Monday, May 22, 2006
2006 State Quarters
Just to demonstrate sensible Catholics aren't one-trick-ponies on the hobby side of life, let me give you a preview of what you'll be seeing on your vending machine fodder this year.
The Nevada Quarter is already a favorite of my daughter. They're the third, fourth, and fifth horses to appear in the 50 State Quarter Program (after Delaware and Kentucky). I really like the sagebrush frame for the design. Texas had rope and Alabama had
contrasting pine and magnolia branches: a classy touch.
Nebraska is in circulation now. Those are the first oxen to appear on the quarter. Geology is always a nice feature for coins, and every one of this year's quarters features some of it. Chimney Rock is a cool place, but this design just doesn't do anything for me.
In a
month or so, Colorado quarters will start trickling into pocket change. This might be the least impressive of this year's designs. From afar, the backside of this state's quarter will look like a bunch of wrinkles. Granted, it's tough to depict something as magnificent as a mountain on something not much bigger than a dime.
That leaves us with the first two of November 1889's four states. I recall from my history books that when the two Dakotas were to be
admitted as states, it was not known which would be "first." The North won the race. Their design has the second appearance of bison. Do you remember which other state has featured this animal? This might be the first appearance of an animal eating on a US coin. If you can think of another, let me know.
Ol' Mt Rushmore graces South Dakota. For the second time in the series, George Washington appears on both sides of the quarter. Do you
remember which other state featured him? Wheat borders this design. Remember which historic US coin also had wheat? And we have the Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasant rounding off the design. How many other birds have been on the State Quarters?
Which of these designs wins the award in your judgment?
