What historic agreement appeared on the first 2026 Semiquincentennial quarter design?

The Mayflower Compact appeared on the first 2026 Semiquincentennial quarter design.

The quarter was part of the United States Mint’s special coinage recognizing the 250th anniversary of American independence. Its reverse depicts the Mayflower, while the coin’s subject is the Mayflower Compact, the 1620 agreement associated with self-government among the Pilgrims traveling to New England.

Production of the Mayflower Compact quarters began in December 2025, and the United States Mint announced their release into circulation for January 5, 2026. The design therefore introduced the anniversary quarter program before the July 4 centerpiece of the celebration.

The Mayflower Compact predates the Declaration of Independence by more than 150 years. It is often discussed as an early example of an agreement for governing a community, but it was not a declaration of independence and did not establish the United States.