The dual date supported for the 2026 semiquincentennial cent and nickel designs was 1776~2026. The two dates link the nation’s founding era with the year of the 250th-anniversary commemoration.
The United States Mint consulted the Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee while developing the 2026 program. In February 2024, both committees reviewed proposals for the cent and nickel. Because of production considerations, the Mint did not plan a complete redesign of either coin, but instead proposed marking the anniversary with the dual date.
The tilde-like separator distinguishes this date from the familiar hyphenated dates often used on commemorative objects. The broader 2026 coin program also included special designs for a dime, five quarters, a half dollar, and a dollar coin.
The cent and nickel were treated differently from many other denominations because their basic series designs were retained while the anniversary date provided the commemorative element.