Three candidate designs created for American Samoa Quarter
The United States Mint has created a trio of candidate designs for the American Samoa Quarter, the 25-cent coin that will be produced as part of the Congressional 50 State and Territory Quarters Program.
(The 50 State Quarters coins is a ten-year program that was introduced in 1999 and will end this year with the issuance of the Hawaii commemorative quarter, marking the 50th State to be honored. A provision was added by Congress to the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act to produce the Territorial Quarters for American Samoa, the other territories, and Washington DC, which will be honored first in 2009).
In February, the Governor’s Office received 55 submissions.
The three candidate designs for the territory’s quarter were prepared after collaboration with the US Mint since February to ensure historical accuracy and proper representation. Governor Togiola Tulafono said the artwork will now be presented for review to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission of Fine Arts.
"We have received the three beautiful candidate designs and the artists at the U.S. Mint have done an excellent job in creating these designs through the narratives and artwork that we received from local submissions in February," the Governor explained. "The advisory committee and fine arts commission in Washington DC will now review the candidate designs and make recommendations on how to improve and enhance the designs, and the United States Mint, in consultation with us in American Samoa, may make changes, if any, to address the recommendations of the committee and commission."
After this part of the process, Togiola said his office will recommend from among the final designs its primary and secondary design choices. By next month, the U.S. Mint will present the primary recommended design from American Samoa to the US Treasury Secretary for approval.
“I am very happy that we have received the three designs, and I am sure that all our wonderful school children, their teachers and parents, local and aspiring artists, and concerned individuals are speculating about what the final design selection would look like, and what best represents the spirit of American Samoa,” said Togiola. ”As you can see in the three candidate designs, each design attempts to best capture what totally makes us unique as a proud people with a proud culture and traditions, and a beautiful island home that is part of America.”
Finalist 1 depicts a man with a traditional Samoan tattoo (soga’imiti) standing tall, holding a dried coconut cup used during the ‘ava ceremony, symbolizing the importance of servitude in Samoan culture. Also pictured are coconut leaves (fronds), leaves of a breadfruit tree (with two breadfruits) and taro leaves signifying the three staples of Samoa.
Finalist 2 reveals symbols of Samoan life: Fale (guest house); Tuiga (ceremonial headdress); Tanoa (ava [kava] bowl); Fue (orator’s fly whisk); and the To’oto’o (orator’s staff). Also featured is the inscription “Samoa Muamua Le Atua” (the Territory’s motto which means, “Samoa, Let God Be First”).
Finalist 3 features the tanoa (ava [kava] bowl) which is used to make Samoa’s special ceremonial drink for chiefs and guests. Also included are the Fue (fly whisk) symbolizing wisdom of the orator, and the To’oto’o (staff) which signifies authority. The inscription “Samoa Muamua Le Atua” (the Territory’s motto which means, “Samoa, Let God Be First”) is also included.
The American Samoa Quarter will be minted and issued by the U.S. Mint in 2009.
On December 27, 2007, President George W. Bush signed legislation for American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Washington DC to have their own commemorative quarter-dollars in 2009. The new 25 cent coin will continue to feature image of President George Washington on the obverse (heads side) of each quarter. The image on the reverse (tails side) will commemorate the history, geography or traditions of American Samoa.
More information on the 50 State Quarters (R) Program and the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act can be found at www.usmint.gov/pressroom
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