the fact that the coins were real quarters altered with promotional slogans and released into the general currency calling the act “illegal.” Oops. [...]