ANA Board Member Barry Stupler joins search for California Quarter concept
American Numismatic Association (ANA) Governor Barry Stuppler joined other numismatists, celebrities and California state officials launching a search for the design concept for the state’s quarter, to be issued in January 2005.
“It was a great beginning to what I think will be a fun and interesting time trying to decide just what will represent California on its coin,” says Stuppler, who will be part of the state design commission. “There were a number of numismatists at the news conference, including ANA members Dwight Manley, Jim Hunt and Lee Kuntz, and I think we understand the problems some of the other states have experienced in the Mint’s 50 State Quarterâ„¢ Program that began in 1999. While we recognize the problems of striking a clean design, the need to stack the coins, the flow of the metal and other aspects of coinage, we also recognize that you cannot have more than one or two concepts on the coin to provide a clear representation of the state.”
The search began at a news conference in Sacramento, California, on Wednesday, August 14, with first lady Sharon Davis, State Librarian Kevin Starr and film director-actress Penny Marshall, who also is a coin collector.
“For four years, our pockets have been filled with quarters from states like Delaware, Kentucky or Georgia,” Davis said at a news conference. “Well, now it’s California’s turn. But before we get to that point, we need a design that embodies the majesty and diverse heritage of the Golden State.”
According to a news story in The Sacramento Bee, Starr says that ever since ancient times, “coinage has expressed a powerful icon, a powerful symbol of the collective identity of a culture.”
Stuppler says schools and libraries throughout California will be enlisted to solicit design concepts for Governor Grey Davis’ state quarter commission. Stuppler anticipates they will receive 20,000 submissions between September 9 and November 9. The commission will cut that number to 20 by January, according to Stuppler.
“There are 35 million people living in California with a wide diversity of thoughts and ideas,” Stuppler says. “Ideas range from the Gold Rush and the Golden Gate Bridge to the Spanish missions that dot the state and the Hollywood sign. They all represent a part of the state, but which will represent it the best is the question we must answer.”
Submissions should be sent to the Office of the Governor of California, Attention: California Quarter Design, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. For more information call 916/446-2841 or visit the governor’s web site www.governor.ca.gov.
Originally Release Date: August 16, 2002
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