Who is shown on the obverse of the 2026 Declaration of Independence quarter?

Thomas Jefferson is shown on the obverse of the 2026 Declaration of Independence quarter.

Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, the document whose adoption on July 4, 1776, is commemorated by the United States Semiquincentennial. His role as principal author explains why his portrait was selected for the coin's obverse.

The reverse features the Liberty Bell, creating a visual connection between Jefferson's document and a famous symbol of American independence. The coin is one of five 2026 semiquincentennial quarters, each tied to a major person, document, event, or ideal in American history.

Jefferson did not write the Declaration entirely alone. A committee of five delegates prepared it, and the Continental Congress debated and edited the draft before adopting it. Calling Jefferson its principal author is accurate, while describing him as its only contributor is not.