"They're pretty neat," Adams says. "They're golden and they have the same purchasing power as a dollar bill."

To that end, the Mint has conducted a media blitz to publicize the new currency and convince the public that paper dollars are not necessarily better.

At the Mint's website, for instance, customers can order jewelry featuring the golden dollar. The site also includes an illustrated golden coin "road trip" across the country. And last spring, a golden coin documentary entitled "On the Inside: The U.S. Mint" ran on the Discovery Channel.

Pugh says she wouldn't be surprised if the Federal Reserve retires the golden coin in the near future.

"I really don't know why they ever came up with it. People simply don't like change," Pugh says.

And while the coins might not be very practical, Bruegger's Jones says he hopes that they will soon become collectible.

"I've started to save them," Jones says.