Original State Quarter ideas

[cmkeller]

Well, here in New York, Governor Pataki has just declared that our state quarter will be a copy of Massachusetts's, except with the Statue of Liberty replacing the Minuteman and, of course, our state border outline instead of theirs. I wish he had gone with the "Manhattan Skyline" design; it was unique, and it's one of New York State's most beautiful sights, especially at night. But of course, he had to throw a bone to the upstaters, who weren't even satisfied with that.

The State Quarters have pretty much fallen into two categories: 1) The state's colonial-era history, 2) the state outline plus a well-recognized artifact. I'd love to see a more original idea soon.

I'm seriously hoping to see the following on Ohio's quarter: pictures of Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers, with the slogan "Birthplace of Invention."

What do you folks think of that idea? Any quarter designs you'd like to see?

[Arnold Winkelried]

Well, this is a repeat of what I suggested in
What Will Your State's Quarter Be? - 77 replies

For California, I would suggest the following, to honour our country and the state's heritage at the same time:

The reclining liberty quarter. On the back, you will see Lady Liberty sunning herself on the beach in a bikini. Sunglasses will be optional.

[oldscratch]

Hey arnold, that covers SoCal, but what about us northerners? hmmmmm? I think we need something that better reflects all of California.

[manhattan]

You mean like a bowl of cereal?

[Arnold Winkelried]

All right, oldscratch, what about if she's also smoking a joint?

[Arnold Winkelried]

P.S. I forgot to say, cmkeller, that I think your idea for Ohio is very appropriate. Don't forget to send it in to the state quarter design committee for Ohio! I believe you've got a winner.

[Alessan]

A relative from the States just brought me a tube of yellowish coins, which she claims are worth a dollar apiece. Are they for real?

[Arnold Winkelried]

Alessan: yes.

http://www.usmint.gov/GoldenDollar/about.cfm

[oldscratch]

Ok joint, dreadlocks, and cell phone. THEN we will have all of CA covered.

[Cervaise]

Okay, here's the design for Washington State:

Outline of the state. Everywhere in the state except Seattle are people preparing weapons and pointing them at South Puget Sound. And in Seattle, a guy with a goatee is frantically summoning help on his Palm VII; he's being defended by a woman wearing Doc Martens and a ring in her eyebrow. Both are sitting in a BMW Z3 with the top down.

Oh, and in Olympia, there's a fat, oblivious man holding a martini and surveyor's tape.

[stuyguy]

This thread reminds me of the story I once heard about Maine's license plates.

About 20 years ago, when the idea of putting a state icon on a license plate was just catching on, there was a huge debate between the fishermen and the farmers. The fishermen, of course wanted a lobster. The farmers, arguing that lobster-fishing is miniscule compared to potato farming in Maine, wanted a potato.

The debate raged on and on, until the proverbial cooler heads realized that the proposed potato silhouette would look like a big brown ink blob at best, and a you-know-what at worst. Maine license plates sport a lobster to this day.

As for NY quarters, even I think the skyline idea would have been a little to NYC-centric, and I live here. The SOL was an okay choice, but Niagara Falls was my pet dark horse favorite.

[whitetho]

Originally posted by cmkeller
I'm seriously hoping to see the following on Ohio's quarter: pictures of Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers, with the slogan "Birthplace of Invention."

North "First in Flight" Carolina already has the Wright Brothers covered--its quarter, in 2001, will feature a picture of the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk.

[chique]

Several years ago when this idea was first approved the Style Invitational column in the Sunday Washington Post actually ran a humorous contest asking people to write in with their suggestions for state logos.

The only one I remember clearly is "Vermont. We're the ones on the left. NO! Wait...right. The ones on the left."

[Quadzilla]

Seriously, I dunno. For Minnesota, I'm betting we'll have Paul Bunyan; for Missouri, I'm betting it'll be the Arch. (I live in both places, hence the double replies.)

What I'd like to see...well, I don't think either idea will get approved, but here goes. For Minnesota: just a blank back. That's it. You know - it's International Falls in a blizzard. For Missouri...I think a very small rendition of American Gothic would be in order.

[SanibelMan]

The state quarter for Florida should be 2 hands clasped onto a steering wheel and a flowery hat. That's it.

[evilbeth]

I will reiterate that if Tennessee's quarter has anything at all to do with Vols football or NASCAR, I am going to have to start on my state-wide murder spree.

[Commander Cyclops]

Isn't the Statue Of Liberty technically in New Jersey? I thought for sure they'd go with the Empire State Building.

