The United States Mint recently announced a variety of new coins that will be hitting circulation in 2026 to honor the nation’s semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary. The event has been anticipated for years, with the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 being signed into law on January 13, 2021, by President Donald J. Trump. Over the next half a decade, a flurry of design proposals were made, with themes slated to reflect various touchpoints in American history.
Ultimately, the final decision on themes and designs for the 2026 Semiquincentennial coins was made by United States Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. His decisions for the nation’s 2026 Semiquincentennial coins are as follows:
- 2026 Lincoln Cent – Non-circulating and issued for collectors in sets only but will have “1776~2026” dual-date feature on the obverse, which also retains the Abraham Lincoln portrait and paired with Union Shield reverse
- 2026 Jefferson Nickel – Standard Jefferson Nickel design with “1776~2026” dual-date feature on the obverse
- 2026 Emerging Liberty Dime – Replaces the Roosevelt Dime design with a portrait of a young Miss Liberty standing defiant against tyranny, with an eagle on the reverse
- 2026 Mayflower Compact Quarter – Honoring the Mayflower Compact, instituted in 1620 by the Pilgrims and serving as a forerunner to the United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution
- 2026 Revolutionary War Quarter – A reflection on the hard-fought battle against the British for American independence
- 2026 Declaration of Independence Quarter – Marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, when the country was established as a sovereign nation independent from British rule
- 2026 United States Constitution Quarter – A tribute to the document that provides Americans many of their foundational rights
- 2026 Gettysburg Address Quarter – A commemoration of a unifying speech that helped bring together a nation nearly torn apart by the Civil War
- 2026 Statue of Liberty Half Dollar – An homage to the nation’s iconic beacon of hope and freedom, the Statue of Liberty
At the time of this writing, details on when these coins will be released, how they will be distributed, and what options collectors will have for obtaining them are largely unclear. However, officials with the United States Mint are enthusiastic about the significance behind this coin program and its patriotic themes. “The designs on these historic coins depict the story of America’s journey toward a ‘more perfect union,’ and celebrate America’s defining ideals of liberty,” remarked Acting Mint Director Kristie McNally in a United States Mint press release. “We hope to offer each American the opportunity to hold our nation’s storied 250 years of history in the palms of their hands as we Connect America through Coins.”