Letter
Dear Mr. Ryder:
In its meeting of 19 September, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed alternative reverse designs for the second set of four non-circulating one-dollar coins in the American Innovation series, to be paired with the common obverse that was reviewed in September 2018 in conjunction with the initial coin of this series. The Commission members present were pleased to take into consideration the preferences of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), and they provided the following recommendations and comments.
Connecticut. Consistent with the preferences of the CCAC, the Commission members recommended alternative #8, depicting the Gerber Variable Scale being used with two sizes of an outline map of Connecticut; they suggested improving the map’s recognizability by depicting the coastline in more realistic detail.
Massachusetts. The Commission members supported two designs depicting the evolution of the telephone: alternative #1, depicting a rotary dial on a mid-20th-century telephone, consistent with the preference of the CCAC; and alternative #2, depicting Alexander Graham Bell’s patent application drawing for the original telephone apparatus, which would better convey the history of the telephone’s invention.
Maryland. The Commission members supported two designs from the two themes presented: alternative #5, depicting the Hubble Space Telescope, consistent with the preference of the CCAC; and alternative #15, depicting a graphic representation of a DNA strand to symbolize the project of mapping the human genome. For alternative #5, they cited the striking use of the font from NASA’s logo for the inscriptions, and they described both #5 and #15 as strong graphic compositions.
South Carolina. The Commission members supported two designs depicting the citizenship schools created by Septima Clark: alternative #1, depicting Clark teaching; and the CCAC’s preference of alternative #2, depicting Clark walking with a group of students. They cited the powerful focus on Clark in alternative #1 but questioned the stern facial expression; for alternative #2, they suggested adding the phrase “Citizenship Schools” to clarify the theme. In either design, they suggested including Clark’s full name, Septima Poinsette Clark.
As a quorum was not present for the review of this submission, these recommendations will be placed on the administrative agenda for confirmation at the Commission’s meeting of 17 October. As always, the staff is available to assist you with future submissions.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
David Ryder, Director
United States Mint
801 9th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20220