Gov. Henry leads a group to the U.S. Mint in Denver, where a coin is born.

DENVER -- Oklahoma pride shined Wednesday as bright as a new coin -- as bright as an Oklahoma quarter, to be precise.

Gov. Brad Henry led an Oklahoma delegation to the U.S. Mint in Denver for a ceremony where the group "struck" the quarter by pushing a button on a coin-making machine.

"I think there's tremendous Oklahoma pride here today," Henry told a reporter after the ceremony.

"Coming on the heels of the state centennial, I think it's appropriate that the Oklahoma quarter is the first one in 2008 and it gives Oklahoma a chance to shine throughout the land."

The coin is to be placed in circulation Jan. 28. A Mint official said between 300 million and 500 million will be made, depending upon demand.

The Oklahoma quarter is the 46th in the 50-state quarters program that began in 1999. Each state was recognized with the minting of a quarter in the order it was admitted to the Union.

The governor called the event "another important step in the evolution of what I think is the greatest state."

In brief remarks to the delegation and Mint officials, Henry recalled the process of selecting a design, which began in 2006 by asking state residents for recommendations. Of almost 1,000 suggestions, five were sent to the Mint, and the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts selected the design.

The reverse side of the Oklahoma quarter depicts the state bird, the scissortail flycatcher, in flight with its tail feathers spread. The bird is soaring above the state wildflower, the Indian blanket, in a field of wildflowers.

The coin is inscribed "Oklahoma" and "1907," the year Oklahoma became a state. The depiction of the state wildflower symbolizes the state's Native American heritage and native tallgrass prairies.

The Oklahoma quarter was designed by Susan Gamble, a master designer from Virginia who works for the Mint. She is part of a Mint program in which artists from around the country were selected to prepare original designs for the nation's coins and medals.

The quarter was sculpted by Mint medallic sculptor Phebe Hemphill.

Mint officials have said the 50-state quarters program has been the most popular coin program in the nation's history. They estimate 147 million people collect the state coins.

The program has generated billions of dollars to pay down the national debt, officials say.

Others attending Wednesday's ceremony included Oklahoma Treasurer Scott Meacham; Blake Wade, executive director of the Oklahoma Centennial Commission; Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society; Jay Hannah, an execu tive vice president of BancFirst; State Rep. Gary Banz, R-Midwest City; John Highfill of Broken Arrow, a numismatic expert; Judge Robert Henry of Oklahoma City, chief judge of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; first lady Kim Henry and daughter Baylee Henry; Tom Tipping of Edmond, who drew sketches of suggested designs; Mark Thomas of the Oklahoma Press Association, and a half-dozen members of the governor's staff.

Banz and Thomas were among several who were on an ad hoc committee involved in selecting the design. BancFirst will officially launch the quarters, a spokesman for Henry said.

Before the group walked into the Mint's production area, Henry said, "I've been waiting a long time to say, 'I'm ready to make some real money.' "

Public tours of the Denver Mint, the closest U.S. Mint to Oklahoma, are available.

While Gov. Henry was in Denver, his cousin, Judge Robert Henry, gave him a tour of the appeals courthouse that serves Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

Quarter facts

Manufacturing cost: About five cents for each quarter.

How many? About 32 billion quarters have been minted in Denver and Philadelphia since the state quarter program began in 1999.

When can I expect to get an Oklahoma quarter in change? Two to three weeks after they are placed in circulation on Jan. 28.

State bird: The bobwhite quail was the unofficial state bird of Oklahoma until the scissortail flycatcher was designated the official state bird in 1951.

Upcoming states: In addition to Oklahoma, states that will have quarters minted this year are New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii.

Sources: U.S. Mint,Tulsa World archives