DENVER -- The U.S. Mint will release Colorado's state quarter in 2006, but it's still not certain what it will look like.

The five designs that are being considered were unveiled Wednesday in a special ceremony at the state Capitol.

First Lady Frances Owens and members of the Colorado Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission were on hand to show Gov. Bill Owens what the designs look like.

"With a state as beautiful as ours, it is not at all surprising that we have five wonderful designs," said Gov. Owens. "Each of these coins uniquely represents the beauty and tradition of Colorado."

The advisory committee solicited design concepts from the public and picked five from the 1,500 submitted. Then they forwarded narratives of the five concepts to the U.S. Mint, which used them to create the five finalist designs.

Barb McTurk, a former superintendent at Denver's Mint, unsuccessfully fought for a Western artist to be appointed to the project, fearing Easterners wouldn't understand their request for "majestic mountains." Frances Owens admitted the first designs shipped back were a little disappointing.

"We really did have little ant hills," she said.

The designs went back and forth several times before the commission was satisfied.

"My thanks to the citizens of this state for their input -- and to our commission members for their hard work," Frances Owens said. "I am confident that whichever of these designs is chosen, it will be an excellent representation of everything that makes Colorado such a great place to call home."

Each of the five designs incorporates the Rocky Mountains, and includes the banner, "Colorado 1876."

One design features Mesa Verde’s famous Cliff Palace, another has a visual of Pikes Peak with a miner's pick and shovel, while a third includes an alpine soldier with the words "Birthplace of the 10th Mountain Division." The other two designs have rugged mountain backdrops -- one with the inscription "Colorful Colorado," and the other with columbine flower over the words "The Centennial State."

The five drawings will be sent to the United States Fine Arts Commission and the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for review and approval. The final selection will be made by Gov. Owens and is expected by the end of May. The coins will be minted and released in the summer of 2006.

Over a 10-year period, ending in 2008, the U.S. Mint is issuing quarters with designs symbolic of each state. These quarters are being issued in the order in which the states ratified the Constitution and joined the union. Colorado’s quarter will be the 38th commemorative quarter issued.