American Independence Coin and Currency Collection

As part of the historic celebrations in 1976 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Mint struck a special one-time-only circulating commemorative quarter. It was the first commemorative coin issued for circulation. This collection includes the Bicentennial quarter, along with America’s only commemorative banknote design, a $2 bill that was originally designed in 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebrations. Together, the coin and bank note create a spectacular tribute to American independence. The reverse of the Bicentennial quarter is a unique, one-time-only design: a colonial drummer inspired by Archibald Willard’s classic “Spirit of ’76” painting honoring the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876; the obverse features the dual dates “1776-1976.” The reverse of the $2 bill depicts the painting “The Declaration of Independence” by John Trumbull; among those shown are John Hancock, whose signature is the first on the Declaration of Independence, as well as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin.