# Does New Hampshire get to design a new quarter now?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 3, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891 "2003-05-03T19:13:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/1 "2003-05-03T19:13:59Z")

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Until about a year ago I worked with some people from New Hampshire, and I used to ask them what the big deal was with The Old Man of the Mountain. It’s on a mountainside in northern NH; a big piece of rock that juts out from a cliff and looks like the face of an old man. That’s kinda cool, I guess, but it’s everywhere! It’s on the license plates. The state highway signs are shaped like the profile. When New Hampshire got to pick a design for their state quarter, the one enduring symbol of their state that they would share with the nation, they picked The Old Man of the Mountain.

I used to ask my cow-orkers about this. “Isn’t there anything else you can think of to brag about?” I asked. I never got a proper answer to that. They just looked at me like a face-shaped rock was the most incredible thing in the known universe.

As Inspector Clouseau once said, [not any more](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=1&u=/ap/20030503/ap_on_re_us/old_man_mountain_4).

I expect the wailing in the streets to continue for at least a month. And as near as I can tell, now the state has absolutely nothing to be proud of.

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**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/2 "2003-05-03T19:25:29Z")

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Oh know, terrorist made it fall down?!

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/3 "2003-05-03T19:53:51Z")

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I guess it felt it couldn’t live free any more.

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**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/4 "2003-05-03T21:42:31Z")

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Well, they still have President Bartlet, New Hampshire’s favourite son.

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**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/5 "2003-05-03T22:44:19Z")

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I think that is so sad.

Can they rechisel the rock to look like a face again?

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**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/6 "2003-05-03T23:10:42Z")

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I expect they’re going to try and rebuild it.  
[CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/05/03/old.man.mountian.ap/index.html)

> [@](#):
>
> Gov. Craig Benson quickly declared that the face should be restored and said in a written statement that he was meeting with state officials and planned to form a fund to take donations for the project.

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**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/7 "2003-05-03T23:13:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \*  
> \*\*Oh know, terrorist made it fall down?! \*\*

That’s what Republicans will no doubt blame it on.:rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![sirkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@sirkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirkle)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/8 "2003-05-04T00:36:15Z")

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how in the world could they rebuild it? It’s a MOUNTAIN? Am I the only one who see’s this might be a problem?

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**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/9 "2003-05-04T01:17:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Robot Arm \*  
> I used to ask my cow-orkers about this. “Isn’t there anything else you can think of to brag about?” I asked. I never got a proper answer to that. They just looked at me like a face-shaped rock was the most incredible thing in the known universe.

They sound pretty dull – probably from Masachusetts originally.

> [@](#):
>
> as near as I can tell, now the state has absolutely nothing to be proud of.

Go stand above the headwall at Tuckermans Ravine and try to tell me that.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/10 "2003-05-04T01:19:03Z")

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Most people who come into our coin shop to get the state quarters, upon viewing the NH, say something like “what IS that” on the coin.

From the photos in the story, I don’t see that much has changed.

Just a slightly MORE unrecognizable mass of rock.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/11 "2003-05-04T01:41:43Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Xema \*  
> Go stand above the headwall at Tuckermans Ravine and try to tell me that.

I’ve been there; a couple times, in fact. It’s very nice. That’s why I could never figure out why the state always chose just that one thing whenever they had a chance to show off.

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**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/12 "2003-05-04T02:01:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sirkle \*  
> \*\*how in the world could they rebuild it? It’s a MOUNTAIN? Am I the only one who see’s this might be a problem? \*\*

Well you just remove everything that doesn’t look like the Old Man and what’s left will look like it.

It is doable. After all we’ve carved up a few mountain sides before. But of course it wont be natural, which in my mind would have been the draw in the first place.

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**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/13 "2003-05-04T10:13:57Z")

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While I’m sad that a state symbol, and a unique natural rock formation is destroyed, this picture of the “new” man of the mountain looks kind of like Gene Simmons (note the long tongue and blood dripping down his chin).

[http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030503/lthumb.1051986404.old\_man\_mountain\_xjsc101.jpg](http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030503/lthumb.1051986404.old_man_mountain_xjsc101.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/14 "2003-05-04T11:47:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sirkle \*  
> **how in the world could they rebuild it?**

How doesn’t matter. It’s got to be done.

If only to save face.  
😃

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**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/15 "2003-05-04T20:05:19Z")

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What’s the big deal? Human-looking features in mountains occur naturally. Mount Rushmore, anyone?

