Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars, and Dollar Coins: Current and Future Designs

Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars, and Dollar Coins: Current and Future Designs

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Updated January 4, 2023
Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars, and Dollar
Coins: Current and Future Designs
In January 2021, the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign
Between 2022 and 2030, the quarter dollar will likely be
Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-330) was enacted. The legislation
redesigned three times pursuant to the Circulating
authorizes the redesigns of the circulating quarter dollar,
Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020. These designs are
half dollar, and $1 coins to be issued between 2022 and
to feature new images on the reverse related to prominent
2030.
American women, the semiquincentennial (250th
anniversary) of the United States, and youth sports.
Generally, coins are either circulating (i.e., sold by the U.S.
President Washington will remain on the obverse.
Mint to the Federal Reserve for distribution to American
financial institutions and used as money to exchange for
2022 to 2025—Prominent American Women
goods and services) or commemorative (i.e., sold by the
From 2022 to 2025, the Mint is authorized to redesign the
Mint to collectors to honor someone or something). The
quarter dollar’s reverse to feature prominent American
U.S. Mint also produces precious metal coins.
women who made a contribution to the United States in
areas “including but not limited to suffrage, civil rights,
Quarter-Dollar Coins
abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and arts,
In 1796, the U.S. Mint issued the first quarter dollar,
and should honor women from ethnically, racially, and
depicting Lady Liberty on the (front) obverse and an eagle
geographically diverse backgrounds.” Each design will
on the (back) reverse. Between 1932 and 2020, the quarter
feature one woman, with five women celebrated each year
dollar was redesigned four times. These changes included
(§2). Figure 2 shows the 2023 American Women’s
placement of President Washington on the obverse (1932),
quarters.
the Bicentennial of the United States (1976), 50 state
quarter program (1997), and the America the Beautiful
Figure 2. 2023 American Women’s Quarters
national parks and historic sites in each state (2008).
In 2021, the America the Beautiful quarter program
concluded with the issuance of the Tuskegee Airmen
(Alabama) National Historic Site quarter. With the
program’s conclusion, the U.S. Mint issued a new
“standard” quarter dollar. It features President Washington
on the obverse, but has an image of General Washington
Crossing the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton
on the reverse. The “Washington Crossing the Delaware”
quarter (shown in Figure 1) was issued in 2021, and will be
issued during any period when Congress does not mandate
an alternative design.
Figure 1. Washington Crossing the Delaware River

Quarter
Source: U.S. Mint, “American Women Quarters Program.”
Note: 2023 Quarters feature Bessie Coleman, Edith Kanaka‘ole,
Eleanor Roosevelt, Jovita Idar, and Maria Tallchief.
2026 Semiquincentennial
In 2026, to celebrate the semiquincentennial of the United
States (250th Anniversary), the U.S. Mint is authorized to
redesign the quarter dollar “with up to five different designs
emblematic of the United States Semiquincentennial.”
Further, at least “one of the ... designs must be emblematic
of a woman’s or women’s contribution to the birth of the
Nation or the Declaration of Independence or any other
Source: U.S. Mint, “General George Washington Crossing the
monumental moments” in American history (§3). The
Delaware Quarter,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
semiquincentennial redesign continues a tradition of
programs/circulating-coins/general-george-washington-crossing-the-
redesigning coinage for milestone anniversaries (1876,
delaware-quarter.
1926, and 1976).
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars, and Dollar Coins: Current and Future Designs
2027-2030—Youth Sports
“bear[s] images celebrating the important contributions
Between 2027 and 2030, the U.S. Mint is authorized to
made by Indian Tribes and individual Native Americans to
redesign the quarter dollar’s reverse with images
the development of the United States and the history of the
“emblematic of sports played by American youth.” Each
United States” on the reverse (see Figure 4).
design would feature a single sport, with up to five sports
The American Innovation $1 coins feature the Statue of
celebrated each year (§4).
Liberty on the obverse and a unique design emblematic of a
Half-Dollar Coins
significant innovation or innovator(s) from each state on the
In 1792 (1 Stat. 246), Congress authorized the first half-
reverse (see Figure 4). The American Innovation $1 coins
dollar coin. Since 1964, the half dollar has featured
are circulating numismatic coins—designed to circulating
President John F. Kennedy on the obverse and an eagle on
standards (e.g., size, weight, color) but only manufactured
the reverse. The Mint has issued the Kennedy-Eagle half
in quantities to meet collector demand.
dollar annually, with the exception of 1976, when the
reverse featured Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA, for
Figure 4. Examples of Native American and American
the United States Bicentennial. Figure 3 shows the
Innovation $1 Coins
Bicentennial half dollar and the 2021 Kennedy half dollar.
Figure 3. Examples of Kennedy Half-Dollar Coins

Sources: U.S. Mint, “2021 Native American $1 Coin,” at
https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/native-american-
dol ar-coins/2021-military-service; and U.S. Mint, “American
Innovation $1 Coin Program,” at https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-
Sources: U.S. Mint, “1976 Bicentennial Coins,” at
and-medal-programs/american-innovation-dol ar-coins.
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/library/bicentennial-coins; and U.S.
Mint, “Half Dollar,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
Additionally, in 2020, a new presidential $1 coin was
programs/circulating-coins/half-dol ar.
authorized (P.L. 116-112) for President George H.W. Bush.
Minted in 2020, it featured President George H.W. Bush on
2027-2030—Paralympic Sports
the obverse and the Statue of Liberty on the Reverse. The
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act authorizes
Bush presidential $1 coin continued the tradition of
the redesign of the half dollar between 2027 and 2030 with
presidential $1 coins minted between 2007 and 2016. The
images on the reverse “emblematic of a sport tailored to
President Bush coin was only minted in 2020.
athletes with a range of disabilities, including physical
2026 Semiquincentennial
impairment, vision impairment and intellectual
For the 250th anniversary of the United States, the U.S.
impairment.” Each half dollar would feature a single
Mint is authorized to issue new $1 coins “with designs
Paralympic sport after consultation with U.S. Paralympics,
emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial.” (§3)
with one sport featured each year (§4).
Any semiquincentennial $1 coins issued would be in
Dollar Coins
addition to the issuance of Native American and American
In 1792, Congress authorized the first dollar coin. In 1971,
Innovation $1 coins (§3).
the U.S. Mint issued the first $1 coin to feature a President
For more information on circulating coins, see CRS In
(Eisenhower). In 1976, the Bicentennial $1 coin featured
Focus IF10533, Congressional Involvement in the Design of
President Eisenhower on the obverse and the Liberty Bell
Circulating Coins; CRS In Focus IF11394, Quarter and
and moon on the reverse. Between 1979 and 1981 and in
Half Dollar Coins: History and Current Status; and CRS In
1999, the Susan B. Anthony $1 coin featured Susan B.
Focus IF11190, U.S. Dollar Coins: History and Current
Anthony on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse.
Status.
Currently, the U.S. Mint issues two $1 coin series—
circulating Native American $1 coins and numismatic
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
American Innovation $1 coins. The Native American $1
IF11773
coins feature Sacagawea on the obverse and a design that
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars, and Dollar Coins: Current and Future Designs

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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11773 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED