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Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee 801 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20220 CCAC Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Public Meeting Tuesday January 23, 2007 United States Mint 801 9th Street, NW 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20001 In attendance: John Alexander Bill Fivaz Ute Wartenberg Kagan Rita Laws Richard Meier Mitch Sanders (Chair) Donald Scarinci Ken Thomasma S. Joseph Winter 1. The chair called the meeting to order at 10:10 AM. After calling the roll, the chair introduced the CCAC’s newest member, Reverend Richard Meier of Rockford IL. Reverend Meier is a longtime coin collector, with interests in many areas of numismatics. 2. The minutes of the committee’s November 14, 2006 meeting were unanimously approved. 3. Kaarina Budow of the United States Mint presented proposed designs for the 2008 circulating quarters honoring Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii. 4. The chair announced that because CCAC member Rita Laws had been a member of the Governor of Oklahoma’s ad hoc Committee for the Oklahoma state quarter, she would not advocate specific designs for Oklahoma’s quarter and would not vote on Oklahoma’s designs. However, Dr. Laws would therefore be available to serve as a resource to the CCAC during its deliberations about the Oklahoma quarter, and to respond to questions about the designs, their meaning, and their relationship to Oklahoma and its history and culture. 5. The committee evaluated designs using a procedure whereby each member assigned each design a rating of 0, 1, 2, or 3 points, with higher numbers indicating higher ratings. The committee’s overall preference was calculated by summing the ratings of all members. With 9 members present and voting, the resulting scale ranges from a minimum of 0 points to a maximum of 27 points (24 points for Oklahoma, due to the non-participation of Dr. Laws). 6. The following designs were presented for Oklahoma: - Design #1 celebrates the people and industries that have shaped Oklahoma. It includes a three-dimensional outline of the state, with rays radiating behind it; and an American Indian calumet, also know as a ceremonial peace pipe; shocks of wheat, symbolizing the importance of agricultural in the state; and an image inspired by a pioneer woman, celebrating Ponca City's statue that honors the courage, tenacity, and ingenuity of those who endured hardship to achieve their dreams. - Design # 2 features Oklahoma's state wildflower, the Indian blanket, saluting the state's Native American heritage and native long-grass prairies. Above the field of flowers is the Oklahoma state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, in flight, with tailfeathers spread. - Design #3 depicts an old-fashioned windmill and gushing oil derrick. Taken together, these illustrations represent agriculture and oil and gas innovations. In the middle of the coin is an illustration of waving wheat, along with a figure inspired by the Pioneer Woman Statue. - Design #4 features a tilted three-dimensional shape of the state of Oklahoma in the background, with an old-fashioned gushing oil derrick, and a rendering inspired by the Pioneer Woman Statue. Along the edges of the coin are shocks of wheat, which represent the state's vibrant agriculture industry, a vital part of both the economy and heritage. - Design #5 features a three-dimensional shape of the state in the background, with the traditional calumet, and a rendering inspired by the Pioneer Woman Statue. The calumet is bisecting the state to distinguish the original Oklahoma Territory and the Indian Territory. 7. Mmany members considered several of the Oklahoma designs to be rather cluttered. Many members appreciated the artistry of design #2, but felt that the design did not sufficiently show the state’s history. 8. CCAC’s recommended design for Oklahoma is design #5. Complete results from the committee’s voting were (maximum=24 points): #1 – 5 points, #2 – 7 points, #3 – 2 points, #4 – 1 point, #5 – 21 points. 9. The following designs were presented for New Mexico: - Design #1 features the Zia symbol centered over a textured outline of the state. New Mexico's distinctive insignia is the Zia sun symbol, which originated with the Indians of Zia Pueblo. Four is the sacred number of Zia, and the figure is composed of a circle from which four points radiate. These points are made up of four straight lines of varying lengths personified. A number must also be used by the giver of all good gifts. To the Zia Indian, this sacred number is embodied in the earth, with four directions; in the year, with four seasons; in the day, with the sunrise, moon, evening, and night; in life, with its four divisions -- childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. - Design #2 features the textured Zia symbol over the outline of the state, with the inscription, "Land of Enchantment." - Design #3 depicts a topographical view of New Mexico, with the Zia symbol marking the location of the capital, Santa Fe, and the inscription, "Land of Enchantment." - Design #4, features a textured outline of the state, with the Zia symbol marking the location of the capital, Santa Fe, and the inscription, "Land of Enchantment." 10. Some members noted the fact that all four of New Mexico’s designs were reflective of the same theme, which revealed a clear preference by the state. Several members expressed appreciation for the incorporation of topography into the state outline on design #3. 