# Favorite/Least Favorite State Quarter\[s\]? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 6, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220 "2008-05-06T00:15:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/1 "2008-05-06T00:15:28Z")
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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_State_Quarters_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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2008_AK_Proof.png) is beautiful. [California](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2005_CA_Proof.png)’s is pretty nice. Although I didn’t like it at first, [Iowa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2004_IA_Proof.png)’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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2002_MS_Proof.png)’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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2002_TN_Proof.png)’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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2004_MI_Proof.png), which doesn’t really tell us anything about the state other than the fact it borders all five Great Lakes. [Wyoming](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2007_WY_Proof_Rev.png)’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. (Inspired partially by Lore Sjoberg [and](http://www.bookofratings.com/newquarters.html) [his](http://www.bookofratings.com/morequarters.html) [hilarious](http://www.bookofratings.com/quarters3.html) [ratings](http://www.bookofratings.com/quarters4.html) [of](http://www.bookofratings.com/quarters5.html) [state](http://www.bookofratings.com/quarters6.html) [quarters](http://www.bookofratings.com/quarters7.html). The Missouri review never fails to amuse me.) ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/2 "2008-05-06T00:25:56Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/3 "2008-05-06T00:39:47Z")
[QUOTE=MadTheSwine] 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? [/QUOTE] According to the [U.S. Mint](http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/states/index.cfm?flash=yes&state=mi), 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. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/4 "2008-05-06T00:59:06Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] According to the [U.S. Mint](http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/states/index.cfm?flash=yes&state=mi), 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. [/QUOTE] Well,nobody asked me what I thought we should do …Bastards! ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/5 "2008-05-06T01:01:45Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/6 "2008-05-06T01:13:21Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] [Wyoming](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2007_WY_Proof_Rev.png)’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. [/QUOTE] Especially since it’s a completely featureless outline. It honestly looks like they forgot to add detail or something. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/7 "2008-05-06T01:20:10Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] …snip… At first [Mississippi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2002_MS_Proof.png)’s coin design I often forgot and believed it was a new quarter- but looking at it now, it’s very nice…snip [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/8 "2008-05-06T01:32:55Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/9 "2008-05-06T01:35:35Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] 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. [/QUOTE] I thought Wyoming’s looked like the Univ of Wyoming’s football logo. Is that the trademark? Hawaii’s was a complete no-brainer. I guessed in 1999 they would incorporate King Kamehameha to harken back to the kingdom days. I also figured Michigan would have the automobile, but Nevada’s choice surprised me more; especially on a piece of money. A more cynical part of me wondered which state would use Martin Luther King, Jr. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/10 "2008-05-06T02:12:30Z")
The links to the Mint and Wiki are already there. Check out [USMint.gov](http://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 ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/11 "2008-05-06T02:46:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/12 "2008-05-06T03:10:45Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] I thought Wyoming’s looked like the Univ of Wyoming’s football logo. Is that the trademark? [/QUOTE] 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](http://soswy.state.wy.us/bucking/bucking.htm), it is a registered trademark of the State of Wyoming. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/13 "2008-05-06T03:36:45Z")
I like Florida’s because the shuttle flying over the ship looks like an ad for one of the _Civilization_ games. Wisconsin’s tribute to the agrarian lifestyle with “Forward” cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-least-favorite-state-quarter-s/448220/14 "2008-05-06T03:41:10Z")
Kentucky’s quarter is my fave—it has a horse on it, natch!