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December 19, 2019
Quarter and Half Dollar Coins: History and Proposed Designs
The Secretary of the Treasury, through the U.S. Mint, is
Figure 2. Bicentennial Quarter and Half Dollar, 1976
statutorily required to issue specific denominations of
circulating coins (31 U.S.C. §5112). Currently, the United
States has six circulating coins—dollar, half dollar, quarter
dollar, dime, nickel, and penny. All coinage is also required
to have certain design elements, including specific words
such as “Liberty,” or “E Pluribus Unum.” The quarter
dollar has been redesigned twice in recent years (1997 and
2008), while the half dollar was last redesigned in 1964.
Quarter Dollar Designs
The first quarters were issued in 1796 and depicted Lady
Liberty on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. Since
then, the quarter dollar has been redesigned four times: in
1932 to place President Washington on the obverse, in 1976
for the Bicentennial of the United States, in 1997 when the
50-state quarter program was authorized, and in 2008 when
the America the Beautiful program was authorized.
Washington Quarter
In March 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a law (46
Stat. 1523) to change the design of the quarter dollar coin to
commemorate “the two hundredth anniversary of the birth
Source: U.S. Mint, “1976 Bicentennial Coins,” at
of George Washington.” The law required a portrait of
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/library/bicentennial-coins.
George Washington on the obverse and “appropriate
50 State Quarters
devices on the reverse….” The finished coin (as seen in
Figure 1) had a “standard eagle” design on the reverse.
In December 1997, the 50 States Commemorative Coin
Program Act was enacted (P.L. 105-124). The law
Figure 1. George Washington Quarter, 1932-1998
mandated changes to the quarter dollar to honor each state.
The 50 state quarters were first issued in 1999 in the order
that the states ratified the Constitution or were admitted to
the Union, starting with Delaware.
This [50 State quarters] bill will reinvigorate our
circulating coinage in a responsible, affordable way,
serving the best interests of the general public, the
national economy and the coin collecting
community…. It will be educational and fun, will
Source: USA Coin Book “1932 Washington Quarters,” at
promote pride among the States and it will be a
https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/2030/quarters/washington.
winner financially for the Government.
Notes: The reverse of the Washington Quarter was redesigned for
the American Bicentennial in 1976. See Figure 2.
— Rep. Mike Castle, Congressional Record,
November 12, 1997
Bicentennial Quarter
In October 1973, a law (P.L. 93-127) to redesign the
quarter, half dollar, and dollar’s reverse to celebrate the
As initially enacted, the 50 state quarter program did not
bicentennial of American independence was enacted. The
include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the
law required that the coins have two dates—1776 and
territories. On December 26, 2007, the quarter dollar
1976—and should “bear a design determined by the
program was amended to include the District of Columbia
Secretary [of the Treasury] to be emblematic of the
and the territories (P.L. 110-161). These quarters were
Bicentennial.” Figure 2 shows the Bicentennial Quarter and
issued after the 50 states, beginning in 2009.
Half Dollar.
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Quarter and Half Dollar Coins: History and Proposed Designs
America the Beautiful Quarters
Design of the Half Dollar
In 2008, legislation was enacted to redesign the reverse of
The half dollar coin was initially authorized in 1792. Since
the quarter to honor national parks and historic sites in each
1964, President John F. Kennedy has appeared on the
state, territory, and the District of Columbia. The America
obverse and an eagle on the reverse (except for a change to
the Beautiful quarters were first issued in 2010. Five
the reverse for the Bicentennial). Figure 5 shows the
national parks or historic sites will be featured per year until
current design of the Kennedy Half Dollar.
2021, when one final design will be featured. Quarters were
issued in the order that the national park or historic site was
Figure 5. Kennedy Half Dollar, 1964 to Present
created. Figure 3 shows the 2020 America the Beautiful
quarter for Weir Farm National Historic Site (CT).
Figure 3. 2020 Weir Farm National Historic Site (CT)
America the Beautiful Quarter
Source: U.S. Mint, “Half Dol ar,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/
coin-medal-programs/circulating-coins/half-dol ar.
Proposed Coinage Redesigns
A bill in the 116th Congress proposes a redesign of the
Source: U.S. Mint, “Weir Farm National Historic Site Quarter,” at
quarter dollar to honor women’s suffrage and the centennial
https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/america-the-
of the Nineteenth Amendment. In addition, a proposal by
beautiful-quarters/weir-farm-national-historic-site.
the Mint calls for a redesign of the quarter and half dollar to
celebrate American animals and youth sports. The Mint
Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter
proposal would also redesign coins for the 250th
When the America the Beautiful quarter program ends in
Anniversary of Declaration of Independence in 2026.
2021, the quarter’s design is scheduled to change. The
quarter would then feature George Washington on the
Nineteenth Amendment Quarters
obverse (same as the current quarter) and an image of
The Women’s History and Nineteenth Amendment
General Washington crossing the Delaware River on the
Centennial Quarter Dollar Coin Program Act (H.R. 1923
reverse. Figure 4 shows the Citizens Coinage Advisory
and S. 2427, 116th Congress) would authorize a redesign of
Committee’s (CCAC’s) preferred design for the
the quarter dollar beginning in 2021 to commemorate a
Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter reverse. A final
“single prominent American woman” from each state, the
design decision is to be made by the Secretary of the
District of Columbia, and territory, on the reverse, and
Treasury.
maintain George Washington on the obverse. H.R. 1923
and S. 2427 were referred to committee. Neither has
Figure 4. CCAC Recommendation for Reverse of
received further consideration.
Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter
Animals and Sports Quarter and Half Dollar
In 2019, the Treasury officially proposed a redesign of the
reverse of both the circulating quarter and half dollars when
the America the Beautiful quarter program ends in 2021.
Following focus groups and surveys, the Treasury believes
that coins featuring American animals and youth sports
would be best received by the American public. The
Treasury proposal would feature American animals from
2022 through 2025 and youth and Paralympic sports from
2027 to 2030. In 2026, all circulating coins would be
redesigned to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the
Declaration of Independence. To date, the Treasury
proposal has not been introduced in Congress.
Source: U.S. Mint, “CWD-12—George Washington Crossing the
Delaware River Quarter-Reverse,” at https://www.usmint.gov/news/
For more information on circulating coins, see CRS In
ccac-meetings/george-washington-crossing-the-delaware-river-
Focus IF10533, Congressional Involvement in the Design of
quarter; and Letter from Thomas Uram, chair, Citizens Coinage
Circulating Coins, by Jacob R. Straus.
Advisory Committee, to Honorable Steven T. Mnuchin, Secretary of
the Treasury, October 15, 2019, at https://www.ccac.gov/media/
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
calendar/lettersToSecretary/
CCAC_October_15_2019_Recommendations_2.pdf.
IF11394
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Quarter and Half Dollar Coins: History and Proposed Designs
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