What subject appeared on the first 1776–2026 semiquincentennial quarter released into circulation?

The first 1776–2026 semiquincentennial quarter released into circulation featured the Mayflower Compact.

Production of the anniversary quarters began with Mayflower Compact quarters and Revolutionary War quarters in December 2025. The United States Mint announced the Mayflower Compact quarter’s release into circulation on January 5, 2026, making it the first circulating quarter in the anniversary sequence.

The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard the Mayflower in 1620 by English settlers before they established Plymouth Colony. It is often discussed as an early agreement for self-government in colonial North America, although it predates the Declaration of Independence by more than a century.

The Revolutionary War quarter was another design in the five-quarter series and depicted George Washington. That makes it a plausible mix-up, especially because the 250th anniversary primarily commemorates independence in 1776. The Mayflower design instead connects the coin program to an earlier chapter in the development of American political institutions.