# What's the deal with the Florida quarter? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 17, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656 "2004-05-17T21:10:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/1 "2004-05-17T21:10:51Z")
Take a look at our latest state quarter, from the great state of [Florida](http://catalog.usmint.gov/images/small/STFL_small.jpg) Is it a Spanish galleon about to attack the space shuttle? Or perhaps the space shuttle is coming in for a landing on the deck of the Spanish galleon? I can’t be the only one to have thought this as soon as I saw it… right? ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/2 "2004-05-17T22:14:53Z")
I’m thinking the ship is about to crash into the palm trees. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/3 "2004-05-17T22:49:01Z")
At least you’re lucky enough to be receiving Florida quarters. I haven’t seen a single one, and only one Michigan. 2004 is going to go down as the year of the great quarter shortage. Probably making up for the glut of New Hampshires and Virginias I keep getting. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/4 "2004-05-17T22:55:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Is it a Spanish galleon about to attack the space shuttle? Kind of reminds me of a Civilization game where one Wooden frigate took out three jet fighters. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/5 "2004-05-18T01:48:48Z")
Aw, don’t pick on Florida’s quarter. It seems to be doing better than Ohio’s quarter, the theme of which my Ohio housemate describes as “things that happened in places other than Ohio”. At least Florida has been host to both galleons and space shuttles. Although if they wanted to opt for truth in advertising they’d put a subdevelopment and a fire ant on it. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/6 "2004-05-18T01:59:25Z")
The Michigan quarter is out, too? I haven’t seen it _or_ the Florida quarter. I can’t say that the Florida one looks any dumber than many other others, though. Kinda reminds me of one Texas license, to be honest, with the shuttle and the cowboy on his horse, an equally odd juxtaposition. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/7 "2004-05-18T02:10:43Z")
At least they didn’t put the state outline on it. I would argue they picked the worst design of [their finalists](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-060102a.html#14). Although I do admire the “cover all bases” strategy in [this early entry](http://www.collectspace.com/images/news-060102l.jpg). It features: state outline, orange tree, palm tree, indian and gator, swordfish, capital building, and space shuttle. Now that’s a coin! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/8 "2004-05-18T02:41:01Z")
Hell, I haven’t even _seen_ any new quarter designs in about a year. (And no, I didn’t get my eyes poked out a year ago.) I’m just hoping that _my_ state doesn’t end up with a quarter that’s so…well…you know. Undynamic. One of the California finalist designs was stylized waves, underneath an abstract sunburst. I hope that one wins. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/9 "2004-05-18T02:43:10Z")
:smack: …[and I see that it hasn’t.](http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040330/news_1n30quartr.html) Ah, well. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/10 "2004-05-18T03:07:38Z")
So far the great state quarter derby has produced a bunch of uninspired clinkers. Florida is no exception to that. Of course neither is my state’s design. We had a shot at using Grant Woods’ _American Gothic_, you know the Calvinist looking guy with the pitchfork standing next to his old maid daughter. A wonderful design, easily recognized, suitable for reduction to the size of a $.25 piece and funny to boot. The decision was made, of course, by a committee of bureaucrats who, having no sense of humor, rejected it and went with something that looks like a gingerbread house on a piece of corduroy. Here it is, ain’t it a dandy?. The only one I’ve seen so far that is any good at all is the one with the tree that covers the whole obverse of the coin. Charter Oak? Connecticut, maybe? A hansom coin whose ever it is. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/11 "2004-05-18T03:13:28Z")
It could be worse. We could have taken Wisconsin’s insipid design–a cow’s head, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn with a banner “No parking on even numbered days” or some equally inspiring slogan. Some days you would thing these things were thought up as a second grade social studies project. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/12 "2004-05-18T03:34:25Z")