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**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/16 "2003-05-04T20:14:04Z")

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I think the new surface looks like that “face” on Mars.

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/17 "2003-05-04T20:29:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by zuma \*  
> \*\*While I’m sad that a state symbol, and a unique natural rock formation is destroyed, this picture of the “new” man of the mountain looks kind of like Gene Simmons (note the long tongue and blood dripping down his chin).
> 
> [http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030503/lthumb.1051986404.old\_man\_mountain\_xjsc101.jpg](http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030503/lthumb.1051986404.old_man_mountain_xjsc101.jpg) \*\*

It looks to me like the west coast of Spain, with a little enclave representing Portugal.

Then again, I always thought the coast of the Iberian Peninsula looked like a person’s face in profile.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/18 "2003-05-05T03:04:53Z")

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“What’s the big deal?” asked our 5 year old daughter, **MilliCal** , “It’s only a mountain.” She thinks th new utline looks kinda like a lion.  
Well, the face is only on every Nw Hampshire License Plate, and on the State Route signs, an on the NH quarter. Its th subject of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story **The Great Stone Face**. (I think there’s a line in there about how the Face is made of granite and will last forever. Not a good omen.)

It’s not just a piece of rock that looks like a face – if you’ve ever seen it, you’re struck by the way it projects in an unusual way from the top of the mountain, and is so very clearly visible from the Road (which follows the river valley, naturally). It’s an extraordinary chance of nature to make a large and clearly visible Face occur in just such a wel-travelled spot. It’s no wonder it was adopted as a state symbol.

And, of course they’ve been keeping it up through the years. I recall seeing a report on CBS’ Sunday \<Morning show about how it was being held up by cables secured into bolts screwed into the rocks, which were checked regularly. Apparently they’ve been gluing it together, too, because the news reports talked about epoxy. Maybe they should’ve used cement. In the heavy rains, the underpinning rock apparently washed away, taking the Face with it.

What will they do? I doubt if hey’ll try to carve a new Face – th rock is pretty fragmented. Besides, you’ll never be able to duplicate the way the original one jutted into prominence at the top.

y guess is that they’ll build a shell to place over the rocks – fiberglas, maybe. Something to “rebuild” the classic outline as a way to restore the image for tourists and for the state’s self-esteem. Heck, why not?

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/19 "2003-05-05T03:16:32Z")

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“What’s the big deal?” asked our 5 year old daughter, **MilliCal** , “It’s only a mountain.” She thinks th new utline looks kinda like a lion.  
Well, the face is only on every Nw Hampshire License Plate, and on the State Route signs, an on the NH quarter. Its th subject of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story **The Great Stone Face**. (I think there’s a line in there about how the Face is made of granite and will last forever. Not a good omen.)

It’s not just a piece of rock that looks like a face – if you’ve ever seen it, you’re struck by the way it projects in an unusual way from the top of the mountain, and is so very clearly visible from the Road (which follows the river valley, naturally). It’s an extraordinary chance of nature to make a large and clearly visible Face occur in just such a wel-travelled spot. It’s no wonder it was adopted as a state symbol.

And, of course they’ve been keeping it up through the years. I recall seeing a report on CBS’ Sunday \<Morning show about how it was being held up by cables secured into bolts screwed into the rocks, which were checked regularly. Apparently they’ve been gluing it together, too, because the news reports talked about epoxy. Maybe they should’ve used cement. In the heavy rains, the underpinning rock apparently washed away, taking the Face with it.

What will they do? I doubt if hey’ll try to carve a new Face – th rock is pretty fragmented. Besides, you’ll never be able to duplicate the way the original one jutted into prominence at the top.

y guess is that they’ll build a shell to place over the rocks – fiberglas, maybe. Something to “rebuild” the classic outline as a way to restore the image for tourists and for the state’s self-esteem. Heck, why not?

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**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-new-hampshire-get-to-design-a-new-quarter-now/172891/20 "2003-05-05T14:10:52Z")

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It’s a New Hampshire thing. You guys wouldn’t understand.

And we do _so_ got something to be proud of. [Daniel Webster](http://www.marshfield.net/History/webster.htm), for example. Scenes like [this](http://www.photo.net/photo/medium-format/rocky-gorge-cloudy.jpg) on the Kancamagus Highway. Lotsa stuff. Who wouldn’t be upset that a pretty cool natural phenomenon in their state, which people had worked for the better part of a century to keep together, fell off with no warning whatsoever?

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