Which American standard-type battleship should survive?

If one American standard-type battleship could be preserved, which would the panel choose?

Nevada, California, and Colorado receive votes for first-of-type significance, appearance and association, and 16-inch-gun representation.

Asked to save one American standard-type battleship, Dr. Clarke chooses USS Nevada as the first of the type and the only one built by Bethlehem Steel. Another panelist selects USS California for personal and aesthetic reasons, especially her Second World War appearance. Colorado receives support as a representative of the 16-inch-gun standards. The choices reveal different preservation criteria: design lineage, shipbuilding history, visual form, and weapon development.