Newsom Bombarded With Ridiculous Suggestions After He Asked the Public to Help Design California’s New Coin

By: Beth Moreton | Published: May 04, 2024

With California set to get a new coin in 2026, its governor, Gavin Newsom, asked a simple question of his followers: to come up with a design for the coin.

Despite using a Taylor Swift reference, Newsom likely didn’t account for the designs his followers would send him for the new coin. 

US Mint Is Releasing Innovation Coins

The U.S. Mint is set to release some special coins in the next few years to honor innovation. 

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A $1 US coin as part of the innovation collection. The coin is gold and has the eagle emblem in the center.

Source: @banknoteworld/X

These $1 coins will be developed for each U.S. state to celebrate the individual innovations each state has brought to the U.S. 

Gavin Newsom Asked for Designs for New Californian Coin

Newsom took to X, formerly known as Twitter, toward the end of April 2024 to request his followers make a design for the new Californian $1 coin. 

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A post on X from Gavin Newsom. The post says, “Calling all members of the Tortured Coin Designers Department… CA is getting its own $1 coin to honor innovation, slated to be issued in 2026 - and we need your help! What is a CA innovation you’d like to see featured on the coin? Send ideas to: coinsubmissions@gov.ca.gov.”

Source: @CAgovernor/X

In the post, he said that he wanted Californians to get involved and create a coin design based on innovation in California. 

Coin Designers Focused on the Negatives of California

Struggling to develop any positives of the Golden State, Newsom’s followers decided to focus on California’s negatives.

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A homeless man sleeping outside an apartment block.

Source: Randy Jacob/Unsplash

California is facing many struggles and controversies at the moment, including the Californian homelessness crisis

Coin Designers Addressed California’s Homelessness Problem

Quick to reply, Newsom’s followers submitted their designs, including ones that showcased California’s homelessness problem.

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A US Mint coin design. The design is in a blue circle and features two tents with a washing line and clothes hanging between the two.

Source: @edwardrussl/X

One designer posted their design of two tents with a washing line hanging between them on X.

Some Pointed out How Weird the Coin Design Competition Is

Others took to X to say how weird they felt the design competition was.

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A U.S. Mint coin design. There is a face mask in gold in front of an outline of California.

Source: @houmanhemmati/X

However, they still included some of their design suggestions, including a face mask, which links back to the COVID-19 pandemic and the requirement that everyone wear face masks in public. 

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California’s Human Fecal Matter Problem

Others chose to use the competition to draw attention to California’s human fecal matter problem.

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A U.S. Mint coin design. In the center is a poop pile over a map of California, and next to the image, it says “San Francisco Poop Map.”

Source: @Richard_Harambe/X

Some designs were posted to X, including one that showed an image of some poop next to the words “San Francisco poop map.”

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California’s High Gas Prices

Gas prices have risen everywhere, but it seems to be a particularly prevalent problem in California.

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A US Mint coin design. In the center is an image of gas station prices.

Source: @Lex_Jurgen/X

So much so that people included this on the coin designs, with one user taking to X with their coin design, simply showing an image of current gas prices. 

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California Leaders vs. Citizens

Many feel that there is currently a large difference in wealth between California’s leaders and its citizens.

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A U.S. Mint coin design. The image is split into two parts: the socialist citizens are shown living in tents, and the socialist leaders are shown living in large houses with swimming pools.

Source: @PerezTMx2/X

One user posted their image of the coin on X, showing a split between the citizens living in tents and the leaders living in large houses with swimming pools. 

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California Is Run by Democrats

California is currently being run by Democrats, something many appear to be unhappy with.

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A U.S. Mint coin design. The background is California, and in the foreground is a yellow sign that says, “Caution. Democrat-run city. Enter at your own risk.”

Source: PerezTMx2/X

This led to designs like one posted to X with a yellow warning sign that says, “Caution. Democrat-run city. Enter at your own risk.”

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No One Took Newsom’s Coin Design Challenge Seriously

A quick look at the replies to Newsom’s post will tell you that he didn’t get the replies he was hoping for.

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Gavin Newsom standing behind a wooden lectern. The U.S. and California flags are behind him.

Source: Office of the Governor of California/Wikimedia Commons

As it’s looking unlikely any design made by the public will be used, Californians are waiting with bated breath to see what the coin design will be. 

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Newsom’s Reality Check

With the responses he got, it has been pointed out that Newsom’s reality check might get him to reconsider everything going on in California at the moment. 

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Gavin Newsom speaking at an event. He is standing behind a wooden lectern. The California flag is behind him.

Source: Office of the Governor of California/Wikimedia Commons

With homelessness rising, human fecal matter in the streets, and high gas prices, these points raised in his replies might get Newsom to sort the problems out, all with the flip of a coin. 

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