The Commission of Fine Arts, or CFA, recently reviewed the design concepts for the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters. Each year, the US Mint produces three to five design concepts per location. These designs are based on materials chosen by a Federal officer who serves as a liaison to the national site. The designs chosen as finalists are then submitted to the Secretary of the Interior, the chief executive of the host jurisdiction, the CFA, and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee for review.
During their recent meeting, the CFA made the following observations: 1) iconic images should be used, and 2) the inner circle used for the template should be continuous, and the flat portion at the bottom should be eliminated. The first decision bumps Yosemite National Park to the top of the potential national site list as well as several other national parks and monuments. Once the commission has decided on the site to be pictured on the commemorative coin a design must be chosen according to federal mint regulation standards. The California Park Service has their fingers crossed that Yosemite National Park will be one of the United States newest features on the 2010 quarter.
