The quarter carried a Colonial drummer on the reverse of its 1976 United States Bicentennial coin.
The coin retained George Washington's portrait on the obverse but replaced the usual reverse with Jack L. Ahr's design. It shows a Colonial drummer beside a torch surrounded by thirteen stars, representing the original thirteen states. The coin bears the dual date 1776–1976.
The Bicentennial coin program temporarily redesigned the reverses of the quarter, Kennedy half dollar, and Eisenhower dollar. Independence Hall appeared on the half dollar, while the Liberty Bell and Moon appeared on the dollar. The drummer design is therefore specific to the quarter, not to all Bicentennial coins.