I know we’ve had threads on this subject before, but with the U.S. Mint’s 50 State Quarters™ program coming to a close, we know know what all 50 state quarters look like. (The program has been extended for an eleventh year- 2009 will see six quarters commemorating Washington, D.C. and the five U.S. territories). Because of this, I found it appropriate to do another thread on what Dopers thought about the quarter designs. (My opinions may change tomorrow, or even in an hour- these are my opinions as of now.)
Stephen Colbert will hate me for this, but the bear on Alaska’s quarter is beautiful. California’s is pretty nice. Although I didn’t like it at first, Iowa’s design has sort of grown on me (although if you’re going to go to go with Grant Wood, you gotta have American Gothic- although that probably wouldn’t look good on a quarter, even though it was deliberated). At first Mississippi’s coin design I often forgot and believed it was a new quarter- but looking at it now, it’s very nice. Same goes for Tennessee’s, which I didn’t like at first, but now looks pretty interesting.
As for ones I don’t like? Most of the ones which just have an outline of a state- very unoriginal. The dullest of which has to be Michigan, which doesn’t really tell us anything about the state other than the fact it borders all five Great Lakes. Wyoming’s logo (possibly the only registered trademark to appear on a circulating American coin) is great, but looks dull on a coin without anything else.
Yeah ours is lame(Michigan) when I first heard of the state quarter program, I thought “Well Michigan’s is a no brainer.”( as to what was gonna be on it),then I heard it was gonna be the Renaissance Center in Detroit and I was but that woulda been better than what they chose.
I would think anyone somewhat familiar with Michigan would think they would have put on it what I original thought they were going to. Guesses?
According to the U.S. Mint, the other finalist designs were “Michigan State Outline, with Great Lakes and State Icons,” “Michigan State Outline, with Great Lakes and the Mackinac Bridge,” “Michigan State Outline, with the Mackinac Bridge and Automobile,” and “Michigan State Outline, with Great Lakes and Automobile.” Apparently, the people of Michigan couldn’t think of a better design than their own state.
Idaho’s is my fave (since it has my favorite bird the Peregrine Falcon on it-always hoarding those). Second if Connecticut’s Treaty Oak, and third probably the Kansas (not North Dakota) bison.
The magnolia is a beautiful flower. This beauty fades when you realize that they aren’t in bloom very long, drop pine-cone-sized dense burrs, and their leaves (which constantly fall) are as sturdy as cardboard. Magnolias and sweetgum trees are the bane to lawnmowers everywhere.
The magnolia: Nice to look at, but not nice to have in your yard.
I like the simple ones that show a single, easily recognizable, object: CT, Missisippi, Wyoming, NH., etc The states that tried to cram every single piece of farm produce produced in their borders look crappy, you just can’t get more then one thing on the back of a coin and have it look good.
Also don’t like the idea of putting the states outline on the back of the quarter, its not very creative and most state outlines just look like featureless blobs.
How long do we think the meeting took for them to decide what to put on the back of S. Dakota’s quarter. One minute? Two?
The links to the Mint and Wiki are already there. Check out USMint.gov if you’re really interested!
Most of the State Quarters are amazingly uninspired. Really, Wisconsin: a cow’s head and a block of cheese. Illinois: Lincoln only had one leg?! But by hook or by crook or by accident, some designs are OK.
Vermont: Perfect pastoral scene
Connecticut: Can’t beat a spreading oak tree
Missouri: Perfect balance of old and new, Lewis & Clark underneath the Gateway Arch
Kansas: The simplicity of the bison and sunflower, no words needed
As much as I adore New Hampshire, park rangers looked out over the mountains one morning and discovered the subject of their state quarter, the Old Man of the Mountain, did not exist anymore. The stone oddity toppled down overnight. That is very sad.
Yes. The logo is used not only for the sports team, but also as a logo for the state- it appears on their license plate, for instance. Officially referred to as the Bucking Horse and Rider, it is a registered trademark of the State of Wyoming.
but that woulda been better than what they chose.
