Call me angry. Call the process politics as usual.

The Hawaii Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission missed its first group meeting May 17 to discuss the approximately 300 suggestions received statewide as possible designs for the reverse of Hawaii’s States Quarter, scheduled to be minted beginning in October, 2008.

“Lack of a quorum” was the stated reason given by commission spokesman Daniel Chun.

The commission is composed of several dozen hand-picked people alleged to represent as many of Hawaii’s heritages – and business interests – as possible.

It’s more than a bit disconcerting to learn that with the July deadline looming to provide Gov. Linda Lingle with five concept-designs that best represent Hawaii, the commission failed to get enough people together to agree on a time to meet, much less get any work done.

What, is an invitation to be on the commission chopped liver? You agree to partake in a venture that will put the face and spirit of Hawaii on more than 500 million U.S. quarter-dollar coins – each with an average lifespan of 30 years and then fail to get to the first meeting with the falling guillotine of time about to sever your empty head from its neck?

What are you thinking?

What could be more important?

For numismatists the choice is clear: attend the meetings, spend serious time reviewing the proposals, discuss the elements that seem to catch at least part of the mystery and allure of these sacred islands and move forward.

For politicians, the choice is less clear, maybe not even on the event horizon.

I say, as members of one of the oldest and most respected coin clubs in the state, we all speak up firmly, with a resolute voice and demand the commission pay full attention to this vital process. As numismatists, we care deeply about Hawaii’s States Quarter design. The 50th state should have the finest design possible to bring closure to the States series and bring full circle the concepts of coinage, our uniquely Island heritage and our contributions to humanity and civilization.

To give anything less than full attention to this most urgent of tasks is negligence of one’s civic duty and a shameful sham.

Members of the Hawaii Commemrative Quarter Advisory Commission, please, please! do your job!

(To contact the commission, call Daniel Chun at (808) 586-2596, or send an email from the commission’s website: