View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

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.