While flipping through the Sunday afternoon infomercials looking for a real program worth watching, I spotted Montel Williams, who has ended his syndicated talk show and has now gotten into the informercial business.

Williams, on this particular half-hour advertisement, is selling a commemorative set of Barack Obama coins.

The odd thing is, there is no Barack Obama coin.  No coin with Barack Obama’s face has been meticulously designed by any coiner or engraver.  And you won’t find any mint stamping these little gems into existence from shiny slabs of silver, nickel or whatever it is they place in coins these days.

What they actually do, according to the program itself, is to paint Barack Obama’s image on four existing coins that have nothing to do with Barack Obama.  There’s the George Washington dollar coin, the John F. Kennedy half-dollar, and the state quarters of Hawaii and llinois, which, as you might have surmised, are worth 25¢ each.

According to my quick math, you get two bucks worth of real currency that is transformed into something the coins’ “founding engravers” never intended.

For the low, low price of $19.95.  (Plus shipping and handling.)

Just the kind of bargain we need in such a poor excuse for an economy.

Ironically, I tuned in just to hear Williams’ co-host, , whom I assume represents the company selling these over-adorned coins, say, “Everyone wants a piece of Barack Obama.”  In response, Williams said, “Some will say this is nothing more than capitalizing on a historic event.”

No!  Say it ain’t so!  Where would any mean-spirited, suspicious-minded cynic possibly conjur up such an absurd idea?

He and the presenter then actually poked fun at the rush by other companies to make a buck on Obama’s election.  One of them remarks that one of the hottest-selling items is a pair of Obama earrings.  I don’t even want to know what they must look like!

But I guess we can understand why anyone might come to the conclusion that there are too many people just out to make a little extra spending money off of the President-Elect.  And for those who think this is another example of trying to capitalize, Williams has a perfect response ready: “I say we’re capturing a historic moment.”

Aren’t you glad we got that straightened out?  Makes me proud to be an American.