I'm already working on a design for the California one. I think it should commemorate El Camino Real, the road that connects all the missions in the state. It's really one of the few things that northern and southern California have in common. Golden Gate Bridge? Yeah, everyone's familiar with it, but I still consider it a local landmark. The Gold Rush? A cop-out if you ask me. California has a lot of history prior to the Gold Rush that most people, especially outside the state, don't know about. The Gold Rush just marks when white people came and took over.

My original idea was to just have a picture of one of the missions, but then I saw that the Texas quarter comes out about six or seven months before California. And you just know they're gonna put the Alamo on theirs.

[Gazoo]

If Wisconsin puts a f***ing COW on it, I'm moving!!

[AWB]

I hope my home state of Colorado puts on a skier. Probably just mountains, like the license plate has been for the last 40 years...

[ChrisP One Kenobe]

[stupid on] I think Indiana should put an outline of the state and have a big star right where Lynn, IN is, and say "The birthplace of Jim Jones" or have some casual reference to kool-aid.

[xizor]

Originally posted by evilbeth
I will reiterate that if Tennessee's quarter has anything at all to do with Vols football or NASCAR, I am going to have to start on my state-wide murder spree.

I'll be right next to you handing you ammo evilbeth. I have a feeling it will be country music related tho.

[Mauve Dog]

Originally posted by ChrisP One Kenobe
[stupid on] I think Indiana should put an outline of the state and have a big star right where Lynn, IN is, and say "The birthplace of Jim Jones" or have some casual reference to kool-aid.

I notice that you never turned stupid off....

[ChrisP One Kenobe]

dammit how do you turn it off.......

[/stupid off]

[andyman]

Hmmmm... At first I was thinking that Louisiana should have a crawfish, but it may look too much like a lobster. Next, I thought about an aligator, but that would be more Floridaish. Oppossum? Naw, too ugly.

What we need is an two old men sitting on the front porch, one playing fiddle, the other accordian. Maybe a jazz musician? But then again......

[jesuslynch]

Here in Arkansas, we're probably going to have a trailer on the back, seeing that the Governor's little "Sugar Button" is so proud of the one they're moving on the grounds of the Governor's Mansion.

[Enright3]

I think Minnesota's quarter should pay tribute to pro wrestling, or just have Good 'Ol Jesse The Body Ventura on there!

[Commander Cyclops]

BTW, what's with the New Hampshire quarter? What is that, a cow pie? Can you imagine what that's going to look like after about twenty years of wear?

[nashiitashii]

Originally posted by SanibelMan
The state quarter for Florida should be 2 hands clasped onto a steering wheel and a flowery hat. That's it.

Nah, how about an old lady running over mickey mouse in an old beat-up buick? That throws in the tourism part of florida.

[Aaron Burr's Bullet]

Ever actually been to Ohio, cmkeller? I grew up there and don't know a single person that would come up with Edison or the Wright Bros. when asked to about the historical or cultural significance of the state. For one thing, Edison was known as the Wizard of Menlo Park (NJ) and the Wright Bros.' greatest exploits happened at Kitty Hawk, NC as I've seen memorialized on so many license plates. My choice? Ohio State Football. Woody Hayes on the front, Ohio Stadium on the back. At least everybody would get the point.

[cmkeller]

Well, I did say birthplace of invention. I figure that history-mided Buckeyes would at least be proud of that.

and the Wright Bros.' greatest exploits happened at Kitty Hawk, NC

Depends on what you mean by their "greatest exploits." Sure, the first Wright flight occurred in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but only because they wanted a soft place to land in case of failure (and their earlier experiments were with gliders, where even when successful, they needed a soft place to land). All their design work was done and prototypes were built in the back of their bicycle shop in Dayton, OH. There just wasn't a safe place to use them there.

Chaim Mattis Keller

[stuyguy]

cm:

The Wrights did not go to mosquitoe-infested Kitty Hawk to "have a soft place to land"! Geez.

They wrote to the US Weather Bureau for advice, seeking a location having the right wind conditions. The Weather Service suggested Kitty Hawk, and Kitty Hawk it was.

[cmkeller]

I was at the Wright Brothers National Monument a little over a year ago. One of the displays was "why the Outer Banks?", and I distinctly remember that in addition to the wind conditions, it also mentioned the high hills (to take off from...this being an issue when they were experimenting with gliders, not with the Flyer) and soft sand.

I've got the National Park Service brochure from the place at home; I'll look it up tonight to see if I can give you a genuine quote.

Chaim Mattis Keller

[stuyguy]

cm:

You said "Sure, the first Wright flight occurred in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but only because they wanted a soft place to land in case of failure."

I don't doubt that the dunes/cliffs and soft sand made KH ideal, but I rightly disagreed with the "only because" part.

You made NO mention at all of wind conditions. That was the most important thing they wanted; that's why they wrote to the Weather Bureau.