How do you boost the circulation of the $1 coins?

Since 1979 the government has tried all sorts of ways to get Americans to use $1 coins instead of $1 bills. The reason is that coins last longer than paper currency and a minted $1 coin lasts longer than a printed $1 bill, especially since the average life of a dollar bill is only about a year and a half.

But we've rejected $1 coins. We thought the Susan B. Anthony one dollar coins looked like quarters. The golden color Sacagewa and Presidential dollar coins didn't catch on either.

So what's needed to make one-dollar coins popular?

I think the only way to make them popular is for Uncle Sam to strike a deal with big business -- or businesses -- and sell advertising space on the dollar coins. If a company had its advertising message on the dollar coins you could bet that the company would do what it could to get those dollar coins in circulation.

Imagine McDonalds or Burger King or Subway with an advertising message on dollar coins. You'd be sure that the company with its advertising message on the coin would be doing everything possible to use those coins.

And if you think it's a crazy idea-- just think how much money Uncle Sam might be able to raise with Golden Arches or a Whopper on the reverse of a dollar coin?