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Updated February 25, 2021
Quarter and Half Dollar Coins: History and Current Status
The Secretary of the Treasury, through the U.S. Mint, is
law required that the coins have two dates—1776 and
statutorily authorized to issue specific denominations of
1976—and should “bear a design determined by the
circulating coins (31 U.S.C. §5112). Currently, the United
Secretary [of the Treasury] to be emblematic of the
States has six circulating coins—dollar, half dollar, quarter
Bicentennial.” Figure 2 shows the Bicentennial Quarter and
dollar, dime, nickel, and penny. All coinage is also required
Half Dollar.
to have certain design elements, including specific words
such as “Liberty,” or “E Pluribus Unum.” Since 1930, the
Figure 2. Bicentennial Quarter and Half Dollar, 1976
Mint has redesigned the quarter dollar four times (1932,
1976, 1997, and 2008), while the half dollar was last
redesigned in 1964. In the 116th Congress (2019-2020), the
Circulating Collectable Coin Redesign Act (P.L. 116-330)
was enacted to authorize the further redesign of the quarter
and half dollar coins issued between 2022 and 2030.
Quarter Dollar Designs
The first quarters were issued in 1796 and depicted Lady
Liberty on the (front) obverse and an eagle on the (back)
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
George Washington on the obverse and “appropriate
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/library/bicentennial-coins.
devices on the reverse.” The finished coin (as seen in
50 State Quarters
Figure 1) had a “standard eagle” design on the reverse.
In December 1997, the 50 States Commemorative Coin
Figure 1. George Washington Quarter, 1932-1998
Program Act was enacted (P.L. 105-124). The law
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] bil wil reinvigorate our
circulating coinage in a responsible, af ordable way,
serving the best interests of the general public, the
national economy and the coin col ecting community....
It wil be educational and fun, wil promote pride
Source: U.S. Mint, “The History of U.S. Circulating Coins,” at
among the States and it wil be a winner financial y for
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins.
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
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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Quarter and Half Dol ar Coins: History and Current Status
territories. On December 26, 2007, the quarter dollar
Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020
program was amended to include the District of Columbia
The Circulating Collectable Coin Redesign Act of 2020
and the territories (P.L. 110-161). These quarters were
(P.L. 116-330) authorizes the redesign of the quarter
issued after the 50 states, beginning in 2009.
dollar’s reverse three times between 2022 and 2030. They
are:
America the Beautiful Quarters
In 2008, legislation was enacted to redesign the reverse of
Between 2022 and 2025, to feature prominent American
the quarter to honor national parks and historic sites in each
women in areas “including but not limited to suffrage,
state, territory, and the District of Columbia. The America
civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science,
the Beautiful quarters were first issued in 2010. Five
space, and arts, and should honor women from
national parks or historic sites were featured each year. The
ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse
program ends in 2021. Quarters were issued in the order
backgrounds.” Each design will feature a single woman,
that the national park or historic site was created. Figure 3
with five women celebrated each year [§2]
shows the last America the Beautiful quarter, the 2021
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site (AL) quarter.
In 2026 to celebrate the Semiquincentennial (250th
anniversary) of the United States, with up to five
Figure 3. 2021 Tuskegee Airmen National Historic
different designs. At least one must be “emblematic of a
Site (AL) Quarter
woman’s or women’s contribution to the birth of the
Nation or the Declaration of Independence or any other
monumental moments” in American history [§3]
Between 2027 and 2030, to feature images “emblematic
of sports played by American youth.” Each will feature
a single sport, with up to five sports celebrated each year
[§4]
Design of the Half Dollar
The half dollar coin was initially authorized in 1792. Since
1964, President John F. Kennedy has appeared on the
Source: U.S. Mint, “Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
obverse and an eagle on the reverse (except for a change to
Quarter,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/
the reverse for the Bicentennial). Figure 5 shows the
america-the-beautiful-quarters/tuskegee-airmen-national-historic-site.
current design of the Kennedy Half Dollar.
Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter
Figure 5. Kennedy Half Dollar, 1964 to Present
When the America the Beautiful quarter program ends in
2021, the quarter dollar will feature George Washington on
the obverse and a new image of General Washington
Crossing the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton
on the reverse. Figure 4 shows the Washington Crossing
the Delaware quarter dollar that will be issued beginning in
2021 and during any period when Congress does not
mandate an alternative design.
Figure 4. Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter
Source: U.S. Mint, “Half Dol ar,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/
coin-medal-programs/circulating-coins/half-dol ar.
The Circulating Collectable Coin Redesign Act of 2020
authorizes the half dollar’s redesign between 2027 and 2030
to honor Paralympic sports with images on the reverse
“emblematic of a sport tailored to athletes with a range of
disabilities, including physical impairment, vision
impairment and intellectual impairment.”
Source: U.S. Mint, “General George Washington Crossing the
For more information on circulating coins, see CRS In
Delaware Quarter,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
Focus IF10533, Congressional Involvement in the Design of
programs/circulating-coins/general-george-washington-crossing-the-
Circulating Coins, by Jacob R. Straus.
delaware-quarter.
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
IF11394
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Quarter and Half Dol ar Coins: History and Current Status
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