[ Our Two Cents About Your Two Bits ]

You’re in possession of some fascinating examples of branding. They’re probably scattered across your dresser or lurking in your bag. You might even have some jingling in your pockets right now. They’re the new state quarters, produced by the United States Mint.

Since 1999, the U.S. Mint has been producing quarters whose reverse sides each celebrate a particular state. The result is not only compulsively collectible, but also highly revealing of a how each state sees itself. And that’s why these quarters fascinate us: because they are an exercise in branding. Each quarter has one chance to reach an audience. Each message is set in stone...a copper/nickel alloy, actually. Like any marketing effort, each was a mix of art, strategy, and committee process. And each quarter had to please several audiences, including its governor (who determined his or her state’s design submission process) and the U.S. Mint itself.

So if we examine the new quarters the way we do other branding efforts, which ones work? Here are a few of our favorites, a few duds, and a few that fall somewhere in between.

Montana– New for 2007, this quarter is very strong. The bison skull is both visually arresting and speaks to the state’s Native American heritage, and the landscape reminds us of wide-open appeal of The Big Sky Country.

Maryland– Sadly, our home state’s quarter gets mixed reviews. Like our license plate,this coin is spare and stately. But our nickname – The Old Line State – is obscure, and our statehouse, despite its colonial significance, doesn’t seem to evoke enough of the state’s spirit.

West Virginia– We hate to pick on our much-picked-upon neighbor. But a quarter should not be a postcard of a bridge.

Florida– Florida’s Gateway to Discovery quarter neatly juxtaposes a Spanish galleon and the Space Shuttle, effortlessly spanning five centuries of history. Brilliant.

New Hampshire– Originally, the state’s choice of The Old Man in the Mountain seemed odd to those not familiar with the landmark. Now it seems like uncanny foresight– three years after the coin was minted, The Old Man crumbled. From a marketing perspective, this was luck at its height: the event received major (and elegiac) media attention, adding to the strength of New Hampshire’s brand.

Indiana– Our Design Director lives and breathes auto racing, and even he thinks this Indy 500-focused quarter lacks the appropriate gravitas.

Texas– From a design perspective, the Doric simplicity of this quarter – the star, the slogan, the state itself – is commendable. But the size of the state silhouette reminds us that Texas remains, as always, fascinated with Texas.

Alabama– Like any good marketer, Alabama uses surprise to cut through the clutter. In featuring Tuscumbia native Helen Keller, Alabama calls attention to its favorite daughter; in using Braille lettering, the state takes full advantage of the sculptural possibilities of the medium. Bravo.

Wyoming– Simply mystifying. We salute The Equality State’s record on women’s suffrage, but slapping this nickname next to a cowboy on a bucking bronco produces a thoroughly muddled piece. Perhaps all the cowgirls were modeling for other coins...

Utah– We’re excited about this upcoming quarter as well. Proclaiming itself The Crossroads of the West, Utah commemorates the Golden Spike and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad...when the West was still wild and mass transit was cool.

Your Name Here– So what about your brand? Can you distill who you are down to an image on a coin face? Try it! Can a nickname succinctly capture your essence? If you had just one chance to speak to the nation, what would you say? A brand solution worth minting is a brand solution worth a mint.