Coin collectors across the nation can now hold the work of SanLuis Obispo artist Cassie McFarland in their hands.

More than a million coins bearing McFarland's design went onsale March 27 as part of the U.S. Mint's National Baseball Hallof Fame Commemorative Coin Program. The $5 gold coins, $1 silvercoins and half-dollar clad coins, which depict a well-wornbaseball glove on one side and a baseball on the other, are thefirst curved coins ever produced by the U.S. Mint.

"All in all, this is a great triumph for (me) as an artist,"said McFarland, whose winning design edged out 15 otherfinalists. "It's not every day that you design a gold coin that'sissued by the U.S. Mint."

McFarland, who grew up in Roseville, graduated from Cal Polywith a bachelor of fine arts degree concentrating in studio artand design. After living in Boston for two and a half years, shemoved back to San Luis Obispo about three years ago.

McFarland, 28, said she stumbled upon the Baseball Hall ofFame coin design competition about a year ago, at a time when shewas struggling to discover which artistic direction to take.

"What's the best way to get your mind out of a creative box?To do something that's different," McFarland said.

With just 24 hours to complete her submission, McFarlandsettled on a subtle yet effective design guaranteed to "evoke alittle nostalgia on a national level," she said.

"I just wanted a simple design that everybody could relate toon a larger level," said the artist, who used a "completelybroken-down" catcher's mitt she found at her parents' house asinspiration. "That glove is the perfect representation ofchildhood and camaraderie and being part of the team."

Although McFarland's original design featured wheat sheaths -a tribute to her family's involvement with the California StateGrange, as well as old-fashioned "wheat pennies" that includedimages of wheat stalks - that detail was dropped from thefinished product.

U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver Don Everhart sculpted McFarland'sdesign along with her initials, C.M. He also designed andsculpted the baseball - similar to the one used by major leagueplayers - on the reverse side.

Unfortunately, the official unveiling of McFarland's design,originally planned for October, was delayed until March 27because of the 2013 government shutdown. That didn't stop theartist from visiting the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing inWashington, D.C., then meeting U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios andtaking a sneak peek at the silver coin prototype.

Although she didn't attend the March 27 unveiling, McFarlandvisited the San Francisco Mint on March 11, where sheparticipated in a news conference, met with mint workers andsigned baseballs.

McFarland, who was paid $5,000 for her design, said theexperience has reshaped her view of the art world. She's evenbought one of the gold coins bearing her design, which she plansto store in a safety deposit box.

"Obviously I'm very elated," said McFarland, whose glove willbe joining the Baseball Hall of Fame collection. "This is just ahuge opportunity for me."

To read the complete article, see: SLO artist creates design for U.S. Mint's first curvedcoins(www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/07/3009270/slo-artist-baseball-curved-coins.html?sp=/99/177/183/)