The Oklahoma State Quarter

After the five designs were submitted for a final decision on the Oklahoma State Quarter, news broke on January 18, 2007 that the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts selected the design (pictured) featuring the scissortail flycatcher in the center of the coin flying above a field of Indian blanket wildflowers.

The design also had "Oklahoma" centered on top with 1907 just below it. In the end, the Commission favored the simpler design over those with multiple images.

About a week later, it was reported that the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee recommended the design featuring the Pioneer Woman statue and a Native American "peace pipe" with the state outline background.

However, these were only two steps in the decision process, which was set to include reviews by several committees and panels.

More Public Voting

But then, in somewhat of a twist in the process, Governor Brad Henry's office asked for the help of Oklahoma residents once again, placing the final 5 options up for public vote. This vote would decide the final and official design

Residents could view the finalists and vote online for their favorite design or mail the vote to:

State Quarter Contest
Office of the Governor, Ste. 212
State Capitol Building
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Voting closed on April 27th.

And the Choice was Made!

Only a few short days after the conclusion of online voting, a two week process, the final choice for the Oklahoma State Quarter was announced on May 1, 2007.

By more than a 2-1 margin, the design (pictured) featuring the state bird, the scissortail flycatcher, flying over Indian blanket wildflowers came out on top. Nearly 150,000 votes were cast, and over half voted for this design.

Which one did you select? Do you agree with the decision? Stop by the OKC Discussion Forum and share your agreement or dissatisfaction with other metro residents.

Release Ceremony

The State Quarter will be placed in circulation on January 28, 2008, and more than 500 million of the quarters will be produced. A ceremony will be held at the Oklahoma History Center to celebrate the quarter's release.

The quarter unveiling ceremony will begin at 11am, and attendees can purchase a roll of Oklahoma quarters for $10 (cash only), with a limit of 10 rolls per person. There will also be a special commemorative set available for $5, and all kids under 18 will receive a free quarter for attending the ceremony.

Purchasing the Quarter

If you missed the official release ceremony, worry not. You can still get your hands on the new Oklahoma State Quarter. BancFirst is a "sponsoring bank" and will have plenty.

Also, the U.S. Mint has available for purchase 2-roll sets of 40 coins per roll for $32.95. One roll is from the facility in Philadelphia while the other is from Denver. Bags of 100 coins are also available for $32.95 while bags of 1000 are $309.95. To order, call (800) 872-6468.