NEW BOOK: QUARTERAMA: IDEAS AND DESIGNS OF AMERICA'S STATE QUARTERS

In crafting the selected prototype for the California quarter, the noted graphic designer Garrett Burke created one of the most successful quarters in the program. An now, in this comprehensive and brilliantly designed and illustrated book, Burke is bringing the same taste, scholarship, historical sensibility, and talent to the entire U.S. Quarter Program that he brought to the design of his acclaimed California entry. --Kevin Starr, University of Southern California, California State Librarian Emeritus.

The monumentally popular state quarters are the fifty-six unique creations honored in the colorful book, Quarterama: Ideas & Designs of American's State Quarters. A tribute to each of the fifty states, in the order they entered the Union, plus the District of Columbia and five US Territories, was minted and distributed five times a year from 1999-2009, and each state's coin was uniquely designed to represent that region. Children and adults eagerly awaited the distribution of the next coin in the series and marveled at the detail on the back of each quarter. George Washington's face is on the front of all quarters, as it has been since 1932.

In Quarterama, the compact history of each state unfolds along with lavish illustrations and a greatly enlarged rendition of the state quarter, letting readers see up close the detail on each coin. The bindery of the hardcover edition of this book doubles as a collector coin album.

Author Garrett Burke is also the concept designer of the California state coin. The design, which was selected by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from over 8,000 entries, celebrates nature, including naturalist John Muir, Yosemite Valley, and the California condor. Other quarters feature scenes sculpted by gifted artists representing their own states. One of the most unusual set of pages is for Alabama. The Braille Code, honoring Alabama native Helen Keller, who opened the world's eyes and ears by her courage, is featured and readers are instructed as to how to decipher the code that lets the blind read. Humorous and beautiful illustrations make for interesting pages.

Each state's pages teach history in a nutshell, plus offer small tidbits of information: Four Ohio state quarters [were] carried aboard the space shuttle Columbia in March, 2002.Ohio was the seventeenth state admitted to the Union and calls itself The Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers.

A shorter section is devoted to America's Treasured National Parks quarters, which went into circulation in 2010. Five new quarters will be released annually until 2021. Hopefully Burke will publish another book similar to Quarterama, which will be a hit with all coin collectors, professional and recreational, young and old, plus history teachers and scholars.

Burke has crafted art and logos for major movie studios and pop culture brands, including Star Wars and Dr. Seuss and has designed commemorative medals. He is an honors graduate of Pratt Institute's School of Art and Design. --Penny Hastings March 24, 2011

Feeling numismatic? Just in time for Presidents Day comes Quarterama by Garrett Burke (Sunbelt, $50). This hands-on, fabulously illustrated gift book presents informative, behind-the-scenes stories of the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters program. It includes a built-in album for collecting all 50 quarters, minted between 1999 and 2009. Burke's design for the California state quarter was selected over 10,000 other entries. It depicts naturalist John Muir viewing Half Dome in Yosemite Valley as a condor soars overhead. This title is a must-have for coin collectors and students from elementary school through high school. --Allen Pierleoni, The Sacramento Bee

Price: $36.50

About the Author

Garrett Burke's creative fingerprints are visible across popular culture. One of his ideas now circulates as half a billion pieces of American history. Topping 8,300 entries, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger selected Garrett s coin concept honoring John Muir in Yosemite Valley to be California's 2005 commemorative state quarter, part of the United States Mint's phenomenally successful 50 State Quarters program. Profiled in national media and a popular public speaker, Burke has appeared before libraries, colleges, elementary and middle schools, coin clubs, nature organizations and civic groups to present an unconventional and entertaining look at the stories inside everyday coins.

Garrett is an active member of the numismatic community and has designed two crowd-pleasing commemorative medals for the World's Fair of Money. He is the recipient of the American Numismatic Association s prestigious Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture and the John Muir Association's John Muir Conservation Award. In addition to writing the foreword to numismatic historian David Bowers authoritative A Guide Book of Washington and State Quarters, Garrett was featured on the nationwide PBS television interview series Between The Lines, to reveal the meanings behind America s favorite pocket change. In addition, Garrett has crafted art, logos, movie posters and packaging for Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Sony, LucasArts, Nickelodeon, Mattel, XBOX and Disney.

To order from Amazon, see: Quarterama: Ideas and Designs of America's State Quarters (www.amazon.com/Quarterama-Ideas-Designs-Americas-Quarters/dp/0984562400)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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