For immediate release June 11, 1999
Contact: Gwenda Bond
(502) 564-2611

Cast your vote for Kentucky’s Quarter

First Lady Judi Patton announced today that the people of Kentucky will have a chance to vote on the design concept for the state’s new quarter-dollar.

Entries will be on display and ballots can be cast June 15-17, Tuesday through Thursday, in the Front Lobby of the Capitol. Entries can also be viewed and votes cast via the Internet at http://www.state.ky.us/agencies/gov/quarter.htm.

The call went out statewide on May 4 requesting design submissions appropriate to represent Kentucky. People of all ages responded with almost 1800 possible designs, which were then divided into 18 categories,

The Kentucky Quarter Project Committee, headed by Mrs. Patton, has now narrowed the entries. Governor Paul Patton and First Lady Judi Patton will choose the finalists to be put on display for the three days of voting.

"The entries are as diverse as the regions and citizens of Kentucky," said Mrs. Patton. "Those that will be voted on represent the imagination and feelings of our citizens. We want a coin that the people of this state will take pride in and we hope they will make themselves heard by voting on their favorite."

As a result of public input, Governor Patton and Mrs. Patton will make the final decision on which three to seven designs will be submitted to the U.S. Mint. The deadline for Kentucky’s submission to the Mint is Monday, June 21.

The deadline was initially set as June 2000. Mrs. Patton said, "However, for some reason the Mint decided to move our deadline. I regret the short amount of time for voting, but it went out of our control when the deadline was changed."

Each state will submit a design for the back of the coin for the "Fifty States Commemorative Coin Program," established by federal legislation in 1997. Kentucky’s quarter will be released as the15^th of all states in October 2001, because Kentucky was the 15^th state admitted to the union.

The Pattons will make the final decision on what the design will be after the Mint sends them its reproductions.

Categories of the Entries:

• Collages of KY Symbols - 186
• Cardinals - 191
• Horses Representing the KY Derby - 239
• State Outlines - 78
• Horses as a Symbol of Kentucky - 286
• Famous Kentuckians - 73, mostly Daniel Boone
• Bluegrass Music - 9
• Kentucky State Seal - 21
• Tobacco - 17
• Goldenrod - 38
• UK Wildcat Sports - 30
• My Old KY Home - 49
• Nature Scenes - 79
• Fish and Squirrels - 25
• Famous Buildings - 91
• Natural Landmarks - 47
• Miscellaneous (From the Battle of Point Pleasant to the butterfly and Coffee Tree) - 218
• More Random than Others - 15 (Included Queen of England, the White House, and a rhinocerous)