The cent and nickel in United States Semiquincentennial coinage display the dual date 1776~2026.
The two dates identify the founding-era year associated with American independence and the year of the 250th-anniversary observance. The tilde between them is part of the displayed dual-date format used for the anniversary coinage.
The cent and nickel were not given full circulating redesigns for production reasons. Instead, the special date marks the occasion while the coins remain recognizably part of their current denominations and series. The cent was not struck for ordinary circulation and was offered through United States Mint sets, while the nickel remained part of the circulating coin program.
The format can be confused with the 1976 Bicentennial date, which commemorated 200 years, or with 1775, the year the Revolutionary War began. The anniversary coinage specifically pairs 1776 with 2026.