11. The CCAC’s recommendation for New Mexico’s quarter is design #3. Complete results from the committee’s voting were (maximum=27 points): #1 – 13 points, #2 – 1 point, #3 – 16 points, #4 – 3 points 12. The following designs were presented for Arizona: - Design #1 features an overview of the Grand Canyon, with enough detail to suggest the immensity of its natural wonder, with the sun in the background. The description reads, "Grand Canyon State." - Design #2 depicts a view of the Grand Canyon in the upper background, with the sun rising or setting. In the foreground, a saguaro cactus is featured. And to the left, a banner establishing a clear separation between the design elements, since the saguaro cactus does not actually grow in the Grand Canyon. - Design #3 features the distinctive saguaro cactus as the central design element, supported by a simple background of a mountain, with desert vegetation and additional proportional saguaros in the distant background, as well as the sun. The inscription reads, "Grand Canyon State." - Design #4 depicts a view of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River, showing a wooden boat going through the rapids, with members of the John Wesley Powell expedition. The inscription reads, "Powell's Grand Canyon Expedition." - Design #5 depicts two Navajo code talkers in Marine combat uniform, using World War II field communication equipment. Below the code talkers, the inscription reads, "Navajo Code Talkers." 13. Members generally felt that the more historically-oriented designs, #4 and #5, were unsuitable because they depicted events that were relatively little-known. Discussion generally focused on the relative merits of the two images featuring the Grand Canyon, #1 and #2. 14. For Arizona’s quarter, the CCAC recommends design #1. Complete results from the committee’s voting were (maximum=27 points): #1 – 23 points, #2 – 9 points, #3 – 3 points, #4 – 2 points, #5 – 1 point 15. The following designs were presented for Alaska: - Design #1 depicts a polar bear, with the sun in the background. The inscription reads, "Land of the Midnight Sun," which is incuse. - Design #2 features Denali, a dog musher, and the Big Dipper with the North Star, featured on the state flag. The inscription reads, "North to the Future." - Design #3 depicts a brown bear with salmon next to a waterfall. The inscription reads, "The Great Land." - Design #4, features a gold panner, with Denali in the background. The inscription reads, "Denali TheGreat One." 16. Members were generally impressed by all four designs, considering all of them to be representative of the state, and well-executed. 17. The CCAC’s recommendation for Alaska’s quarter is design #1. Complete results from the committee’s voting were (maximum=27 points): #1 – 22 points, #2 – 15 points, #3 – 8 points, #4 – 6 points 18. The following designs were presented for Hawaii: - Design #1 features a surfer riding a wave, with Diamond Head in the background. The inscription reads, "Aloha." The "Aloha" is incused. - Design #2 depicts a traditional female hula dancer, with her left hand up and right hand extended with palms open, and a maile lei around her neck. The Hawaiian Island chain is included, in addition to the inscription, "Aloha." - Design #3 features two icons of Hawaii -- the famous west profile of Diamond Head and a classic full statue of King Kamehameha I by Thomas Gould. The inscription also reads, "Aloha." - Design #4 depicts the eight major Hawaiian Islands and King Kamehameha I. The inscription reads the state motto, which translates as "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness" -- the state motto. - Design #5 depicts Kamehameha, with the eight major islands and the state motto. 19. Members generally expressed appreciation for the inclusion of the Kamehameha statue on the proposed designs for Hawaii, due to its historical importance and its role as an important symbol of the state. 20. For Hawaii’s quarter the CCAC recommends design #3. Complete results from the committee’s voting were (maximum=27 points): #1 – 0 points, #2 – 1 point, #3 – 25 points, #4 – 10 points, #5 – 1 point 21. Cliff Northup of the United States Mint then updated the committee on proposed legislation to extent the state quarters program to the District of Columbia and five United States territories. Such legislation has been passed by the House of Representatives, and is pending in the United States Senate. 22. The chair announced that the CCAC’s 2006 Annual Report is nearly ready for submission. After some discussion about the Annual Report process, there was a consensus that discussions about proposed recommendations for the 2007 report would be a regular part of each CCAC meeting. 23. A lunch break was taken from 11:50 AM to 1:20 PM. 24. Ms. Budow presented proposed designs for the Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal. On October 16, 2006, Public Law 109-357, the Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal Act, was enacted authorizing the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant contributions to the game of golf, as a player, a teacher, and commentator. The Act directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a gold medal of appropriate design with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions. It also provides the U.S. Mint to strike and sell bronze medals. 25. The proposed obverse depicts Byron Nelson, with the inscription, "Byron Nelson 1912 to 2006," and "Act of Congress 2006." The proposed reverse depicts a younger Nelson, with the larger golf ball and the inscriptions, "Player," "Teacher," "Humanitarian," and "Champion." 26. Members were highly impressed with these designs. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the designs as presented, with compliments to the Mint for a job welldone. 27. There being no further business, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 1:30 PM.