While our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary all year long, we are going to take you back 50 years with the next coin in our blog series that follows along with Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest United States Modern Coins. Authors Scott Schechter and Jeff Garrett guide us through the importance of its design, the path it paved inadvertently for future modern issues, and the notable ways in which it appeared in sets and in composition.
#78 – 1976 Washington Quarter
One of the most unique observations about this coin landing on this top 100 list is that it is not even remotely rare. In fact, it’s readily available in a number of different finishes and grades. However, authors Schechter and Garrett recognize the 1976 Bicentennial Quarter Dollar as the “framework for future commemorative-coinage issues,” and credit its first ever thematic design as the gateway to both the Statehood quarter series and the America the Beautiful program.
In preparation for the nation’s bicentennial celebration, an open contest was announced in 1973 to select designs to be used for the coinage issued in honor of the 200th anniversary. Early proposals would look at every denomination coin to be redesigned, but after deliberation, it was finally decided that the U.S. Mint would focus on the quarter dollar, half dollar, and dollar. These denominations were said to be used in circulation the most by the public and that these new designs should be in every Americans’ pocket.
When it came to the quarter, the competition winner was Jack L. Ahr for his reverse design. It featured a colonial drummer and a torch surrounded by 13 stars. The obverse still featured George Washington, but it also included the dual date of 1776-1976. To prevent hoarding the special one-year-only issues, the Mint took it upon themselves to produce a large quantity of coins in advance, releasing them in both 1975 and 1976.
In total, there are five different issues of the Bicentennial quarter, including the 1976 P, 1976 D, 1976 S Proof, 1976 S Silver, and the 1976 S Silver Proof. Over 800 million coins were struck at both Philadelphia and Denver for circulation. The Proof finishes as well as the 40% silver quarter were struck at San Francisco and were only available in the 1975 and the 1976 Proof sets and the special 1976 3pc Proof Set. There was also a special 1976 3pc Mint Set (aside from the regular Mint Set) struck including the 40% silver quarter.
This entry started at #65 in the first edition and has since moved down 13 spots.