Opinion: Let’s see, $14.90 for a $1 Barack Obama coin. What a deal!

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Since Sen. Barack Obama became President-elect Barack Obama on Nov. 4, everyone seems to be cashing in. It’s the American way.

TV commercials for Obama merchandise are on regular rotation; mall kiosks offer T-shirts, featuring the president-elect’s portrait. As The Ticket noted this morning, Ebony has just come out with its special January ‘collector’s edition.’

And to be honest, the newspaper of this website, like many other papers, did tap into an Obama memorabilia hunger for extra newspaper copies right after the election.

But if we see one more e-mail about an Obama commemorative coffee mug, we may break something.

He’s got more merch than a rock star -- a ‘Barack Star,’ if you will. (And yes, even that shirt exists.)

But what about this presidential commemorative dollar we keep hearing about? Shouldn’t you rush to ‘get your piece of history,’ as the commercial says? (See video above)

Seriously, it’s $1.

The issue price is $29.95. But they’re going to let us steal it for $9.95 (plus another $4.95 shipping and handling, of course)!

Couldn’t this be worth something someday? After all, people do collect coins.

According to monetary resellers, it almost certainly won’t.

‘Over the years, many coins of this ‘Commemorative’ type have been sold by private companies,’ Michael Cline, who runs the online collectibles reseller the Coin-Shop, says in an e-mail.

‘As a keepsake, they ‘may’ have value to the buyer. But as a collectible, they are now, and will forever be worth the face value of the coin.’

So, maybe some will enjoy hanging it above the mantle. But for those who hoped it would pay off in the long run, you really just spent $15 for a buck.

Is this the kinda change Obama’s been talking about?

-- Mark Milian