CARSON CITY, Nev. – Slot machines, playing cards and even the famed Las Vegas skyline won’t be on Nevada’s quarter, much to the disappointment of state officials.
State Treasurer Brian Krolicki said Friday that federal officials prohibited the use of gambling images on the five themes his office submitted to the U.S. Mint for the quarter that goes into circulation in January 2006.
The Las Vegas skyline was ruled out because it would show commercial gaming businesses.
Despite the presence of legal gambling in 48 states, Krolicki said some people strongly oppose gambling and might be offended by a Nevada gambling design. Although he disagreed with the federal decision, Krolicki said none of the quarter designs for other states shows commercial enterprises.
The Tennessee quarter, however, shows a banjo, guitar and horn, symbolizing Nashville’s reputation as the country music capital. And the Indiana quarter shows a race car like those used in the Indianapolis 500 auto race.
More than 500 proposals for the Nevada quarter were submitted to Krolicki, who chairs the state quarter panel. The panel whittled that down to wild horse, miner, bristlecone pine, snowcapped mountain and bighorn sheep themes, along with the outline of the state. U.S. Mint engravers will produce coin designs by the end of January.
Krolicki then plans to have Nevadans select the state quarter by voting on the Internet and through phone calls.
“We want to leave it up to Nevadans,” he said. “It is Nevada’s quarter, not the treasurer’s quarter.”
The U.S. Mint also turned down suggestions to have the state quarter include actual silver from Nevada mines and to mint some quarters in the old U.S. Mint in Carson City.
Quarters have not contained silver since 1964. The Carson City Mint was last used in 1893. The building now houses the Nevada State Museum and holds an old coin press.
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