The Oklahoma Quarter is the first of the 50 States Commemorative Quarters released by the U.S. Mint in the year 2008, and the 46th of the entire series.

According to the U.S. Mint ’s official website, the reverse of Oklahoma’s 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 New Mexico Quarter is the Second of the 50 States Commemorative Quarters released by the U.S. Mint in the year 2008, and the 47th of the entire series.

According to the U.S. Mint’s official website, the reverse of New Mexico ’s quarter features a Zia sun symbol over a topographical outline of the State with the inscription “Land of Enchantment.” The coin also bears the inscriptions “New Mexico” and “1912.”

The great influence of Native American cultures can be found throughout New Mexico. The Zia Pueblo believe the sun symbol represents the giver of all good, who gave gifts in groups of four. From the circle representing life and love without beginning or end, the four groups of four rays that emanate represent the four directions, the four seasons, the four phases of a day (sunrise, noon, evening, and night), and the four divisions of life (childhood, youth, middle years, and old age).

The Arizona Quarter is the Third of the 50 States Commemorative Quarters released by the U.S. Mint in the year 2008, and the 48th of the entire series.

According to the U.S. Mint’s official website, the reverse of Arizona’s quarter features an image of the Grand Canyon with a Saguaro cactus in the foreground. A banner reading “Grand Canyon State” separates the two images to signify that the Saguaro cactus does not grow in the Grand Canyon. The coin also bears the inscriptions “Arizona” and “1912.”

One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon covers more than 1.2 million acres in northwestern Arizona. The Canyon, sculpted by the mighty Colorado River, is 6,000 feet deep at its deepest point and 18 miles at its widest. It is home to numerous rare and threatened plant and animal species. The Grand Canyon joined the National Park system in 1919 and is visited by more than four million tourists a year.

The Alaska Quarter is the 49th of the 50 States Commemorative Quarters released by the U.S. Mint in the entire series.

According to the U.S. Mint’s official website, the reverse of Alaska’s quarter features a grizzly bear emerging from the waters clutching a salmon in its jaw. The coin’s design includes the North Star displayed above the inscription “The Great Land” and the inscriptions “Alaska” and “1959.”

The grizzly bear and salmon symbolize Alaska’s natural beauty and abundant wildlife, with the bear representing strength and the salmon representing the nutrition that provides for this strength. The grizzly flourishes in Alaska and can be observed in places such as Denali and Katmai National Parks, Kodiak Island and Admiralty Island. More than 98 percent of the United States’ grizzly population is found in Alaska.

The word Alaska comes from the Aleutian word “Alyeska,” meaning “The Great Land.” Populated by Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts for centuries, Alaska was not explored by Europeans until 1741. Russia established a colony in Alaska to protect its lucrative fur-trading interests, but sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million, or two cents per acre, when it could no longer afford to maintain the colony. Although the purchase was derided by many in the United States at the time, its worth became apparent following late 19th century gold rushes and the discovery of oil in the mid-20th century.

The Hawaii Quarter is the Last of the 50 States Commemorative Quarters released by the U.S. Mint in the entire series.

According to the U.S. Mint ’s official website, the reverse of Hawaii ’s quarter features Hawaiian monarch King Kamehameha I stretching his hand toward the eight major Hawaiian Islands. Inscriptions are the state motto “UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘AINA I KA PONO” (“The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”), “Hawaii” and “1959.”

King Kamehameha I is a revered figure in Hawaiian history. He unified the governance of the Hawaiian Islands into one kingdom in the early 1800s and navigated changes in Hawaii, while maintaining the native practices and traditional ways of island life. His “Law of the Splintered Paddle” guaranteed the protection of citizens from harm during war and became a landmark in humanitarian law. He is honored with a statue in the U.S. Capitol ’s National Statuary Hall.