In 1998, the State of Vermont held an open contest among all Vermont residents for the design of their state quarter.

I proposed a design with two main elements. The first is a Holstein cow, the hallmark of Vermont’s dairy tradition that famously spawned Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The second is the silhouette of Camel’s Hump mountain, Vermont’s most famous and recognizable peak. The mountain also represents the skiing culture so popular in Vermont, and the rolling hills that unfold towards the mountain represent the state’s beautiful pastoral setting, and its tradition of agriculture.

The design was chosen as one of five finalists out of over 800 entries. The final quarter design borrowed the Camel’s Hump mountain idea, but replaced the Holstein cow with a man taking sap from a tree.