US Mint Releases 250th Anniversary Coins

The U.S. Mint is circulating 250th anniversary coins featuring pivotal symbols of American history to commemorate the the anniversary of the United States this year.

According to the U.S. Mint's official website, the one-year-only changes will affect well-known American coinage, including the circulating dime and quarter, as well as the collectible half dollar. The Mint said it will also release special numismatic coins and medals this year featuring distinctive designs and enhancements for core coin products and annual releases.

Among the featured symbols on the coins will be the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, both of which represent Philadelphia. Independence Hall is the site where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed in 1776 and 1787, respectively. The Declaration of Independence coin will feature Thomas Jefferson, who is largely credited with writing most of the document, on the quarter's obverse.

Inscribed on the Liberty Bell are the words "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof," a Biblical reference about the ancient Israelites, who were told to free enslaved people and return property every 50 years.

James Madison, the "Father of the U.S. Constitution," will be shown on the front of the constitutional quarter.

Another historic event that took place in Pennsylvania, the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, will also be commemorated on a quarter design. The words "A New Nation Conceived in Liberty," taken from President Abraham Lincoln's famous 272-word Gettysburg Address, appear above an image of arms joined together.

Further information about the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) coins is available on the U.S. Mint website.