50 State Quarters Rated: 2004

Michigan
I admire this quarter for its straighforwardness, since it consists of the state outline, the nickname, and the five Great Lakes. But it's a little bit to simplistic. It doesn't tell me damn thing about what's going on inside the state -- it just shows the bodies of water that form the outside of it. Now, I wouldn't want anything to do with Detroit on a quarter either, but there have to be some redeeming features in the rest of the state.
Rating: 10¢

Florida
Good theme, poor execution. Constrasting the galleon of the Spanish explorers who discovered Florida long before the English arrived in Jamestown with the space shuttle our astronauts use to explore the final frontier of space is a brilliant piece of artistic conception. Too bad the design focuses a whole lot of empty space. Could we throw a gator in there perhaps?
Rating: 10¢

Texas
Now, ordinarily, I'd criticize such a quarter for being overly simplistic and not telling me anything about the state. However, Texas' lone star is so iconic that it can stand on its own. Plus the fact that Texans feel so confident about their state that they need not embellish it any more than what is minimally necessary is highly illustrative on its own. Their understated design is also incredibly bold. I love it.
Rating: 25¢

Iowa
Before seeing this quarter, I had no idea that Iowa had a foundation in education, so I went to look it up. Borrowing a page from New Jersey, Iowa opted to have its quarter reproduce a (modified) work by Grant Wood, a native Iowan and one of the most celebrated American artists. The quarter simultaneously honors Wood and shows you what Iowa looks like. The bottom line is that it's a really pretty picture.
Rating: 25¢

Wisconsin
The quarter presents a melange of some of the things Wisconsin is famous for. Notable omissions are the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee's Best. The scroll down at the bottom displays the actual state motto rather than some random inspiration phrase. It just seems a little bland as is. All it needs is a state outline to be close to perfect.
Rating: 15¢