The program was originally set to release a new coin every 10 weeks, from 1999 to 2008, but, according to Munro, they couldn't really wait that long.

"I think it will take everyone a while to spend all of these new coins," said Munro. "So, we have some time now. The entire Mint staff will be taking a much-needed two-year vacation. Then it's right back to work designing more of these coins."

Carl Filipiak, the chief designer with the Philadelphia Mint, says the design process is really a thinking man's game.

"Some days all I do is think about what should go on the back of a quarter. And then some days, all I can think about is cheese. I sure love cheese."

Filipiak explained that the first several coins released were very historic in their imagery. But, after a while, it gets difficult to think of historic images. "We can't use the eagle, obviously. And, other than muskets and some guy with pipes and drums, what do you got left?"

The Montana quarter features a sketch of the Unabomber

In these cases, the Mint staff resorts to more abstract measures. George Conrad, from the West Point Mint in New York, is in charge of designing the West Coast line of coins. "It isn't an easy task," says Conrad. "They already rejected most of my ideas. At first I wanted to just put numbers. California would be 29, and Nevada would be 112. But, then they wanted to know what the numbers meant, and I said, 'meant?' "

But, Carl Filipiak enjoys the challenge of thinking up unique imagery for the U.S. coins. "Thank God for this opportunity. Before the Commemorative Coins program, all we would do around the office is drink. Now we have a chance to actually do something."

According to Filipiak, some states are a no-brainer. "The New York coin will have an apple, Idaho will have a potato, the New Mexico coin will have a Mexican." Other coins, however, present unique challenges. "I haven't even been to all those big, square states in the Midwest," says Filipiak. "I mean, really, is there any difference between Colorado and New Mexico?"

Munro is also working on theme releases. Indiana will display Indiana Jones; Tennessee will have Tennessee Williams; and Michigan will have Harvey "Michigan" Jones, a local TV weatherman. "We're also not going to confine ourselves to the quarter," said Munro. "The Rhode Island coin, for example, will be a dime."

And, in an interesting twist, the Nevada coin will be a poker chip featuring an image of a quarter.

"And, of course, we've got eight years to come up with something good for Alaska," added Filipiak. "Right now, all we can think of is snow. Putting snow on the back of a quarter is intriguing, since no two snowflakes are the same. So, I'm thinking of making every Alaska coin different -- but, I haven't told my staff, yet."

This is a joke! The Fool's mission is to educate, amuse, and enrich. Everything you read in our Fun & Folly area is for amusement purposes only.