Sorry,Your Pink Money Idea Doesn’t Add Up

The US Treasury Department has announced plans to create 50-thousand pink gold $5 coins to promote breast cancer awareness and to raise money for research.

The coins are expected to be ready by the year 2018. Before then, federal officials will hold a contest to pick what artwork will be placed on the commemorative pink coin.

Sounds like a great idea - problem is, the math doesn't add up. Each gold coin will have a $5 face value, but will cost at least $35 to produce. This is where I'm confused.

Unless they plan to jack up the price of the coin, I can't get the math to work. And if that's the case - to charge me $35 for a $5 coin - why would I agree to that? That's dumb!

How about instead I donate the difference (on my own) to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation - because we all know how well government handles money.

Or maybe the government is hoping I'll look at it as an "investment of sorts." Yes, it's a gold coin, but it's still only worth $5. Again, why would I pay more than $5?

If you can explain it to me, I sure would appreciate it. I admit I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack, but I'm smart enough to know you don't spend 5x the price for something.

(Source: Associated Press)