Letter
Dear Ms. Fore:
The Commission of Fine Arts reviewed five candidate designs for the Iowa state quarter at its 15 May meeting. The Grant Wood paintings did not translate well as coin designs, and the preference was clearly for what was called design #5. It showed a cow and a pig in the foreground, an ear of com on the left and branches of soybeans on the right, and an outline of the state behind the animals containing the inscription, "Feeding the World".
Minor changes were recommended. It was requested that the typeface for "Feeding the World" be the same as used for "Iowa 1846", and it was thought that the rendition of the two crops-especially the soybeans-be made bolder in some way so that it would be clear what they were when reduced to coin size. For the corn, perhaps showing more of the kernels would suffice.
Sincerely,
/s/
Harry G. Robinson III, FAIA
Chairman
Henrietta Holsman Fore
Director, United States Mint
801 9th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20220