The last state quarter of the 50 State Quarters Program honors "The Aloha State" of Hawaii,  the last state to be admitted to the Union.

 The coin's design, which is called  "Hawaii the Island State," features Hawaiian monarch King Kamehameha I stretching his hand toward the eight main Hawaiian Islands. The design also includes the state motto  UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘AINA I KA PONO, (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness), as well as 1959, the year Hawaii became a state. 

 The quarter was officially launched  on November 10 at a ceremony in Hawaii. "The quarter represents our history and our legacy," said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle. "It says who we are as a people and it represents the future of Hawaii." 

 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. 

 In 2007, residents of Hawaii voted in an online poll for their favorite of five final designs for the quarter. the other four designs were:  "Hawaii -Diverse but Unified," an alternate design depicting the eight major Hawaiian Islands and King Kamehameha I; "Aloha Spirit," featuring a traditional female hula dancer; "Diamond Head," featuring the State's iconic landmark; and "Surfing – Hawaii's Gift to the World."

 Earlier this year, quarters honoring Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska were issued.  The release of the Hawaii quarter completes the ten-year 50 State Quarters Program.