Lincoln adorns Illinois state quarter

CHICAGO -- He already has the penny and the $5 bill.

Now Illinois' most famous and influential historical figure, Abraham Lincoln, will be the centerpiece of the state's new commemorative quarter.

The new coin will hit change purses across the country in January, as part of the U.S. Mint's 50 States Commemorative Quarter Program, said Michael Moscow, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's president and chief executive officer.

Moscow and Gov. George Ryan unveiled Illinois' final design Tuesday.

"We've had anticipation for this day for some time," Ryan said before displaying the new design. "Since Illinois is the 21st state, we had to be a little patient and wait our turn."

Each state's quarter is released based on the year it ratified the U.S Constitution. Illinois became part of the United States on Dec. 3, 1818.

Illinois will be the first new state quarter released next year, followed by Alabama, Maine, Missouri and Arkansas, Moscow said.

The quarter features a beardless Lincoln, holding a book in his right hand, superimposed over a cutout of the state of Illinois. The Chicago skyline sits to Lincoln's right, opposite a barn and silo. Twenty-one stars flank the middle artwork, and the words "Land of Lincoln," and "21st State/21st Century."

Artist Thom Cicchelli, a package designer, said he wanted to capture Lincoln at a turning point in his life along with capturing the state's diversity.

Cicchelli based his Lincoln on a statue called "The Resolute Lincoln" in New Salem where the former president spent six years.

The state's quarter design committee selected Cicchelli's version out of more than 6,000 suggestions, Ryan said. Alternatives included incorporating a cardinal, which is the state bird, and a violet, the state's flower, Ryan said.

The mint releases five new quarter designs each year, one every 10 weeks, said U.S. Mint spokesman Mike White. Based on previous state quarter distribution, White estimated the Mint will probably distribute between 600 million to 650 million Illinois quarters next year. That number can fluctuate based on actual demand, he said.