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Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee 801 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20220 C CAC Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Public Meeting January 15, 2008 United States Mint Headquarters, 801 9th Street NW, Washington DC, 8th floor In attendance: John Alexander Michael Brown Bill Fivaz Arthur Houghton Rita Laws (via teleconference) Gary Marks Mitch Sanders (chair) Donald Scarinci Joe Winter 1. The chair called the meeting to order at 9:15 A.M. 2. The minutes from the committee’s September 25, 2007 and November 13, 2007 meetings were unanimously approved. 3. The committee then reviewed proposed designs for the Congressional Gold Medal honoring Michael Ellis DeBakey, M.D., in recognition of his many contributions to the nation. 4. Proposed designs for the DeBakey medal were presented by Kaarina Budow of the United States Mint. The proposed obverse features Dr. DeBakey in his scrubs, with a surgery in the background. The proposed reverse features an anatomical heart with a ribbon inscribed with a quotation from Dr. DeBakey, “The pursuit of excellence has been my objective in life,” with a globe in the background. 5. Ms Budow indicated that the proposed designs were the preferred designs of the recipient. 6. There followed a discussion about the anatomical accuracy of the heart on the reverse. Mr Fivaz suggested that the top of the heart should show three arteries. 7. The committee voted unanimously to recommend both of the proposed designs, subject to any possible change that Dr DeBakey might prefer to make the heart anatomically correct. 8. The committee proceeded to review proposed designs for the 2009 circulating cent representing Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency. The committee had previously viewed proposed designs for this issue at its September 25, 2007 meeting. At that meeting, the committee had recommended that the United States Mint should create additional designs that would clearly depict Lincoln’s Presidency and depict him as a war President. 9. The committee’s discussion centered around designs 1 and 2, which show Lincoln pondering a map; design 5, depicting Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation; design 11, showing Lincoln standing next to a Union cannon; and design 14, featuring the phrase “With malice toward none, with charity for all.” 10. Several members were concerned that the details of designs 1 and 2 would not be clear on a small coin. 11. Each member rated each of the twenty-four presented designs by assigning 0, 1, 2, or 3 points, with higher numbers representing more favorable opinions. With nine members present and voting, the maximum possible point total is 27. 12. The committee’s top four choices, from among the designs presented, were: Design 11: 18 points Design 14: 8 points Design 1: 6 points Design 2: 5 points 13. The committee then voted 8-1 to recommend a modified version of design LC-R4-11, which features a Civil War cannon. Specifically, the committee recommends that the standing figure of Lincoln, which would be indistinct on a small coin, should be removed. The committee further suggests that “E PLURIBUS UNUM” should be placed below the cannon, and that “THE UNION PRESERVED” should appear above the cannon. It was the general sense of the committee that this design would clearly convey the importance of Lincoln’s wartime presidency. 14. The committee next considered proposed designs for the obverses of the 2009 Presidential Dollars, honoring Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, and Zachary Taylor. 15. The committee’s recommendations were: Harrison: Design 3 – 24 points Design 1 – 12 points Tyler: Design 1 – 24 points Design 8 – 14 points Polk: Design 6 – 15 points Design 4 – 11 points Taylor Design 4 – 27 points Designs 1, 3 – 4 points 16. The committee also reviewed a new obverse template, including the inscription IN GOD WE TRUST, and a proposed new edge inscription including thirteen stars in place of IN GOD WE TRUST. 17. The committee voted 9-0 to recommend the proposed edge lettering template. 18. The committee voted 9-0 to recommend that the motto IN GOD WE TRUST should be placed on the reverse of the Presidential dollar. Committee members felt that placing the motto on the reverse would have the important benefit of preserving the continuity of the obverse template used for the Presidential dollar series. 19. After a discussion of possible commemorative coinage programs for inclusion in the committee’s Annual Report, the meeting was adjourned at noon.
