The 2026 semiquincentennial quarter features Thomas Jefferson and the Liberty Bell as part of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration.
WASHINGTON — The United States Mint will start shipping its new 2026 Semiquincentennial Quarter honoring the Declaration of Independence to the Federal Reserve on June 1, in one of the latest releases tied to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
The coin’s heads side features Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s third president. The inscriptions include “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “1776 ~ 2026.”
The tails side depicts the Liberty Bell ringing, symbolizing the sharing of announcements and declarations during the nation’s founding era. The Mint said the visible crack in the bell is intended to reflect “the fragility of a young nation at its founding.”
Additional inscriptions on the reverse include “THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “LIBERTY,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
The quarter is part of the Semiquincentennial Coin Program, which was authorized by Congress through the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 and signed into law in 2021.
The U.S. Mint said the quarters will be distributed to commercial banks and financial institutions through the Federal Reserve beginning in June.
The broader Semiquincentennial Coin Program was created to commemorate 250 years of American liberty and recognize the country’s founding principles and history, according to the U.S. Mint.