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U.S. Mint Selects Artists to Design Coins

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By JEANNINE AVERSA, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Two dozen artists have been asked to submit designs for a new nickel honoring the Lewis and Clark expedition, the first assignment for a pool of American artists selected to help plan U.S. coins.

The artists, representing specialties from painting and sculpture to graphic design, were chosen to participate in the U.S. Mint's new "Artistic Fusion" program. They will be called upon periodically to submit designs for circulating coins, as well as for non-circulating commemorative coins and medals made by the Mint.

Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore, in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, said the artists have already gotten their first assignment. They have been asked to submit designs for both the front and the back of the 2005 nickel, which honors the bicentennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and the 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark expedition. The front of the 2005 nickel will still feature Thomas Jefferson, Fore said.

"Artists can use different source materials to base a new definition of Thomas Jefferson. It can be a classic or a modern design," she said.

Artists also may be asked to work on design concepts with states and the Mint on some of the state quarters scheduled to be issued in 2005, Fore said.

The pool of artists was chosen out of 306 submitted applications by a panel of officials from the Mint and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Mint wanted a mix of professional "master designers" and "associate designers" from colleges or graduate schools. Of the 24 chosen, 18 are master designers and six are associate designers.

For each of the Mint's request for ideas, a participating master designer would receive $1,000. An associate designer would receive $500, master artists whose designs are used would receive an additional $1,000, and associates would get an extra $500.

The pool of artists would supplement the Mint's staff of sculptor-engravers who currently design U.S. coins and medals.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040224/ap_on_re_us/designing_coins_1
We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
--Severian the Lame

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