Which federal law authorized special circulating coin designs for America’s 250th anniversary?

The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 authorized special circulating coin designs for America’s 250th anniversary.

The act created authority for the United States Mint to redesign circulating coins for the semiquincentennial period. It covered six denominations, including five quarter-dollar designs, and required the designs to symbolize the anniversary.

One of the planned quarter themes was intended to recognize women’s contributions to American independence. The act also connected the semiquincentennial coin program with later circulating commemorative initiatives and the American Women Quarters Program.

This law is distinct from the earlier United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016. The 2016 law established the commission and directed broader anniversary planning, while the 2020 coin-redesign law supplied the legal basis for special Mint designs. The Senate and House supported the coin legislation unanimously before it was signed into law in 2021.