If there are geographic roots for adages, New Mexico should be the source for "What's old is new again." It's one of the newest of our 50 states (admitted to the Union in 1912, it's number 47) but was technically here long before any other. Fittingly, the newest U.S. coin reflects a hint of that history.

In 1850 — well before it was a state — the New Mexico territory took in all of the present state as well as Arizona and parts of Colorado, Nevada and Utah. Now dial the clock back much further. The moniker "New Mexico" dates to the 1500s when Spanish explorers named it in their quest for gold and silver. The Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe is the oldest government building in the United States, dating to 1609. But that, too, is modern history.

Prior to the Spanish, the Pilgrims and even before Columbus "discovered" America, the Pueblo Indians lived in the Taos Valley between 1,000 and 1450 A.D. Some of the buildings constructed there 900 years ago not only are still standing but are in use today.

Any of that history could have been depicted on the new state quarter issued last week honoring New Mexico. The same is true for other more curious attributes. For instance, with gold fever currently alive and well the quarter could feature the first Old West gold strike in 1832. How about some of the more than 500 dinosaur footprints found at Clayton Lake State Park?

The quarter might have shown a mushroom cloud or similar conflagration considering the first atom bomb was exploded at the state's White Sands Missile Range. On a lighter note the design could include the skyline of Hot Springs. Actually, that's not possible. In 1950, the city changed its name to "Truth or Consequences" after the then popular radio game show.

I suppose Albuquerque might consider becoming "Wheel of Fortune" — an image that incidentally would fit very nicely on a coin.

There are certain laws unique to the state that would equally spice up any coin. For example, it's against the law to carry a lunchbox on Main Street in Las Cruses. I hope it's no reflection on the people in the town of Carrizozo, but females there are prohibited to appear unshaven in public. Finally, and don't ask me why, in the entire state it's against the law to dance around a sombrero. I don't know what to make of that, but it came from the same state officials who once ordered 400 words of "sexually explicit material" cut from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

Smokey the Bear might have been an option. After a forest fire the cuddly little cub was found trapped and clinging to a burned tree in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest. Smokey would have been far preferable to inclusion of the state insect, which is — I'm not kidding — the Tarantula Hawk Wasp. I have to hope the state aerosol is a can of Raid.

Instead of those the coin features a familiar and predictable map of New Mexico. Too many states have done that on their quarters. The saving grace is that the image is topographically textured and overprinted with the revered "Zia Sun Symbol." Inscribed at the bottom is the state motto, "Land Of Enchantment." At the top is "New Mexico-1912."

The newest of the 50 state quarters will be appearing at banks and in change in the next few weeks. Rolls and bags of uncirculated quarters can be purchased directly from the U.S. Mint by calling: 1-800-872-6468 or online at www.usmint.gov.

*Note to Editors: A JPEG visual of the recently issued New Mexico quarter is being sent for your use 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.

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