Hawai'i chipping in its two bits' worth
By Zenaida Serrano
Advertiser Staff Writer
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The ideas seem endless: hula dancer, beach sunset, Diamond Head, surfer and 'Iolani Palace, to name a few.
Must-sees for visitors to the Islands?
No. Suggestions for the state's commemorative quarter.
Earlier this month, The Hono-lulu Advertiser took an online poll, asking readers: What do you want to see on the back of our state's commemorative coin?
Of the 573 votes received, King Kamehameha I topped the competition with 128 votes, followed closely by a map of the Islands with 126 votes and Diamond Head with 115. The least-popular idea was a palm tree, which received 3 votes.
But other interested Islanders have their own ideas for the Hawai'i Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission.
Among them: spam musubi and rubber slippers, said chairman Jonathan Johnson.
Of the top picks from the online poll, Johnson isn't sure Diamond Head could be the winner. "That's obviously a good choice, and it will probably be one of the favorite ones, but Hawai'i is much more than Waikiki and Diamond Head," he said.
On Feb. 14, Gov. Linda Lingle established the Hawai'i Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission, a group that will select, develop and recommend designs emblematic of Hawai'i to the U.S. Mint for the state's commemorative quarter.
"The challenge is how to convey something unique about Hawai'i in this 1-inch little spot," Johnson said.
With the help of the commission, the governor will make three to five submissions to the mint by July for approval. The governor will then make the final choice. The coin is to be released in fall 2008.
Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.