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The
first commemorative quarter-dollar
coin released in 2008 honors
Oklahoma, and is the 46th coin in the
United States Mint’s 50 State
Quarters® Program. Oklahoma,
nicknamed the "Sooner State," was
admitted into the Union on November
16, 1907, becoming our Nation’s 46th
state.
The Oklahoma
quarter features an image of the
State bird, the Scissortail
Flycatcher, in flight with its
distinctive tail feathers spread. The
bird is soaring over the State
wildflower, the Indian Blanket,
backed by a field of similar
wildflowers. The coin’s design also
bears the inscriptions "Oklahoma" and
"1907."
The depiction of
Indian Blanket (or Gaillardia)
symbolizes the State’s rich Native
American heritage and native long
grass prairies that are abundant in
wildlife. Oklahoma was formed by the
combination of the Oklahoma Territory
and the Indian Territory of the Five
Civilized Tribes – Choctaw,
Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole, and
Cherokee. The State’s name is derived
from the Choctaw words "okla" and
"homma," meaning "red" and
"people."
The process to
choose the coin’s reverse design
began in February 2006. Citizens
submitted more than 1,000 concepts
for consideration. This eventually
led to the creation of ten narratives
based on these concepts. A vote by
Oklahoma citizens narrowed the field
to five, which were sent to the
United States Mint for consideration.
The final artistic renderings,
developed by United States Mint
Sculptor-Engravers and artists in the
United States Mint’s Artistic
Infusion Program, were then proposed
to Oklahoma for a statewide vote. On
April 30, 2007, Governor Brad Henry
announced his recommendation of the
State bird and wildflower design,
based on the overwhelming number of
citizen votes for this design.
The Department of the Treasury approved the
design on May 25, 2007. Four other designs
were considered, including "Pioneer Woman
and Child with Windmill and Oil Derrick,"
"Pioneer Woman and Child with State Outline
and Oil Derrick," and two versions of
"Pioneer Woman and Child with State Outline
and Calumet."
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| "Scissortail Flycatcher,"
features an image of the State bird, the
Scissortail Flycatcher, in flight with
its distinctive tail feathers spread. The
bird is soaring over the State
wildflower, the Indian Blanket, backed by
a field of similar wildflowers. The
coin’s design also bears the inscriptions
"Oklahoma" and "1907."
United States Mint image |
To
learn even more about the
State Quarters Program, please
visit,
The United States
Mint
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