Politics Aside, The Newest U.S. Coin Is Truly Grand by Peter Rexford on Creators.com

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Politics Aside, The Newest U.S. Coin Is Truly Grand

I don't claim to be a scholar of states. With the exception of possibly Hawaii, when driving across state borders the boundaries are patently blurred. Politically, though, each carries weight — especially during an election year.

We all know of the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. And this year, Florida and Michigan really stand out. But what of Arizona? Their primary was in February and occurred without much fanfare. Now, it's a different story.

Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain is a sitting senator from Arizona. But, he was actually born in the Panama Canal Zone, which, some contend, makes him ineligible to hold the office of president. The same argument was used in 1964, when Barry Goldwater ran for president. Also a senator from Arizona, Goldwater was born there in 1909. The thing is, when he was born, Arizona was a territory. It didn't become a state until 1912.

Anyway, it's all moot. In the '60s, Congress agreed that candidates born in any region under U.S. control could become president.

This month, Arizona is again being thrust into the spotlight with the release of the latest in the 50 State Quarters Series. The new coin features a dramatic image of the Grand Canyon — arguably the state's most impressive attraction. Also featured is a giant Saguaro cactus with the sun setting behind the canyon. Across the visual is a banner proclaiming Arizona the "Grand Canyon State."

Surely, the Grand Canyon deserves special recognition as a national icon. At 227 miles long, one mile deep and an average 10 miles wide it qualifies as one of the true natural wonders of the world. Still, there are other aspects of the region that could have been considered.

Happily, they weren't.

For instance, the coin doesn't show any camels. At one time they were abundantly used to transport supplies across the arid desert. I don't know if any camels still wander around there, but if so, a law remains on Arizona's books making it illegal to hunt them.

As with most states, Arizona has lots of wacky laws. For instance, according to statutes, "When being attacked by a criminal, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon the other person possesses." OK, consider if someone's trying to smother you with a pillow. 'Nuff said. It's also illegal for a donkey to sleep in a bathtub, to manufacture imitation cocaine or to "bother" bullfrogs. I'm happy to not know why those offenses made it onto the books. In Tucson, it has also been illegal for women to wear pants. Back to politics, that wouldn't bode well for Hillary.

The history of Arizona speaks for itself. It's a cowboy state — Tombstone, Wyatt Earp, the gunfight at the OK Corral and plenty of ghost towns. Its natural resources are also vital to the economy. It leads the nation in the production of copper — now a virtual semi-precious metal. The State Capitol in Phoenix is proof of that. The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building there is equivalent to 4,800,000 pennies (a scrap value of $100,000 today).

The current value of the new Arizona quarter may only be 25 cents, but the caliber of the coin's design ups the ante. The quarters are now showing up in cash registers and bank drawers. Collectors can obtain rolls and bags of uncirculated quarters directly for the U.S. Mint by logging on to www.usmint.gov or phoning 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

*Editor's Note: A JPEG visual of the new Arizona state quarter has been sent with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.