February 7, 2008
D.C. Wants Your Ideas for Design of New Quarter
Late last year we reported that after some long-awaited congressional action, D.C. and five U.S. territories would be joining the 50 states that have gotten their own official quarters. In response, we received a number of comments proposing ideas for the design of the new quarter, with everything from the "Taxation Without Representation" slogan to the Washington Monument to Matthew Lesko being thrown out there.
Well, today the AP reports that Mayor Adrian Fenty wants District residents to propose their design ideas to him by February 22:
Residents can make suggestions by e-mailing the city at quarter@dc.gov, or leaving messages at 202-727-5448. Residents also can write to the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 419, Washington, D.C., 20004.So get thinking and send your ideas in -- heck, if you've got a really good one, let us know, and we'll think about asking all of our readers to get behind it. Certainly if Stephen Colbert can get a bridge named after himself, we should be able to influence the design of D.C.'s quarter if we all band together.
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clearly this should be a contest between either (1) the rat, or (2) the 'police line do not cross' banner.
whatever it ends up being, please don't let it be the quarter that won marc fisher's contest. that's u.g.l.y.
Crack pipe in a pothole with a giant rat hanging off the Washington Monument like King Kong on the Empire State Building.
Who wants to see another freaking mountain range, state flower, or goddamned patriotic slogan? Wouldn't you rather have Mister T or Parliament on your ducats?
I would like to see a quarter that pays homage to the late and great take out joint, "Fish N Stuff," formerly located on the corner of New York and North Cap.
i would have gone simply with a crack pipe, but i can get behind cranky's idea. and instead of "e pluribus unum," the inscription on the reverse should read "bitch set me up."
Cranky's idea + motorcade.
and while we're at it, how can you visually represent bad intentions disguised as good intentions.. that ultimately go nowhere. add that too.
IMGoph, I agree that the winner they drew up in that Fisher article is pretty ugly. But you've still gotta love one reader's suggestion that is mentioned in that same article:
"Mayor Barry astride a panda galloping along the National Mall with a half-smoke in one hand and a TEC-9 in the other."I'd suggest replacing the TEC-9 with a crack pipe, but I'm concerned a crack pipe might not be recognizable when shrunk down to fit on a quarter.
Maybe a few members of LNS on the quarter... so people could see that DC is just like any other city...
I would love to see a quarter with a design that is a lot less ornate then all the others.
I propose the stars and bars from the DC Flag only. Nice and clean.
I would love to see a quarter with a design that is a lot less ornate then all the others.
I propose the stars and bars from the DC Flag only. Nice and clean.
I would love to see a quarter with a design that is a lot less ornate then all the others.
I propose the stars and bars from the DC Flag only. Nice and clean.
I would love to see a quarter with a design that is a lot less ornate then all the others.
I propose the stars and bars from the DC Flag only. Nice and clean.
You tell em DCfist!
Modesty be damned. I'm peeved my design didn't even place in Marc's contest, since it uses DC's unofficial motto, the one we all say hundreds of time a year.
I don't think the quarters can include flag designs ... Otherwise I'd say it should have a depiction of the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials, I don't think that's been done yet.
Oh no west, not Federal Washington. Please!
This needs to be hometown DC.
Here's an interesting site that shows the final designs for the 50 State Commemorative Quarters Program as well as earlier designs.
It also lists the design criterea, including:
I noticed recently that the Iowa state coin celebrates Education and the one room school house. It's nice to see a state celebrate something that they value as state.
In that way, I suggest we include images of stacks of dollar bills. It would show our values and be so meta (another DC value).
I noticed recently that the Iowa state coin celebrates Education and the one room school house. It's nice to see a state celebrate something that they value as state.
In that way, I suggest we include images of stacks of dollar bills. It would show our values and be so meta (another DC value).
sfw: I wasn't serious, seeing as how both of those design are already on the back of other denominations of coinage I thought it was a cute (albeit apparently lame) joke.
I say it should be a PARKING METER.
Lord knows the city would be SOL without these revenue grabbers.
Designs shall have broad appeal to the citizens of the State and avoid controversial subjects or symbols that are likely to offend.
Because not having a vote in Congress isn't offensive AT ALL.
I say, "Go goatse or go home." If DC isn't America's butthole, I'd like to know what is.
It really should reflect DC's metropolitan identity, not DC's federal identity. Thus, ideas could include:
-Duke Ellington
-Cherry Blossoms
-Howard U
-Kennedy Center
-Taxation Without Representation
Monuments and federal buildings are simply too typical.
Interesting to note that New Mexico incorporated design elements from its state flag in their quarter. Perhaps a precedent to allow use of D.C.'s stars and bars?
Sounds much more interesting than designs with the Wood Thrush, American Beauty Rose, Scarlet Oak or "Justia Omnibus" motto.
I'd like something kind of random, like Rock Creek Park (the largest urban park in the country), or how about something for all the great American Elm trees we have in DC that have survived the Dutch Elm Disease epidemic?
I'm not all that down for the Duke Ellington idea. I'm a huge jazz fan, and I totally respect Ellington, but he's just not that associated with DC. It would be sort of be like Ohio trying to get all the credit for the Wright Brothers. Sure they may have a good claim on them, but that ship has sailed to the outer banks. The same goes for Ellington. He will always be more associated with Harlem than U St.
Thanks for the interesting links, Monkey. Wikipedia again astounds me.
The entry for Marion Barry is half as long as the entry for Goatse.
As for the quarter, I like the idea of stark outlines of the district shape, with "Taxation without Representation" inside - represents the "aloneness" of the District amongst the states.
The entry for Marion Barry is half as long as the entry for Goatse.
Why can't I go a week without someone using "Marion Barry" and "goatse" in the same sentence? Must be the circles I tend to move in, and by "move" I mean "run away screaming."
I say this DC coin BEGS for a Barry/goatse mashup.