If the U.S. Mint is successful in securing passage of legislation seeking a 10-year program to succeed the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, it will include a component for redesigning both sides of all of the circulating coin denominations in 2026 for the nation’s Semiquincentennial.

U.S. Mint Director David J. Ryder said Oct. 24 during the Mint’s fourth Annual Numismatic Forum, that the 2026 component would be a one-year program to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, after which the designs would revert back to the current obverse and reverse designs for the cent, 5-cent coin and dime.

The contemplated 2026 redesign would affect the Lincoln cent, Jefferson 5-cent coin, Roosevelt dime, the Washington quarter dollar, and Kennedy half dollar. The redesigned coinage would appear in all annual coin sets. The redesign would not affect the annual design changes for the Native American or American Innovation dollars.

The multi-year quarter dollar program would include four years devoted to designs featuring indigenous animals voted on by children and collectors, Ryder said. Five quarter dollars would be designed for each of those four years. Ryder said the animal component would also include indigenous endangered species to be featured on the Kennedy half dollar reverse.

There would also be youth sports quarter dollar issues, bearing designs based on sports selected by young collectors. Ryder said the sports component would include a tie-in to the 2028 Olympic Games.

Ryder said a suggestion is under consideration to produce gold, silver and bronze medals bearing the designs for the Olympic winners’ medals in a version available for collectors. 
The Mint will coordinate with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing about joint packaging options for each element.

Currently, the quarter dollar to replace the America the Beautiful quarters dollars beginning in 2021 would depict George Washington as his portrait appeared on the denomination from 1932 to 1998, and on the reverse, a design thematic of Washington crossing the Delaware River on Christmas Eve of 1776.

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