Would-be artists sent in some 1,500 designs to Tallahassee for the new commemorative state quarter. One featured a mosquito with the motto "Florida Bites."

That entry didn't make the cut Wednesday when nine volunteer judges at the Capitol winnowed the drawings -- some on paper plates and place mats -- to 26. Nine people in the Tampa Bay area and along the North Suncoast made the cut.

The contest guidelines warned: "Avoid controversial subjects that are likely to offend."

That knocked out the mosquito coin and some other designs, including "Florida -- the shark attack state," drawings of tornadoes and hurricanes, and one coin that celebrated the state's distinction as America's lightning capital.

Florida's commemorative coin isn't due out until 2004. Floridians will ultimately get a chance to choose the winner from among the top three designs, via the Internet, at the end of this year. So far, 20 state quarters have been introduced as part of the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters program.

Vincent Schmitt, 38, of Tampa was one of the 26 chosen Wednesday. He drew a wading bird, an alligator and the space shuttle.

"I just kind of threw it together one day on a piece of scrap paper as a joke," said Schmitt, a Pennsylvania transplant who moved to Tampa in 1991. He has a degree in commercial art but doesn't use it in his job handling tax matters for Verizon.

Some of the submissions missed the mark: One design celebrated New York, and one had a palm tree and the word "Hawaii." Lots of people sent in drawings of pink flamingoes -- which aren't native to Florida.

Some sent explanations.

"You can tell I am not an artist. It looks better in my imagination," wrote Richard Wolfram of Spring Hill. He didn't make the cut.

Of the 26 designs chosen Wednesday, 16 included the space program, pictured with Florida scenes. There were manatees, birds (including the flamingo), alligators, palm trees, the beach, oranges, sailfish, a panther, the Everglades, a dolphin, Spanish conquistadors, and a fort at St. Augustine with the words: St. Augustine, Oldest U.S. City.

Jeff Girard, 50, a St. Pete Beach Realtor, drew a state outline, a Spanish conquistador, an American Indian, the space shuttle and a palm tree. His design made the cut.

Most of the drawings came from Florida schoolchildren. One elementary school student answered a questionnaire about important Florida historical moments with this explanation: "Pouche de loen named and discovered this state. That's why we celebrate ester."

Another said the two most important historical moments were "1988 when my mom had me. Hurricane Andrew, 1992."

The judges will narrow the field to 10 designs on June 7. Gov. Jeb Bush will pick five and send them to the U.S. Mint by June 24. The U.S. Mint will approve three, and Floridians will choose on the Internet.

Other area finalists were John Ashley of Brooksville, Patricia Brown of Wesley Chapel, Kathleen Koch of Valrico, Ralph Butler of Bayonet Point, Mrs. Veronica Hutches' fifth-grade class from J.S. Robeson Elementary in Plant City, Cherrilyn Pearson of Hudson, and Tim Boatwright of Tampa, who got two designs in the final cut.

The "Florida Bites" mosquito coin made the judges laugh, as it did when 11-year-old Matt Pasa of Jupiter handed it in to his teacher Jamie Brown at Limestone Creek Elementary.

"They had a blast designing these," Brown said of her fifth-graders. "I was waiting for a butterfly ballot one."

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk