Platinum design backed

An image of a minuteman best expresses the principle “To Provide for the Common Defense,” the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee decided when it met Nov. 29.

It was selected from 11 designs it considered for the 2012 platinum 1 ounce proof coin in the six-year platinum coin program that recognizes six principles found in the preamble of the U.S. Constitution.

The coin has a face value of $100 and features the “W” mintmark from the U.S. Mint at West Point.

Do you know which modern commemoratives have the best potential for profit?

The CCAC also reviewed designs for the 2013 America the Beautiful quarters and 2012 First Spouse bullion coins, as well as recommending commemorative coins for 2015 and 2016.

In all, the CCAC reviewed 89 design proposals for 14 coin faces in the three programs, according to CCAC Chairman Gary Marks.

But it still failed to garner enough votes for a recommendation on a design for the ATB quarters honoring Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial in Ohio, and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Maryland.

Although designs were chosen for White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park in South Dakota, they each received the minimum number of votes to be recommended.

The only solid recommendation was for the quarter honoring Great Basin National Park in Nevada.

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our FREE email newsletter![form id="27827"]

For the ATB quarters, the CCAC recommended:

• White Mountain – Design No. 2 with 11 of 21 votes, the minimum needed to be recommended.

• Perry’s Victory – No recommendation. The CCAC reviewed three designs. No. 1 received 7 votes, No. 2 got 1 vote and No. 3 received no votes. The CCAC will ask the U.S. Mint to provide more designs, Marks said.

• Great Basin – Design No. 1, which features a bristle cone pine tree, received 17 of 21 points. It was also the top choice of the Commission of Fine Arts.

• Fort McHenry – No recommendation. “There was not a lot of enthusiasm for these four designs,” Marks said. Design No. 1 received 8 votes, which isn’t enough to be recommended. The CFA didn’t make a recommendation as well.

• Mount Rushmore – Design No. 1, which offers a more traditional aerial view, received 11 of 21 votes to be recommended.

Designs for the sixth set of four First Spouse gold coins and bronze medals offered in 2012 were reviewed as follows:
• Alice Paul – Representing the term of President Chester Arthur, design No. 5 was chosen for the obverse with 16 of 21 votes, while reverse design No. 4 received 20 of 21 votes.

• Frances Cleveland (first term) – Obverse No. 7 received 16 points, with reverse No. 5 garnering 13 points.

• Caroline Harrison – Obverse design No. 1 received 15 votes, with reverse No. 5 garnering 18 votes. The reverse design depicts an orchid with paint brushes, symbolic of her love of painting china, Marks said. But CCAC member Heidi Wastweet, who is a sculptor, showed members an image of a plate with flower on it that Harrison had painted and suggested the orchid be replaced with the design of the painted plate. Members voted unanimously to ask the Mint to make that change.

• Frances Cleveland (second term) – Obverse design No. 1 gained 19 votes with reverse design No. 2 receiving 14 votes.

The CCAC also discussed the fiscal 2011 annual report and finalized recommendations for commemorative coin programs in 2015 and 2016.

There was one theme to choose for 2015. Members recommended a $1 silver coin commemorating the 150th anniversary of the 13th amendment to the Constitution that called for the elimination of slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Two programs were open for recommendations in 2016.

The first recommendation was for a clad half dollar and a silver dollar to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The second program would honor highway Route 66. Advocated by CCAC member Mike Olson, the program would feature eight coins marking the eight states traversed by the highway.

As a way to make the program affordable to as many collectors as possible, Marks said the CCAC recommended the coins be clad half dollars, with no precious metal coin minted.