America 250 Coins Revealed
Photo: Tom Uram
News Stories

America 250 Coins Revealed

Published December 11, 2025 | Read time 3 min read

By Darcie Graybill

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On December 10, the U.S. Mint revealed the 2026 U.S. circulating coin designs authorized as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration. The unveiling took place in the F.M. Kirby Auditorium at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The mint has updated designs for several U.S. coins—including the circulating nickel, dime, and quarter, along with the collectable cent and half dollar. Additional popular mint products will include special privy marks, dual dates, and other design features. In 2027, the dime will revert back to the previous design. The 2027 reverse designs for the quarter and half dollar will celebrate youth and Paralympic sports as part of a four-year program.

2026 Cent

The 2026 collectable cent features Victor David Brenner’s 1909 Abraham Lincoln obverse with dual dates and a Union Shield reverse, symbolizing national unity. Although the cent is no longer in circulation, the denomination can still be purchased as a collectible from the U.S. Mint. (Photo: U.S. Mint)

2026 Nickel

Thomas Jefferson’s portrait on the obverse of the 2026 nickel is inspired by Rembrandt Peale’s 1800 painting. The reverse features the classic rendition of Jefferson’s Monticello estate by Felix Schlag (1938), which was carefully restored in 2006 by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist John Mercanti. (Photo: U.S. Mint)

2026 Dime

The dime’s obverse depicts a resolute Liberty facing tyranny, her liberty cap adorned with stars and stripes. The reverse shows a soaring eagle clutching arrows, symbolizing revolutionary resolve and America’s fight for independence. (Photo: U.S. Mint)

2026 Quarters

The Mayflower Compact quarter obverse shows two Pilgrims embracing, symbolizing the Mayflower Compact’s foundational role in self-governance. The reverse depicts the Mayflower battling rough seas as the Pilgrims journey west seeking religious freedom. (Photo: U.S. Mint)
The Revolutionary War quarter obverse features George Washington with inscriptions marking unity, faith, and 1776-2026. The reverse shows a Continental soldier at Valley Forge, symbolizing perseverance through hardship in the fight for liberty. (Photo: U.S. Mint)
The Declaration of Independence quarter obverse presents Jefferson with inscriptions honoring unity, faith, and the nation’s 1776-2026 commemoration. The reverse shows the Liberty Bell ringing, its crack symbolizing a fragile, yet rising nation. (Photo: U.S. Mint)
The U.S. Constitution quarter obverse features President James Madison, popularly known as the “Father of the Constitution.” The reverse shows Independence Hall and “We the People,” emphasizing constitutional origins and government by consent of the governed. (Photo: U.S. Mint)
The Gettysburg Address quarter obverse portrays Lincoln’s weathered resolve in the midst of war. The reverse shows clasped hands and a passage from Lincoln’s famous speech. (Photo: U.S. Mint)

2026 Half Dollar

The Enduring Liberty half dollar obverse shows a close-up of the Statue of Liberty. The reverse depicts Liberty’s hand offering her torch, symbolizing the passing down of knowledge and freedom to future generations. (Photo: U.S. Mint)

The Unveiling Ceremony

ANA Past President Tom Uram attended the unveiling, during which several government officials and museum executives spoke, including U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, U.S. Mint Acting Director Kristie McNally, and President & CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution R. Scott Stephenson Ph.D., among others. McNally said, “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. 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.” The U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, which traces its lineage to George Washington’s original Continental Army, performed to celebrate the army’s historic musical tradition.

Photo: Tom Uram (second from left) posed with historical reenactors dressed in period attire and U.S. Mint Acting Director Kristie McNally (second from right). (Photo: Tom Uram)