The coins could be cast in polyvinyl with metalic flake for all we know so i"m not in a panic on it, but to me pack-ins are pack-ins and all run something that negatively impacts the bottom line of the core product. A Force File or Freezeframe's cost is negligible... A miniature holographic figure requires mold toolings, production, special packaging demands...
A coin's going to require tooling too, and if you're right Jack on these being metal (let's say for the sake of argument that's the deal) we're looking at something costlier...
BTW I agree on the price issue with iFett... I've said it before and I'll say it again. If the costs of oil for manufacturers suddenly spiked Star Wars figures up $2 from last year, you'd be seeing similar increases elsewhere in anything within the plastics industry. The jump is just a price spike from retail (I blame them more than Hasbro, however Hasbro's got the blame for what the product ultimately is for the price irregardless). The fact TRU or KB Toys can run sales for weeks at a time where figures come down to $4.50 or so, and they still profit well, is enough to hate these prices.
$6.99 figures of course aren't anything new to the line, but they sure suck compared to what we paid last year, combined with what we got in terms of quality last year.