Proposed designs for four of the five America the Beautiful quarter dollars to be released by the U.S. Mint during 2018 were recommended June 27 by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

The panel ultimately rejected all of the proposed designs for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore quarter dollar after confusion arose following a vote to select a design to recommend. The CCAC asked the U.S. Mint to have its engraving staff and artists with the U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program render a second series of designs to review.

The CCAC held its meeting followed by a public forum in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association Summer Seminar on the campus of Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo.

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The CCAC considered proposed designs for the quarter dollars reflecting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan (13 designs); Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin (nine designs; Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota (five designs); Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia (13 designs); and Block Island National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island (12 designs).

PICK YOUR FAVORITES: Flip through all of the proposed 2018 quarter dollar designs

The same proposed designs were reviewed June 16 by the Commission of Fine Arts.

Quick question before we get started: What is the CCAC?

The CCAC is one of two coin advisory panels, the other being the CFA, that make recommendations on the designs of U.S. Mint products to the U.S. Treasury, who considers the recommendations and makes the final call. 

For each new U.S. coin or medal approved for issue, both the CFA and CCAC are provided by the U.S. Mint with proposed designs executed by the Mint’s engraving staff and outside artists in the Artistic Infusion Program.

For the Commission of Fine Arts, the review of coin and medal designs is one of its many authorized responsibilities. For the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), it is the group’s sole responsibility.

OK, on with the CCAC recommendations. 

Pictured Rocks

For the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore quarter dollar, the CCAC recommended a design depicting Chapel Rock with a white pine growing atop the formation.

The CFA recommended another design, which Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore officials preferred, reflecting a different rendition of Chapel Rock.

Apostle Islands

The CCAC voted on a design depicting two kayakers paddling toward the rock formations at Devils Island among the proposed designs for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore quarter dollar. Before the vote was given a final recommendation, however, questions were raised over votes placed for two similar designs.

When CCAC members were limiting the number of proposed designs for consideration before individual members presented further comments, it had been suggested that two similar designs be considered as a single unit. Each of the two features a sea arch topped with a variety of trees growing atop them, but while one shows a pair of kayakers paddling toward the arch, they are absent in the other design.

Some CCAC members who favored the sea arch designs indicated they voted on the individual designs, while others voted considering the two designs as a single unit.

CCAC member Mike Moran made a motion to reject all of the proposed Apostle Islands coin designs. Interim motions were subsequently made to recommend the two similar designs as a single unit, a measure that failed. So did a motion to recommend the design that had initially received the highest number of votes from CCAC members.

The panel eventually supported Moran's position to seek a completely new set of designs for the Apostle Islands quarter dollar.

Voyageurs

For the Voyageurs National Park quarter dollar, the CCAC recommended the same design as the CFA. The design features a common loon with a rock cliff in the background. Park officials preferred a design featuring a view of a few of the small islands found in the waters of the park.

Cumberland Island

The CCAC's recommended design for the Cumberland Island National Seashore quarter dollar depicts a loggerhead sea turtle swimming along the undeveloped beach of Cumberland Island. CCAC members considered the design one of the best they have seen for the quarter dollar series. CCAC members endorsed the design after an impassioned pitch from CCAC member Steve Roach, editor-at-large for Coin World, who said the design would be thematically attractive to a lot of collectors, especially Young Numismatists.

Cumberland Island National Seashore officials prefer a proposed design depicting an adult and young child walking through the Island's Live Oak trees. The CFA endorsed a proposed design depicting a snowy egret posing on a branch on the edge of a salt marsh, ready for flight.

Block Island

For the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge quarter dollar, the CCAC recommended a design depicting a single piping plover on the rocky beach in the foreground of Block Island with the North Light lighthouse in the background.

The CFA recommended a proposed design that refuge officials prefer, depicting a black-crowned night-heron flying over a view from the beach at Cow Cove, looking toward Sandy Point. The North Light lighthouse is in the background.