Which law authorized special U.S. coinage for the 250th anniversary?

The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 authorized special U.S. coinage for the 250th anniversary. The law created authority for a 2026 semiquincentennial program alongside other commemorative coin provisions.

The planned coinage includes cents and nickels retaining the current series, plus a dime, five quarters, a half dollar, and a one-dollar coin with commemorative designs. The program reflects a long American practice of using coins to mark important national anniversaries and historical themes.

The act received unanimous support in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives. It was signed into law in 2021. The law is distinct from the Coinage Act of 1792, which established the basic framework of the early United States Mint, and from the 1975 legislation that enabled much of the Bicentennial coin program. Coin authorization does not mean every proposed design becomes a circulating coin; design selection and production remain separate stages.