Colorado State Quarter Designs Unveiled

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Colorado State Quarter Designs Unveiled

(DENVER) - Five designs for the new 2006 state quarter were unveiled recently in a Capitol ceremony led by Gov. Bill Owens, First Lady Frances Owens, and members of the Colorado Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission."With a state as beautiful as ours, it is not at all surprising that we have five wonderful designs," commented the Governor. "Each of these coins uniquely represents the beauty and tradition of Colorado."

"My thanks to the citizens of this state for their input - and to our commission members for their hard work," said the First Lady. "I am confident that whichever of these designs is chosen, it will be an excellent representation of everything that makes Colorado such a great place to call home."

Each of the five designs incorporates the Rocky Mountains, and includes the banner, "Colorado 1876."

One design features Mesa Verde's famous Cliff Palace, another has a visual of Pikes Peak with a miner's pick and shovel, while a third includes an alpine soldier with the words "Birthplace of the 10th Mountain Division." The other two designs have rugged mountain backdrops - one with the inscription "Colorful Colorado," and the other with a columbine flower over the words "The Centennial State."

The five drawings - completed by artists at the U.S. Mint - will be forward to the United States Fine Arts Commission and the Secretary of the United States Treasury for review and approval. The final selection will be made by the governor and is expected in May of this year. The coins will be minted and released in the summer of 2006.

In 1997, the United States Congress approved the Fifty States Commemorative Coin Program Act. The Act established a new series of quarters to commemorate each of the 50 states. Over a 10-year period, ending in 2008, the U.S. Mint is issuing quarters with designs symbolic of each state. These quarters are being issued in the order in which the states ratified the Constitution and joined the union. Colorado's quarter will be the 38th commemorative quarter issued.

In the Wednesday unveiling ceremony, the Governor and First Lady thanked the 12- member Colorado Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission for its work. The commission led the process by soliciting design concepts from people throughout the state. From the approximately 1,500 ideas and designs submitted, the Commission forwarded five "narrative" concepts to the U.S. Mint. The Mint then used the narratives to create the five finalist designs.

For more on the state quarter program, please visit the State Quarter Website