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February 25, 2021
Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars, and Dollar
Coins: Current and Future Designs
In January 2021, the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign
Figure 1. Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site and
Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-330) was enacted. The legislation
Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarters
authorizes the redesigns of the circulating quarter dollar,
half dollar, and $1 coins to be issued between 2022 and
2030.
Generally, coins are either circulating (i.e., sold by the U.S.
Mint to the Federal Reserve for distribution to American
financial institutions and used as money to exchange for
goods and services) or commemorative (i.e., sold by the
Mint to collectors to honor someone or something). The
U.S. Mint also produces precious metal coins.
Quarter-Dollar Coins
In 1796, the U.S. Mint issued the first quarter dollar,
depicting Lady Liberty on the (front) obverse and an eagle
on the (back) reverse. Between 1932 and 2020, the quarter
dollar was redesigned four times. These changes included
placement of President Washington on the obverse (1932),
the Bicentennial of the United States (1976), 50 state
quarter program (1997), and the America the Beautiful
Sources: U.S. Mint, “Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
national parks and historic sites in each state (2008).
Quarter,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/
america-the-beautiful-quarters/tuskegee-airmen-national-historic-site;
The America the Beautiful quarter program concludes in
and U.S. Mint, “General George Washington Crossing the Delaware
2021 with the issuance of the Tuskegee Airmen (Alabama)
Quarter,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/
National Historic Site quarter (see Figure 1). With the
circulating-coins/general-george-washington-crossing-the-delaware-
program’s conclusion, the U.S. Mint is to issue a new
quarter.
“standard” quarter dollar. It continues to feature President
Washington on the obverse, but has a new image of General
2026 Semiquincentennial
Washington Crossing the Delaware River prior to the Battle
In 2026, to celebrate the Semiquincentennial of the United
of Trenton on the reverse. The “Washington Crossing the
States, the U.S. Mint is authorized to redesign the quarter
Delaware” quarter (shown in Figure 1) is to first be issued
dollar “with up to five different designs emblematic of the
in 2021, and then during any period when Congress does
United States Semiquincentennial.” Further, at least “one of
not mandate an alternative design.
the ... designs must be emblematic of a woman’s or
women’s contribution to the birth of the Nation or the
Between 2022 and 2030, the quarter dollar will likely be
Declaration of Independence or any other monumental
redesigned three times pursuant to the Circulating
moments” in American history (§3). The
Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020. These designs are
Semiquincentennial redesign continues a tradition of
to feature new images on the reverse related to prominent
redesigning coinage for milestone anniversaries (1876,
American women, the Semiquincentennial (250th
1926, and 1976).
anniversary of the United States), and youth sports.
President Washington will remain on the obverse.
2027-2030—Youth Sports
Between 2027 and 2030, the U.S. Mint is authorized to
2022 to 2025—Prominent American Women
redesign the quarter dollar’s reverse with images
From 2022 to 2025, the Mint is authorized to redesign the
“emblematic of sports played by American youth.” Each
quarter dollar’s reverse to feature prominent American
design would feature a single sport, with up to five sports
women who made a contribution to the United States in
celebrated each year (§4).
areas “including but not limited to suffrage, civil rights,
abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and arts,
Half-Dollar Coins
and should honor women from ethnically, racially, and
In 1792 (1 Stat. 246), Congress authorized the first half-
geographically diverse backgrounds.” Each design will
dollar coin. Since 1964, the half dollar has featured
feature one woman, with five women celebrated each year
President John F. Kennedy on the obverse and an eagle on
(§2).
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dol ars, and Dol ar Coins: Current and Future Designs
the reverse. The Mint has issued the Kennedy-Eagle half
The American Innovation $1 coins feature the Statue of
dollar annually, with the exception of 1976, when the
Liberty on the obverse and a unique design emblematic of a
reverse featured Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA, for
significant innovation or innovator(s) from each state on the
the United States Bicentennial. Figure 2 shows the
reverse (see Figure 3). The American Innovation $1 coins
Bicentennial half dollar and the 2021 Kennedy half dollar.
are circulating numismatic coins—designed to circulating
Figure 2. Examples of Kennedy Half-Dollar Coins
standards (e.g., size, weight, color) but only manufactured
in quantities to meet collector demand.
Figure 3. Examples of Native American and American
Innovation $1 Coins
Sources: U.S. Mint, “1976 Bicentennial Coins,” at
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/library/bicentennial-coins; and U.S.
Mint, “Half Dol ar,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
programs/circulating-coins/half-dol ar.
Sources: U.S. Mint, “2021 Native American $1 Coin,” at
https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/native-american-
2027-2030—Paralympic Sports
dol ar-coins/2021-military-service; and U.S. Mint, “American
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act authorizes
Innovation $1 Coin Program,” at https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-
the redesign of the half dollar between 2027 and 2030 with
and-medal-programs/american-innovation-dol ar-coins.
images on the reverse “emblematic of a sport tailored to
athletes with a range of disabilities, including physical
Additionally, in 2020, a new presidential $1 coin was
impairment, vision impairment and intellectual
authorized (P.L. 116-112) for President George H.W. Bush.
impairment.” Each of the half dollars would feature a single
Minted in 2020, it featured President George H.W. Bush on
Paralympic sport after consultation with U.S. Paralympics,
the obverse and the Statue of Liberty on the Reverse. The
with one sport featured each year (§4).
Bush Presidential $1 coin was only minted in 2020.
Dollar Coins
2026 Semiquincentennial
In 1792, Congress authorized the first dollar coin. In 1971,
For the 250th anniversary of the United States, the U.S.
Mint is authorized to issue new $1 coins “with designs
the U.S. Mint issued the first $1 coin to feature a President
(Eisenhower). In 1976, the Bicentennial $1 coin featured
emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial.” (§3)
President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse and the
Any semiquincentennial $1 coins issued would be in
Liberty Bell and moon on the reverse. Between 1979 and
addition to the issuance of Native American and American
1981 and in 1999, the Susan B. Anthony $1 coin featured
Innovation $1 coins (§3).
Susan B. Anthony on the obverse and an eagle on the
reverse.
For more information on circulating coins, see CRS In
Focus IF10533, Congressional Involvement in the Design of
Currently, the U.S. Mint issues two $1 coin series. The
Circulating Coins; CRS In Focus IF11394, Quarter and
Native American $1 coins feature Sacagawea on the
Half Dollar Coins: History and Current Status; and CRS In
obverse and a design that “bear[s] images celebrating the
Focus IF11190, U.S. Dollar Coins: History and Current
important contributions made by Indian Tribes and
Status.
individual Native Americans to the development of the
United States and the history of the United States” on the
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
reverse (see Figure 3).
IF11773
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dol ars, and Dol ar Coins: Current and Future Designs
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11773 · VERSION 1 · NEW