A Bear or a Bridge or a ...

Massachusetts has a minuteman, New York the Statue of Liberty, New Jersey shows Washington crossing the Delaware and Indiana depicts the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. These are designs on quarters issued so far in the 50-state quarters program launched by the U.S. Mint in 1999.

Now it’s California’s turn. The coin won’t come out until 2005, but Gov. Gray Davis has begun a process to select the appropriate design for the Golden State. This will not be easy. Many other states’ designs have been fairly obvious--consider Georgia’s peach and Vermont’s maple tree. California’s size and history offer scores of possibilities. There’s bound to be controversy. And everyone has a chance to participate.

The Mint has issued five new quarters a year, in order of the states’ admission to the Union. California joined Sept. 9, 1850, as the 31st state. Davis is calling on Californians to submit proposed designs from Sept. 9 to Nov. 9. A committee will select a minimum of 20 proposals, from which Davis--if he is reelected this fall--will pick five finalists for review by the Mint. Then the governor makes the final choice.

Some early ideas: the California poppy, a grizzly bear, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, a surfer. Davis’ Web site has a long list of potential subjects, ranging from forts and military bases to airports and freeways.

Others are coast redwoods, Yosemite Valley, Big Sur, Death Valley, Mt. Whitney, the old Spanish missions, the Gold Rush, the golden trout, agriculture and Lake Tahoe.

What about Napa Valley, the Hollywood sign, Alcatraz? State Librarian Kevin Starr says the symbol should be universal and not specifically Northern, Central or Southern California. He likes Queen Califia, for whom the state is named. In 16th century Spanish literature, she was the monarch of a remote, fabled island. But Califia is pretty obscure. Better might be a version of the state seal with the goddess Minerva and the motto “Eureka.” Too bad, state flags and seals are disallowed, but mottoes seem to be acceptable. Starr also likes Yosemite as a place belonging to the entire state.

The final selection no doubt will be a difficult one. But perhaps one design will stand out and seem to be so right that the governor will declare “Eureka!” and choose it.

Information on the California quarter, design criteria and entry forms can be found on the Web at www.governor.ca.gov.