The double date 1776–1976 appeared on the U.S. quarter issued for the 1976 Bicentennial, the predecessor to America250.
The United States Mint produced special circulating commemorative quarter, half-dollar, and dollar designs for the 200th anniversary of American independence. Each carried the double date 1776–1976 rather than a single year, linking the founding milestone to the Bicentennial celebration.
The quarter showed a colonial drummer on its reverse, while the Washington quarter obverse remained in use. The half dollar featured Independence Hall, and the Eisenhower dollar featured the Liberty Bell superimposed over the Moon. These coins became one of the most visible nationwide reminders of the 1976 anniversary.
America250 commemorates 250 years in 2026, but the 1976 coinage provides a useful comparison. Its dates identify the historical starting point and the anniversary year, not the years when every individual coin was struck; some were minted in both 1975 and 1976.