posted
I decided to start a new thread for this rather than update the other US Mint I had. Generally I like to update old threads with related information to reduce forum clutter, but it was suggested to me in that thread that a new thread would have been appropriate, so, I'll let you all be the judges of which is better.
The US Mint has decided to continue the program into 2009. "But there are only 50 states!" you might say. Well that's true, but we also have five territories and the District of Columbia. Those six will be featured (at equal intervals between releases) on the 2009 quarters.
This has been announced for over a year so many of you may have already heard about it, and in fact the design and selection process has been ongoing since January of this year at least. And there has already been some intrigue in the selection process.
When DC's Mayor originally sent in the three prospective designs for the DC quarter, all three contained the phrase "Taxation Without Representation," which is actually on their license plates and is a hot button issue among DC residents. For anyone who doesn't know, DC only in the last couple decades (I think) got the right to have electors in the presidential electoral college, and has a non-voting representative in Congress, and no one in the Senate. They've complained for a long time that they, like our revolutionary forefathers, must pay taxes without representation. But the Mint nixed the words from the quarter designs and they were replaced with "Justice for all." The rejection of the phrase was made within two days of its submission.
Here are the designs for the DC quarters. DC residents voted in May and June, and the winner announced was the Duke Ellington quarter. Not sure how I feel about that. I think it would've been cool to show like Washington Monument with all the major points around it in the background, but no dice.
I'll have to cut it short there, but I'll be back in a couple hours to finish the other five territories. I have to get lunch before the line in the cafeteria gets too long.
quote:DC residents voted in May and June, and the winner announced was the Duke Ellington quarter. Not sure how I feel about that. I think it would've been cool to show like Washington Monument with all the major points around it in the background, but no dice.
<grin> Having grown up outside DC, I'd bet there's a civic pride issue at work here.
posted
For the love of all that is...I don't like this much. Mostly because my job requires me to deal with this all the time. I'm not wild about constantly getting asked when the next state quarter is coming out, so I'm not pleased that it will keep happening for awhile.
I mean...I guess it's a good idea. But I lost interest with the quarters a long time ago.
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After DC will be Guam. Both are nice quarter designs. The winner was the one on the left that has the picture of Guam on it. The inscription, "“Guåhan Tånó I Man Chamorro," I think means "Land of the Chamorro," which is apparently what ethnic Guamanians call themselves. Googling it didn't meet with a lot of success.
Followed by the Virgini Islands. These are some nice ones. If you look at the three when they are all lined up, the one on the far right won. It's called "Virgin Islands beauty."
Puerto Rico is up next, and apparently hasn't voted or decided on a winner yet.
And the Nortehrn Marianas will cap off the program with three mostly weird looking designs, but it looks like most of it is locally inspired, which is always interesting. Could be a fun learning thing for people collecting.
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posted
Some new coinage news for you numismatists out there!
The 50 state quarter program, recently extended for another year (DC is out there now), has been extended for another 11 years! 56 more quarters will be issues, one for every state, territory and DC detailing their national parks and historic sites. Site selection is currently ongoing, with the first quarters to be issued in 2010 at a rate of 5 a year (probably six in that last year).
They'll be issued in chronological order starting from the date the first historic site was designated a site, so, it'll be grab bag.
And, there's some rumors out there that starting in 2010, George Washington might be replaced on the quarter (where he has held residence since 1932) with a far more appropriate choice, Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt as many of you may know was an environmental protectionist titan. Without him, there might never have been a serious drive in this country for preservation and conservation (at least not for awhile), and thus his face (the only of the Mt. Rushmore presidents not on the money) would be appropriately placed on the quarter alongside the progeny of his work.
It's still under consideration however, and no final decision has been made, and won't be until later this year. SecTreas Tim Geithner, with all his free time, has to give a lot of the okays to the designs, sites and what not.
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posted
Hmm. If they're going for territories as well as states, how about Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, and Japan quarters? Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:They'll be issued in chronological order starting from the date the first historic site was designated a site, so, it'll be grab bag.
Yellowstone was the first National Park, but it is actually in three different states (Wyoming, Idaho and Montana). Most of it is in Wyoming, but the two of the three main entrances are in Montana. I wonder which state will be allowed to claim it and get the first quarter.
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posted
All 56 sites have been chosen for the 11 year program, set to end in 2021. The complete list of sites in chronological release order can be found here. Some of these are just awful choices I think. Mt. Rushmore is an obvious choice, but it was already on the South Dakota quarter. A lot of the rest of these are going to be very difficult to render on a tiny quarter.
For example, these are the initial designs for the 2010 year of quarters. The actual quarters won't come out looking nearly that detailed, though they'll still look close I imagine. Regardless, a lot of these images just looks like interchangeable nature scenes. The Commission of Fine Arts has made the following recommendation for the 2010 year, and they've outright rejected one set of designs, and have problems with some of the others.
I thought this was kind of a neat idea at first, now I think it's going to be a little goofy. I had hoped this would generate interest in our national parks and historic sites, but I don't see that happening.
On the bright side, the lackluster appeal of these quarters might make them quite valuable to collectors, unlike the state quarters, which were collected and produced in such abundance as to make their long term value as collectibles somewhat low. I'm still going to collect these, but I'm not super excited about it.
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