I love the Connecticut one. Nice design and a part of the state history that most people hadn’t heard of, other than the Charter Oak Bridge in Hartford. We done good. Thank God they didn’t use a nutmeg. Something I didn’t know, the Iowa design they went with is actually another Grant Wood painting. It’s still the worst choice of the [five finalists](http://www.coinresource.com/guide/state_quarters/designs_IA.htm). The other Grant Wood painting is better, of course, and even one with the pig and cow heads is a surprisingly good design. How about next year? [Minnesota sucks](http://www.quarter.state.mn.us/), [Oregon](http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/quarter.shtml) looks unpromising but hasn’t chosen yet, [Kansas](http://www.ksgovernor.org/workgroups_quarter.html) has a bison (yay!) and a few tiny sunflowers (boo!), and [West Virginia](http://www.dailymail.com/pollBooth.php3?qid=wvquarterpoll) went with a bridge. The first option for WV is really trippy (a quilt theme!), you should check it out. I love these quarters. Too bad so many are horrid groupthink designs. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/13 "2004-05-18T06:05:37Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > At least they didn’t put the state outline on it. > > I would argue they picked the worst design of [their finalists](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-060102a.html#14). Although I do admire the “cover all bases” strategy in [this early entry](http://www.collectspace.com/images/news-060102l.jpg). It features: state outline, orange tree, palm tree, indian and gator, swordfish, capital building, and space shuttle. Now that’s a coin! Always learning new stuff on the SDMB, I am. From **SmackFu** I’ve just learned that we have a state indian 😉 My personal Florida quarter design was a Honda Civic with wheels that are wider than they are tall and a sticker reading “Puerto Rican style” in the window, because that’s our most common sight, probably. I’m kinda surprised we didn’t end up with a “lovebug and mosquito locked in mortal combat” theme, or a Mickey Mouse head outline. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/14 "2004-05-18T08:14:43Z")
I do quarter operated laundry - and I go through tons of quarters, and I always inspect them… Still haven’t come across a single Arkansas, Maine, Missouri, Michigan, or Florida - where are they? Why are they avoiding me? Plus, I haven’t seen any of the nickels that the mint supposedly began issuing a year ago. OTOH, I get charter oaks all the time (and they’re quite nice along with Virginia, Rhode Island, and Mississippi) ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/15 "2004-05-18T10:32:44Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > …I’m kinda surprised we didn’t end up with a “lovebug and mosquito locked in mortal combat” theme, or a Mickey Mouse head outline. IIRC, anything with Mickey, Shamu, or mosquitoes were nixed immediately in the initial onslaught of designs. AlthoughI do like the idea of two mosquitos as the supporters of the state seal, much like the [horses on the Pennsylvania state flag](http://www.50states.com/flag/paflag.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Sassafras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@Sassafras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassafras)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/16 "2004-05-18T12:19:03Z")
“lovebug and mosquito locked in mortal combat” hee hee my three year old niece is on a mission to pull apart all copulating love bugs she can find. but I digress: I LIVE here and have yet to see a Florida quarter. The one they used was my least favorite design. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/17 "2004-05-18T12:21:49Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > At least they didn’t put the state outline on it. > > I would argue they picked the worst design of [their finalists](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-060102a.html#14). Although I do admire the “cover all bases” strategy in [this early entry](http://www.collectspace.com/images/news-060102l.jpg). It features: state outline, orange tree, palm tree, indian and gator, swordfish, capital building, and space shuttle. Now that’s a coin! You know, I went to the first link because I forgot what the finalists were. In the top row, middle coin, it says, “America’s Spacecoast.” I read it fast and thought it said, “America’s Scapegoat.” And that seemed a bit too realistic. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/18 "2004-05-18T12:27:56Z")
I was about to start a Pit thread about “Why aren’t they making any more state quarters?” I have gotten TWO 1976 bicentennial quarters this year, but no new state quarters. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/19 "2004-05-18T12:30:10Z")
Just for some laughs, you might want to check out [this page](http://politicalhumor.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.modernhumorist.com%2Fmh%2F0108%2Fquarter%2F), which features some state quarter design parodies. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656/20 "2004-05-18T13:11:00Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > I’m kinda surprised we didn’t end up with a “lovebug and mosquito locked in mortal combat” theme, or a Mickey Mouse head outline. My vote was for a Dodge Aerostar with Pennsylvania tags that just overshot exit 26 on I-4 and is now on the shoulder driving in reverse. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-florida-quarter/245656.md?page=2)