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Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee 801 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20220 C CAC Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Public Meeting May 20, 2008 United States Mint Headquarters, 801 9th Street NW, Washington DC, 8th floor In attendance: John Alexander Michael Brown Bill Fivaz Rita Laws (by telephone) Gary Marks (by telephone) Rick Meier Mitch Sanders (Chair) Donald Scarinci Joe Winter (by telephone) 1. The chair called the meeting to order at 9:20 A.M. 2. Kaarina Budow of the presented a modified version of the committee’s recommended design for the reverse of the First Spouse Coin and Medal honoring Anna Harrison. Ms Budow indicated that subsequent to the CCAC’s consideration, the Mint learned that the attire on Mrs Harrison and the children surrounding her was inappropriate for the period being portrayed. The Mint’s proposed revision corrects the style of dress portrayed on the coin. 3. The committee voted 9-0 to accept the Anna Harrison design as modified. 4. Ms Budow then presented candidate designs for the reverses of the 2009 circulating quarter-dollars honoring the District of Columbia and the five United States Territories: The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 5. For the District of Columbia coin, several members expressed concern that the designs presented did not portray the District as the seat of national government. While the subjects of the proposed designs (Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, Duke Ellington) were all considered highly worthy, some members felt that new designs should be solicited with a federal theme. 6. Other members felt that the design candidates presented were representative of the sentiments of the community in the District of Columbia, and reflective of the District’s decision not to portray national symbols on its quarter. 7. Discussion of the candidate designs centered on the connection of each portrayed individual to the District of Columbia. It was generally considered that Frederick Douglass had the greatest historical importance, but that the image of Benjamin Banneker surveying the District’s boundaries was most closely connected to the history of the District of Columbia. 8. Each member rated each design candidate by assigning 0, 1, 2, or 3 points, with higher numbers indicating more favorable ratings. With nine members present and voting, the maximum possible point total is 27. 9. The committee’s preferred design for the District of Columbia quarter is #2, which received 20 points out of a total of 27. Design 1, featuring Frederick Douglass, received 10 points, and design #3, featuring Duke Ellington, received 1 point. 10. The committee also voted 6-2 to recommend that the positions of the inscriptions “Justice For All” and “Benjamin Banneker” should be reversed, so that Banneker’s name appears below his image. 11. For Puerto Rico’s quarter, committee members were unanimous in their praise for design #2, featuring a historic sentry box and a hibiscus flower. This design received 27 of a possible 27 points. Design #1, featuring the Santa Catalina palace, received two points. 12. In the discussion of design candidates for the Guam quarter, most members spoke highly of design candidate #2, which features a flying proa (a native boat) sailing, with a coconut tree and Two Lovers point in the background. This design received 25 of a possible 27 points. Design #1, with an outline of the islands along with a latte stone (used as the foundation for homes) and a flying proa, received five points. 13. Committee members’ opinions were more divided regarding the quarter for American Samoa. Many members felt that the inclusion of disparate elements gave some of the designs a cluttered look. 14. For American Samoa, the CCAC recommends design #1, featuring a Samoan man holding an ava bowl, symbolizing the importance of leadership and service in Samoan culture. This design received 19 of a possible 27 points. Design #3 received 12 points, and design #2 received 6 points. 15. The committee also voted 9-0 to recommend that consideration be given to including the motto SAMOA MUAMUA LE ATUA (Samoa, let God be first) on the coin. 16. The committee was generally unenthusiastic about the three candidate designs for the United States Virgin Islands. Members expressed concerned that the symbolism of the conch shell on design #1 would not be apparent, and that the details of the “Three Queens” on design #2 would not be clear on a small coin. 17. The committee’s recommendation for the Virgin Islands quarter is design #3, featuring an outline map of the islands, along the territorial bird (yellow breast) and flower (yellow cedar) and a palm tree. This design received 13 points out of a total of 27, with design #1 and design #2 each receiving 10 points. 18. For the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, design #3, showing Marines landing in 1944, received little support. Between designs #1 and #2, both of which show a latte stone by the seashore with a sailboat in the background, #2 was generally considered to be more interesting and more appealing. 19. The CCAC recommends design #2 for the Northern Mariana Islands quarter, with 24 of a possible 27 points. Design #1 received 7 points, and design #1 received 0 points. 20. The meeting concluded with a brief discussion about the possibility of using Frank Gasparro’s 1979 “Flowing Hair” Liberty design on an upcoming coin, and other possibilities for new coin design. Members agreed that this would be an appropriate discussion to have at the committee’s upcoming public meeting at the American Numismatic Association convention in Baltimore. 21. There being no further business, the chair adjourned the meeting at noon.
