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1 [1] (April 16, 2026)

handle is hein.crs/goveube0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Informing the legislative debate since 1914 0 Updated April 16, 2026 Coins and Medals Celebrating the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence On July 4, the United States celebrates the anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence with a federal holiday called Independence Day. For certain milestone anniversaries, Congress has authorized the temporary design of circulating coins, or the issuance of medals or commemorative coins. These milestone celebrations occurred in 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976. The 250th anniversary occurs in 2026. This In Focus provides a historical overview of circulating coins, medals, and commemorative coins for past anniversary celebrations and the announced coins for the semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary. Circuatdng Conage For two anniversary celebrations-1976 and 2026- Congress authorized the temporary redesign of circulating coins. 1976-200 Anniversary For 1976, to celebrate the bicentennial, Congress authorized special designs of the quarter, half-dollar, and dollar (P.L. 93-127). Congress specified that the bicentennial coins maintain the same obverse as then-circulating coins, but include two dates-1776 and 1976-rather than the standard single date. Further, the reverse side of all dollar, half-dollar, and quarter-dollar coins ... shall bear a design determined by the Secretary to be emblematic of the Bicentennial of the American Revolution. Figure 1 shows the bicentennial quarter, half-dollar, and dollar coins. Figure I. 1976 Bicentennial Coins Quarter Half Dollar Dollar reverse. The bicentennial half-dollar features a portrait of John F. Kennedy on the obverse and Independence Hall on the reverse. The bicentennial dollar includes a portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse and the Liberty Bell and the moon on the reverse. 2026-250 Anniversary For the 2026 semiquincentennial celebration, Congress authorized the temporary redesign of all circulating coins (P.L. 116-330). The law states that the Secretary of the Treasury is to select coin designs after consultation with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). The law authorizes the Secretary to change the design on any circulating coin during the one-year period beginning January 1, 2026, in celebration of the United States semiquincentennial (§3). The U.S. Mint has announced new designs for 2026 circulating coins for the semiquincentennial. For more information and images of the 2026 semiquincentennial coins, see CRS In Focus IF13165, Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence: Coins and Medals, by Jacob R. Straus. Commemoratve Medals On two occasions (1876 and 1976), Congress authorized the issuance of commemorative anniversary medals. 1876- 00th Anniversary In 1876, the United States celebrated its 100th anniversary. To help celebrate the centennial, Congress authorized medals be struck to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the first meeting of the Continental Congress and the Declaration of Independence. The law (18 Stat. 76) stated That medals with appropriate devices, emblems and inscriptions, commemorative of the Centennial Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence be prepared at the Mint at Philadelphia for the Centennial Board of Finance.... These medals were issued as part of a larger Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 (i.e., Philadelphia World's Fair). Official medals were struck in silver, bronze, and gilt. The medals featured liberty on the obverse and In Commemoration of the Hundredth Anniversary of American Independence on the reverse. Figure 2 shows the Independence Centennial Medal. Source: U.S. Mint, 1976 Bicentennial Coins, Image emailed to the author by the U.S. Mint, August 27, 2021. The bicentennial quarter has a portrait of George Washington on the obverse and a colonial drummer on the