Alaska Quarter
Monday, April 16th, 2007 by Pat
Now is your chance to comment on the Alaska state quarter design.
It looks like they’ve narrowed the field to four potential candidates but they left out the most obvious and my favorite which would have been a dipper alone on the coin face. Simple, iconic, and beautiful, just like our flag.
At least none of the designs they’ve presented are awful.
AK-1
I like the midnight sun in this design but I think the polar bear is a little lumpy and over textured. This coin has a great choice of subjects which emphasize the uniqueness of Alaska as a state.
AK-2
This one is probably my favorite although the musher looks a bit rigid. I’ve always like the slogan “North to the Future” and I’m glad it ended up on this particular coin. They included the dipper which gives it bonus points. The sled dogs are totally appropriate. It might not be intentional but this could also be a nice tip of the hat to Susan Butcher.
AK-3
This one feels a little primal and the bear looks like his head is on backwards. I think it’s because of the positioning of the ears. The detail on the water looks amazing.
AK-4
My grandfather was a mining engineer and I know that the gold rush was a huge part of our history but I’m less and less inclined to think a white prospector playing with a big pair of nuggets is a good symbol for the state.
Ok, that’s it for my critique but I think they could get better feedback on the coins if they let the artists provide a brief statement on the choice of symbolism.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Mushers are cruel to dogs– from the Iditarod to how they keep them chained. Chaining is banned in many places in the US. As time passes, the musher image will be a BIG TIME embarrassment. Iditarod facts: http://www.helpsleddogs.org
April 17th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Go with the dog sled. hands down. Other states already have bears… plus polar bears are going the way of the dodo (which is too depressing).
The prospector just looks like a hobo frying up some giblets.
April 17th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I like the Brown/Grizzly Bear catching a salmon. These bears live all over the state (except the Aleutians). Although other states have bears and salmon, no state has the large number of bears and salmon that Alaska has. All of the other designs are too localized to represent the state as a whole. Although I do like Pat’s comment about the using Ursa Major (Big Dipper) as the state coin.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Dogs are tool that can be eaten too! Care and maintainence of your tools show the quality of the craftsmen. Playing with Nuggets makes artsy grandchildren. Number 2 is my pick. POPS!
April 19th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I like the polar bear. I wish they had crammed the dipper into the background on that one too, and that the bear was a bit simplified - but it’s still my fave. Plus everyone is swooning for polar bears right now, and even if they go dodo, we will be the only U.S. state that ever had them. :…(
April 23rd, 2007 at 8:06 am
I like them all! But how about a hobo, say, frying giblets. That might be cool.
April 24th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Sara has a good point about the polar bear.