U.S. Mint Starts Shipping 1776 ~ 2026 Coins for Circulation

The United States Mint announced this week that it began shipping its first wave of 1776 ~ 2026 semiquincentennial coins to Federal Reserve Banks on Jan. 5, sending multiple one-year-only designs into the circulation pipeline as the nation heads into its 250th anniversary year.

CoinNews recently reported on the 1776 ~ 2026 Mayflower Compact quarter entering circulation, marking the public’s first opportunity to find one of the new semiquincentennial designs in everyday change. The Mint’s announcement this week places that quarter release in context, confirming it was part of the same initial distribution that also included the new dime and half dollar designs now moving into circulation channels.

The Mint’s 2026 circulating redesigns span multiple denominations, giving the public a rare chance to encounter anniversary-themed designs in everyday change.

Emerging Liberty Dime Now Shipping

Included in the shipments is the 2026 Emerging Liberty Dime, which replaces the Roosevelt dime portrait for the semiquincentennial year.

The dime carries the dual date 1776 ~ 2026 on its obverse and features a determined Liberty with winds of revolution moving through her hair as she faces the tyranny of the British monarchy. A liberty cap bearing stars and stripes references both the nation’s founding spirit and early American coinage. The reverse shows an eagle in flight carrying arrows, symbolizing the American Revolution and the colonists’ fight for independence.

Enduring Liberty Half Dollar Enters Circulation Stream

Also shipping is the 2026 Enduring Liberty Half Dollar, another dual-dated issue produced in circulating quality as part of the 250th anniversary redesigns.

The obverse presents a close-up view of the Statue of Liberty, her gaze fixed outward as if toward the future. On the reverse, Liberty passes her torch to a new generation, its flame trailing with momentum and purpose, paired with an inscription emphasizing knowledge as a safeguard of liberty.

Nickel Also Part of 2026 Circulating Redesigns

The Mint’s 2026 circulating coins include the Jefferson nickel. While its key designs remain unchanged, the coin carries the dual date 1776 ~ 2026.

Although the Mint’s latest announcement did not mention the nickel, past years have consistently seen newly dated nickels entering circulation in January.

Quarter Series for 2026 Continues Beyond Mayflower Compact Design

The Mayflower Compact quarter is one of five quarter reverses for 2026, with additional designs scheduled for release later in the year. Images and background information on all five 2026 quarters are available in CoinNews‘ overview of the 1776 ~ 2026 semiquincentennial circulating coinage.

Regional Rollout Likely to Vary

As with many modern circulating releases, early finds will depend on Federal Reserve distribution patterns, regional demand, and how quickly older inventories are worked down.

For collectors, that uneven rollout often becomes part of the chase, with the first examples frequently turning up in limited pockets of the country before spreading more widely.

Gold Coins and Silver Medals for Semiquincentennial Also Queued

The Mint’s 2026 lineup will also include five “Best of the Mint” gold coin and silver medal sets honoring the nation’s semiquincentennial. The gold coins feature Adolph A. Weinman’s Mercury dime, Hermon A. MacNeil’s Standing Liberty quarter, Weinman’s Walking Liberty half dollar, the 1804 dollar, and Saint-Gaudens’ 1907 Double Eagle, each paired with a silver medal that reinterprets its companion gold coin in modern form.

Several other numismatic coins for the year will also be released, like American Eagle coins with the dual date of “1776 ~ 2026,” and Innovation coins with a “250” privy mark.

In addition, there is a dual-dated penny for 2026. While cents are no longer produced for circulation, the denomination will continue to be struck for collector products.

Looking Ahead to 2027

Starting in 2027, the dime will revert to its previous design, while the quarter and half dollar will transition to a new four-year program highlighting Youth Sports and Paralympic Sports.