BASEBALL COIN DESIGNER CASSIE MCFARLAND

Coin collectors across the nation can now hold the work of San Luis Obispo artist Cassie McFarland in their hands.

More than a million coins bearing McFarland’s design went on sale March 27 as part of the U.S. Mint’s National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program. The $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins and half-dollar clad coins, which depict a well-worn baseball glove on one side and a baseball on the other, are the first curved coins ever produced by the U.S. Mint.

"All in all, this is a great triumph for (me) as an artist," said McFarland, whose winning design edged out 15 other finalists. "It’s not every day that you design a gold coin that’s issued by the U.S. Mint."

McFarland, who grew up in Roseville, graduated from Cal Poly with a bachelor of fine arts degree concentrating in studio art and design. After living in Boston for two and a half years, she moved back to San Luis Obispo about three years ago.

McFarland, 28, said she stumbled upon the Baseball Hall of Fame coin design competition about a year ago, at a time when she was struggling to discover which artistic direction to take.

"What’s the best way to get your mind out of a creative box? To do something that’s different," McFarland said.

With just 24 hours to complete her submission, McFarland settled on a subtle yet effective design guaranteed to "evoke a little nostalgia on a national level," she said.

"I just wanted a simple design that everybody could relate to on a larger level," said the artist, who used a "completely broken-down" catcher’s mitt she found at her parents’ house as inspiration. "That glove is the perfect representation of childhood and camaraderie and being part of the team."

Although McFarland’s original design featured wheat sheaths — a tribute to her family’s involvement with the California State Grange, as well as old-fashioned "wheat pennies" that included images of wheat stalks — that detail was dropped from the finished product.

U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver Don Everhart sculpted McFarland’s design along with her initials, C.M. He also designed and sculpted the baseball ­— similar to the one used by major league players — on the reverse side.

Unfortunately, the official unveiling of McFarland’s design, originally planned for October, was delayed until March 27 because of the 2013 government shutdown. That didn’t stop the artist from visiting the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C., then meeting U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios and taking a sneak peek at the silver coin prototype.

Although she didn’t attend the March 27 unveiling, McFarland visited the San Francisco Mint on March 11, where she participated in a news conference, met with mint workers and signed baseballs.

McFarland, who was paid $5,000 for her design, said the experience has reshaped her view of the art world. She’s even bought one of the gold coins bearing her design, which she plans to store in a safety deposit box.

"Obviously I’m very elated," said McFarland, whose glove will be joining the Baseball Hall of Fame collection. "This is just a huge opportunity for me."

To read the complete article, see: SLO artist creates design for U.S. Mint's first curved coins (www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/07/3009270/slo-artist-baseball-curved-coins.html?sp=/99/177/183/)

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