The dual-year inscription identifying the 2026 United States semiquincentennial coinage is 1776–2026.
The two dates connect the Declaration of Independence’s founding year with the 250th-anniversary year. Dual dating is a familiar feature of major U.S. anniversary coinage, allowing a coin to identify both the historical starting point and the commemorative year rather than displaying only a single minting date.
The semiquincentennial coin program includes commemorative designs across several denominations and is tied to legislation authorizing special 2026 issues. Some pieces also connect to major people, places, and episodes in American history, including the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Revolutionary War.
The inscription should not be confused with 1776–1976, which belongs to the bicentennial coinage issued for the 200th anniversary. Nor does it use 1787, the year of the U.S. Constitution’s drafting. The 1776–2026 pairing specifically frames America250 as a 250-year commemoration of independence.