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Designing Missouri's Quarter

http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/designingm_1382.mp3

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for Your Favorite Quarter Design

Missouri's first lady Lori Hauser Holden came to Springfield Thursday to unveil the five final quarter designs the mint has deemed coinable.

It's now up to Missourians to go online and choose their favorite from among the five.

Missourians previously selected the five from a group of 12 finalists.

Holden says she's pleased the public has been involved in the selection process.

Missy server-lori1a-c regions-runs :33

In that first round, the design that received the most votes by a 2-to-1 margin is the creation of Columbia artist Paul Jackson.

It features Lewis and Clark paddling down the river in a canoe with the St. Louis arch in the background.

After receiving his design, mint artists altered his drawing because they said it wasn't suited for engraving.

Jackson scoffed at the mint's remake, which contained misspelled words and a canoe packed with people. Jackson protested the revision by creating stickers of his original drawing and placing them on quarters.

He then went to the mint in Washington d-c and protested in front of the federal building by handing out his own quarters.

Jackson says the version of his drawing that's up for a final vote this time around is a shabby reworking of his art'but he stills encourages individuals to vote for it.

Missy server-paul3a region-runs :19

Mint officials told k-s-m-u earlier this year that Jackson was under a federal investigation for tampering with currency.

The mint later back-peddled, saying there was no investigation.

Jackson says it would have been easier if Lori Hauser Holden had stepped in on his behalf.

Missy server-paul5a-d regions-runs :20

Paul Jackson's assistant Scott Miller has taken up the cause and has started a website dedicated to artists across the country whose work has been significantly altered by the mint.

Miller says he's also disappointed the first lady wasn't more outspoken on Jackson's behalf.

Missy server-scott3a-d regions-runs :26 The first lady says she's well-aware of Jackson's position and his complaints.

She says she did work with the mint on his behalf but now she says it's become a battle that doesn't involve her.

Missy server-lori2a region-runs :28

In addition, Holden says the mint had clear rules for accepting artwork.

And she says she made that clear when she asked Missourians to submit their work.

Missy server-lori3a region-runs :30

The mint has given Paul Jackson and his supporters a number of reasonsfor rejecting his work.

Among those reasons'the historical inaccuracies in his drawing.

But Scott miller says mint artists are the ones who are guilty of using their paintbrush to revise history.

Missy server-scott4a region-runs :38

Holden says she hopes the lively discussion and controversy between Paul Jackson and the mint will spark more public interest in the final round of voting.

If you want to vote for your favorite design, go to the k-s-m-u website, k-s-m-u dot org and click on the work links.