What image is shown on the reverse of the 2026 United States Semiquincentennial half dollar?
Answer
Hands passing Liberty’s torch
The reverse of the 2026 United States Semiquincentennial half dollar shows hands passing Liberty’s torch.
The design is part of the coin’s theme, “Enduring Liberty.” Its obverse features the Statue of Liberty, while the reverse depicts the symbolic transfer of Liberty’s torch from one pair of hands to another. Together, the two sides connect the familiar monument with the idea that liberty is preserved and passed between generations.
The half dollar entered circulation on January 5, 2026, alongside the first semiquincentennial dime and quarter. Although half dollars remain legal tender, they are less frequently encountered in everyday commerce than quarters, dimes, or cents. The special design therefore serves both a circulating-money function and a commemorative one.
The image should not be confused with the eagle designs used on several other 2026 coins. The semiquincentennial program assigned different subjects to each denomination, including the Mayflower, the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address.