DESIGN CALIFORNIA'S QUARTER

www.ca.gov ^ | September, 2002 | Dr. Kevin Starr

[American Preservative]

>>>Design California's Quarter <<<

As part of the Fifty State Commemorative Coin Program, The United States Mint will issue the California quarter in January 2005. States are honored in the order in which they ratified the Constitution and joined the Union. California was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850 and will be the 31st state to release its commemorative quarter.

It is with great pleasure that the Governor extends the honor of designing an enduring impression of our state to the people of California. The Governor encourages California-inspired ideas that will capture the heart of our state as well as its diverse culture. In honor of this momentous program, twenty semifinalist designs will be put on display in 2003 to acknowledge the public's contributions. The Governor will announce the final five designs in January of 2003 to give recognition to those who participated in the design process.

Dr. Kevin Starr
State Librarian of California

Contest Rules and Information

Fact Sheet (FAQs)

Selection Process

Suggestions for Images

Release Form

Links to Related Sites

U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program - includes the official template (PDF document)
Viewing PDF documents requires Acrobat Reader, available as a free download from Adobe Systems.

Official Template (Microsoft Word format)

California Quarter Public Service Announcements
:20 second California Quarter PSA

:30 second California Quarter PSA

[Gumlegs]

I sense a winner!

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

[steveegg]

Some ideas (some borrowed from what was already up; thanks for them):

• A picture of the Goddess of Liberty statue in Tiannamen Square being run over by the PLA
• The Soviet Red Star, and a portrait of Karl Marx substituted for that of George Washington to honor the Russians that made it down to Kalifornica
• A picture of a typical mudslide or Santa Ana wind-fed brush fire
• Substitue "La Cucaracha" for "E Pluribus Unum"
• Instead of "In God We Trust", have "In Mao We Trust"
• <Comment removed>
• A group photo of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

[Pagey]

That's great,you might win with that! I was thinking of "A Refugee Shrimper and His Family",as in 12-15 kids,but I love your picture with just 3 Illegal Immigrants Running from the border control.100% full of truth and clarity.

[Billy_bob_bob]

The only thing missing from that design is the pot of free money they are running towards. Other than that, we have a winner!

[be131]

Feeling bored, I ranked the current state quarters in order of esthetic appeal:

New Jersey
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Virginia
Mississippi
Tennessee
North Carolina
New York
Maryland
Georgia
Vermont
Delaware
Louisiana
South Carolina
Indiana
Ohio
New Hampshire
Kentucky
Pennsylvania
Massachussetts

[Frohickey]

I have a great idea.

Put a picture of Ronald Reagan on the back side, and the California quarter will be the ONLY coin that has two heads.

[NYCVirago]

I would rank Maryland at the bottom -- they should have had a crab or an oriole; instead there's a boring drawing of the state house. Whoop de do! And did you notice that both North Carolina and Ohio claim the Wright Brothers as part of their heritage?

[NYCVirago]

No wonder Maryland's quarter is so boring; Governor Parris N. Glendening picked the design!

[Trust but Verify]

Wait'll you see the proposed designs for Wisconsin. All three are horrible. None of them contains a "G" which is all that needs to be depicted.

[Plutarch]

There is hope for California. Look here, isn't that man on the MA coin holding an assault rifle?

[Spyder]

How about a portrait of Doug and Wendy Whiner? heh heh. Does anybody remember that old SNL skit?

Ah yes, I can't eat thaaaaaat (Michael Savage White on full volume). I have diverticuliiiiitis.

[ChadGore]

^ ^ ^ ^ Put THIS on the quarter ^ ^ ^

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

A basket of fruits and nuts, and (to show California's power policy) crossed purposes on a field of red tape.

[null and void]

Close. A picture of Gray, with the caption "For enough of these, I'll sign anything into law."

[Pelham]

Lol! Exactly what I wanted to post!

[Pelham]

That's actually a real highway sign along Interstate 5, north of San Diego.

[PoorMuttly]

Just drill a hole in Washington's head.

[BillyBoy]

>> Put a picture of Ronald Reagan on the back side, and the California quarter will be the ONLY coin that has two heads. <<

I already tried that with the Illinois quarter (the real home state of Ronnie). It was rejected due to the rule of having "no living person" depicted on federal currency. :-(

[Greybird]

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