250th Semiquincentennial Anniversary Coins Trace Early American History

The spare change jingling in your pocket this year will retell the story of America’s founding principles and enduring commitment to liberty.

In celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary — its semiquincentennial — the U.S. Mint is releasing a special series of “SemiQ” coins for one year only in 2026.

These coins, which feature the dual date 1776-2026, will feature designs on both the obverse (heads) and reverse (tails) sides that “depict the story of America’s journey toward a ‘more perfect union,’ and celebrate America’s defining ideals of liberty,” Kristie McNally, the Mint’s acting director, said in a news release.

The Voyage To Religious Freedom

The series includes five different quarters marking milestones on the road to independence, starting with the Mayflower Compact Quarter, which went into circulation on Jan. 5. It’s unclear when the other coins will go into circulation.

This coin commemorates the foundational Nov. 21, 1620, agreement among the Pilgrims when the ship that carried them from England landed at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, after a cramped, cold, and miserable 66-day voyage. The document is considered a precursor to the U.S. Constitution that prevails today as the supreme law of the land.

The face of the coin depicts the steely determination of Pilgrims embarking on the New World, and the reverse side depicts the Mayflower with full sails over rough seas, a cramped, cold and miserable voyage motivated by a desire for the religious freedom to practice their faith outside the Church of England without persecution.

A Pivotal Moment In Revolutionary War

It would be 155 years before the first shots were fired in the Revolutionary War, the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which American Patriot forces organized as the Continental Army commanded by George Washington defeated the British Army.

Washington, whose tenure as the new nation’s inaugural president wouldn’t begin until April 30, 1789, is featured on the face of the coin. On the back is a soldier at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, whose “resolute gaze shows his will to overcome the trials of the war in pursuit of liberty,” according to the Mint.

Valley Forge was a pivotal winter encampment where Washington transformed the ragtag militia into a regimented, disciplined Continental Army capable of defeating the British.

Washington’s army had been defeated at the Battle of Brandywine, its ranks depleted by disease during the bitterly cold winter. Independence had been declared on July 2, 1776, but the Second Continental Congress was forced to flee Philadelphia to evade a British attack.

A Visual Reminder Of Young Nation’s Fragility

The obverse design of a coin celebrating one of America’s two core founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, features its author, Thomas Jefferson, who later became the third U.S. president. The reverse design depicts the Liberty Bell ringing. Its crack is visible, a symbol of the fragility of the young nation at its founding.

While Congress declared its independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1976, and the Declaration of Independence was adopted two days later, delegates began signing it on Aug. 2, 1776, in what is now known as Independence Hall, the former Pennsylvania State House.

‘We The People’

The face of the U.S. Constitution Quarter features James Madison, the fourth U.S. president, popularly known as the “Father of the Constitution” for his role in drafting and promoting the foundational document.

Independence Hall is featured on the reverse side. The Constitution was written and debated during the Constitutional Convention from May to September 1787, and finally signed on Sept. 17 of that year.

The Mint noted that the inscription on the coin, “We the people,” and the image of Independence Hall “together highlight the founding principle laid out in the Constitution: specifically, that our government is grounded in the consent of the governed.”

Liberty Reaffirmed In Gettysburg Address

The final quarter in the series highlights President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, months after the pivotal Civil War battle that stopped Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s second invasion of the North and setting the stage for eventual Union victory, the preservation of the nation and the end of slavery.

Today, the Gettysburg Address is recognized as one of the most poignant speeches in American history and timeless in its appeal. It elevated the Civil War from a fight to preserve the Union into a sacred struggle for human equality, and honored fallen soldiers by linking their sacrifice to the nation’s founding ideals of liberty and democracy and appealed to all Americans to advance the principles for which the soldiers gave their lives.

The obverse design features a portrait of Lincoln. His weathered face shows the profound burden of war, but at the same time, his steady, forward-looking gaze reflects an unshakable resolve and determination to move the country forward as one indivisible nation.

The reverse design features the inscription “A new nation is conceived in liberty,” a passage from the Gettysburg Address. Two hands grasping each other represent Lincoln’s efforts to hold the nation together and his appeal to Americans to honor the dead and ensure “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Nickels And Dimes

The 250th anniversary dime features a new design of “Liberty” on the front, with winds blowing through her hair. On the back, an eagle carries arrows. Together, these depictions symbolize the fight for independence. These images replace the traditional Franklin Roosevelt image on the obverse for one year.

The 2026 nickel will feature a subtle but special design update: The obverse side features the 2006 update of a forward-looking portrait of Thomas Jefferson, inspired by the Rembrandt Peale iconic painting of 1800, and will carry the dual 1776-2026 date. On the tails side, the inscription of the word “Liberty” in Jefferson’s handwriting will remain.

The Mint noted the 2006 redux was inspired by the Rembrandt Peale painting of 1800. As with the 2005 Westward Journey nickels, the word “Liberty” in Thomas Jefferson’s own handwriting is inscribed on the nickel obverse.

Though they won’t be circulated, collectible half-dollar and 1-cent pieces will also be minted and made available for purchase.

The last 1-cent piece was minted on Nov. 12, 2025, and the penny is no longer a circulating coin. Still, the Mint is offering a collectible penny that can be purchased, but won’t be put into circulation. A collectible half dollar is also offered.

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