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It appears that New Mexico and the Zia Pueblo will get the legendary "15 minutes of fame" and more over the next couple years.
Sometime in early April, the 2008 New Mexico quarter dollar will be celebrated at a launch ceremony.
The coin's reverse design features the Zia Pueblo sun symbol superimposed over an outline of the state with the text land of enchantment.
The Zia sun symbol is a reflection of unity as seen in the four-fold representation of the seasons of the year, the four parts of the day (sunrise, noon, evening and night) and the four ages of man (childhood, youth, manhood and old age). The Zia sun symbol is used on the state's license plates, highway markers and trophies at the New Mexico Bowl college football game.
The New Mexico Coin Commission recommended four designs to Gov. Bill Richardson, all four of which featured the Zia sun symbol and an outline of the state. The commission contacted Zia leaders early on in the design selection process and obtained their permission to use the symbol on the State quarter dollar. Richardson announced the final selection in April 2007.
New Mexico could be honored numismatically with two other commemorative coins in two years. Two bills are currently pending in Congress calling for the minting of gold $5 half eagles and silver dollars to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Santa Fe, N.M. If the legislation is approved by Congress and signed into law, the U.S. Mint could strike the coins from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010.
The design of the coins would be emblematic of the settlement of Santa Fe, the oldest capital city in the United States. The surcharges – $35 for each gold coin and $10 for each silver dollar – would be split between the Santa Fe 400th Anniversary Committee and the U.S. Department of the Interior to promote understanding and preservation of the city's legacies.
Recently, Zia leaders granted permission for the anniversary committee to use the sun symbol above an image of adobe buildings with the dates 1610 to 2010 as its logo for all official committee correspondence and products.
The 2008 New Mexico coin will lead the way in providing collectors with the opportunity to know a bit more about New Mexico and the Zia Pueblo.
First Reports
Heidi Huenergardt of Kansas reported Feb. 14 that a bank provided her with a roll of 2008-D Oklahoma quarter dollars.
Maureen Denner of Michigan reported Feb. 15 receiving a 2008-D Oklahoma quarter dollar in change at a restaurant.
Circulation Reports
We received no reports this week.
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