Happy Birthday Alaska!

On Jan. 3, 1959, President Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Alaska to the Union as the 49th state.

Have I mentioned how excited I am about the Oklahoma quarter? It should be hitting cash registers any day now. Back in 1999 when I first started my quarter collecting, my thought was that I'd be sitting in a nursing home when the Oklahoma quarter would be issued. Funny how 2008 seemed so far away.

It doesn't have the state's shape. That's disappointing. It instead has the state bird, the scissortail flycatcher, in the center of the coin flying above a field of Indian blanket wildflowers. Regardless, I'm sure it will be fine!

I like the quarters with a state's shape. But even without the shape, Wyoming's quarter is my favorite.