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Updated January 4, 2023
Congressional Involvement in the Design of Circulating Coins
In April 1792, the Coinage Act (1 Stat. 246) established the
“Liberty,” or “E Pluribus Unum,” as well as which
United States Mint. Pursuant to the act, Congress prescribed
president appears on any given coin. For example, pursuant
various aspects of the design of circulating coins. For
to law, all nickels must include the image of Thomas
example, the Coinage Act directed the U.S. Mint to strike
Jefferson on the obverse (5 U.S.C. §5112(d)(1)) and all
coins of specific denominations—Eagles ($10), Half Eagles
pennies must show an image of Abraham Lincoln (P.L.
($5), Quarter Eagles ($2.5), Dollars ($1), Half dollars
109-145).
($0.50), quarter dollars ($0.25), dimes ($0.10), half dimes
($0.05), cents ($0.01), and half cents ($0.005)—with
For other aspects of coin design not specified by Congress,
specific images and words, including images of eagles and
the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to change the
the words “United States of America.” Additionally, recent
design or die of a coin only once within 25 years of the first
laws have prescribed certain images—such as which
adoption of the design features for that coin (31 U.S.C.
Presidents appear on the obverse of which coins and what
§5112(d)(1), unless Congress specifies otherwise.
images are to appear on the coins’ reverse—through law.
Recent Special Coinage Programs
Since its founding, the U.S. Mint has struck circulating
In recent years, Congress has enacted legislation to change
coins and Congress has continued to instruct the U.S. Mint
the design of circulating coins to honor the states, national
on coin designs, inscriptions, denominations, and metallic
parks, American women, youth sports, and former
contents. Except for the 1976-1977 Bicentennial issues, the
presidents. These design changes were specified by law,
designs on U.S. coins have remained similar since 1964,
which mandated the issuance of more than one coin design
when the John F. Kennedy half dollar was first minted.
in a given year.
Figure 1 shows the obverse design for current coins.
State Quarters
Figure 1. U.S. Mint Circulating Coins Obverse
From 1999 to 2008, the U.S. Mint issued five different
quarters each year with designs on the reverse side
emblematic of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and
the territories—Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the
Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (31
U.S.C. §5112 (l)(1)(A)). Coins were issued in the order in
which states entered the Union, beginning with Delaware
and ending with Hawaii. Designs reflected important events
and symbols from each state, but were prohibited from
containing portrait images of any person, living or dead.
Figure 2 shows the first state quarter—Delaware—and the
last state quarter—Hawaii.
Figure 2. Delaware and Hawaii Quarters Reverse
Source: U.S. Mint.
Note: Images are not to scale.
Current Coinage Requirements
Most aspects of circulating coinage are required by law.
Pursuant to statute (31 U.S.C. §5112), Congress instructs
the Secretary of the Treasury, through the U.S. Mint, to
issue specific denominations of circulating coins and
specifies the coins’ size, weight, and metallic content. For
Source: U.S. Mint, 50 State Quarter Report: 10 Years of Honoring Our
example, the U.S. Mint is to issue “a quarter dollar that is
Nation’s History and Heritage.
0.955 inch in diameter and weights 5.67 grams” and is
made of a copper and nickel alloy (5 U.S.C. §5112(a)(3)
America the Beautiful Quarters
and (b)).
In 2010, Congress authorized the America the Beautiful
Quarter program. The American the Beautiful quarters were
In addition to specific denominations, size, and metallic
a 12-year initiative that created 56 different quarter reverses
content, Congress also requires that certain design elements
to honor national parks and other national sites in each
be present on coinage. This includes specific words such as
state, territory, and the District of Columbia (31 U.S.C.
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Congressional Involvement in the Design of Circulating Coins
§5112(t(3)(1)(i)). Figure 3 shows the 2016 America the
Figure 5. 2022 American Women Quarters
Beautiful Quarter reverse images.
Figure 3. 2016 America the Beautiful Quarters
Source: U.S. Mint, “American Women Quarters Program.”
Notes: The 2022 quarters depict Maya Angelou, Dr. Sal y Ride, Nina
Otero-Warren, Wilma Mankil er, and Anna May Wong.
Source: U.S. Mint, “America the Beautiful Quarter Program.”
Notes: The 2016 quarters are the Shawnee National Forest (IL), the
Semiquincentennial and Youth Sports
Cumberland Gap National Historic Park (KY), Harpers Ferry
The Circulating Collectable Coin Redesign Act also
National Historical Park (WV), Theodore Roosevelt National Park
authorized future quarter redesigns. In 2026, the quarter’s
(ND), and Fort Moultrie at Fort Sumter National Memorial (SC).
reverse will be redesigned to celebrate the
semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the United States,
George Washington Crossing the Delaware
with up to five different designs. At least one must be
Following the conclusion of the America the Beautiful
“emblematic of a woman’s or women’s contribution to the
Quarter program, for 2021 the quarter’s obverse featured a
birth of the Nation or the Declaration of Independence or
new image of George Washington and the reverse
any other monumental moments” in American history.
“contain[ed] an image of General Washington crossing the
Then, between 2027 and 2030, the reverse will feature
Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton” (31 §U.S.C.
images “emblematic of sports played by American youth.”
5112(t(8)(A)). Figure 4 shows the 2021 George
Each will feature a single sport, with up to five sports
Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter.
celebrated each year.
Figure 4. 2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware
Presidential Dollars
Quarter
In the 109th Congress (2005-2006), Congress authorized the
redesign of the $1 coin to honor past U.S. Presidents (31
U.S.C. 5112(n)). Coins were issued between 2007 and 2016
for each President who has been deceased for at least two
years. Following the death of President George H.W. Bush,
Congress authorized a $1 coin to honor him (P.L. 116-112).
Following the conclusion of the presidential $1 program,
the design of the $1 coin reverted to the “Sacagawea-
design” $1 coin (31 U.S.C. §5112(n)(9)). Figure 6 shows
the George H.W. Bush $1 Coin.
Figure 6. 2020 George H.W. Bush Presidential $1 Coin
Source: U.S. Mint, General George Washington Crossing the
Delaware Quarter.
American Women
The Circulating Collectable Coin Redesign Act of 2020
(P.L. 116-330) authorized the U.S. Mint to honor prominent
American women on the quarter. Between 2022 and 2025,
the U.S. Mint will issue five quarters each year featuring
five women. The quarters will feature George Washington
on the Obverse and a prominent woman on the reverse.
Figure 5 shows the 2022 American Women quarters’
reverses.
Source: U.S. Mint, George H.W. Bush Presidential $1 Coin.
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
IF10533
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Congressional Involvement in the Design of Circulating Coins
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10533 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED