FOR RELEASE:
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
(DENVER) - A striking mountain landscape and the words "Colorful Colorado" will greet all who look at the Colorado state quarter when it is minted in mid-2006. Governor Bill Owens selected the final design from five that had been suggested by the Colorado Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission and the U.S. Mint.
"It is difficult to condense the heritage and beauty of a 104,000-square mile state into something the size of a quarter," said Owens. "All of the final five designs were worthy of being minted. In the end, I made my selection based on what most people think of when they think of Colorado - our majestic Rocky Mountains," Owens said.
Two of the five designs represented specific locations in Colorado: Mesa Verde and Pikes Peak. A third pictured a "military" skier associated with the famed 10th Mountain Division. The fourth design had a mountain backdrop and the words "Centennial State."
First Lady Frances Owens served as chair of the Advisory Commission. The twelve commission members traveled the state in the summer of 2004 obtaining ideas and input. Ultimately, some 1,500 ideas were submitted. Commission members whittled those ideas down five. States were asked to provide only "narratives" for each concept. The U.S. Mint then turned the narratives over to its artists who created the actual designs.
"In Colorado, we are blessed with natural beauty and a rich heritage," said the First Lady. "Colorado's commemorative coin is an ideal way to recognize the qualities that make our state unique. I'm very pleased with the winning design."
From here the design is returned to the Department of the Treasury for final approval. Then the U.S. Mint proceeds to engraving with the expectation of issuing the first circulating Colorado quarters in mid-2006. Uncirculated mint sets may be available to collectors by the end of 2005.
The U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters® Program was designed to celebrate each of the states in the order they were admitted into the Union. This is a ten-year program, now in its seventh year. For more information about the program, visit the United States Mint website. For information about the Colorado state quarter selection process visit the Colorado Quarter website.
"Frances and I greatly appreciate the efforts of the advisory commission and the participation of thousands of Coloradans in this process. With their help, the selection of our state quarter has been a rewarding and successful effort," Owens said.
Many voiced their preference for the state quarter through on-line polls conducted by various media outlets. However, no single poll was used by the Governor in making the decision. In addition to the First Lady, commission members included Jane Angelhart, Jim Bullock, Christopher Cipoletti, Jim Dyer, Vicki Edwards, Kathy Hall, Judith Jergensen, Bill Kaufman, Frana Mace, Barb McTurk and Marlene Rodriguez.
GOVERNOR OWENS PICKS NEW STATE QUARTER DESIGN
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