In 2026, the United States will celebrate its Semiquincentennial, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Nation’s founding. To honor this historic milestone, the U.S. Mint (https://www.usmint.gov/) will offer a "Best of the Mint" collection of gold coins that showcases the nation’s rich numismatic history.
For this single-year collection, gold coins will showcase historic designs that capture the essence of America’s finest coinage, selected based on expert guidance and feedback from the public. Five designs chosen from among 21 historic coins will be reissued as numismatic coins by the U.S. Mint.
The list of historic coins covers the Mint’s history since its inception in 1792. It was developed in consultation with a subcommittee of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the Curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, taking into account both the coins’ artistic merit and their historical significance. The 21 coins include:
- 1792 Birch Cent
- 1792 Half Disme
- 1793 Liberty Cap Cent
- 1804 Silver Dollar
- 1836 Gobrecht Silver Dollar
- 1848 CAL. Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin
- 1849 $20 Gold Double Eagle
- 1856 Flying Eagle Cent
- 1878 Morgan Silver Dollar
- 1907 Saint-Gaudens High Relief $20 Gold Coin
- 1909 Lincoln Wheat Cent
- 1913 Liberty Head Nickel
- 1916 Mercury Dime
- 1916 Liberty Walking Half Dollar
- 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar
- 1921 Peace Dollar
- 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar
- 1986 Statue of Liberty $5 Gold Coin
- 1987 Constitution Bicentennial $5 Gold Coin
- 1999 George Washington Commemorative Gold Five Dollar Coin
- 2017 American Liberty High Relief $100 Gold Coin
Continuing until December 3, 2023, the U.S. Mint is inviting public participation in an anonymous survey to rank the 21 coins and help select the top five for its "Best of the Mint" collection.
To participate, visit https://catalog.usmint.gov/semiq.
The results will be presented to the CCAC and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). With recommendations from those committees, the Secretary of the Treasury will select the final designs for the U.S. Mint’s "Best of the Mint" collection.
Earlier in the year, the U.S. Mint sought public input on one-year-only redesigns for circulating coins set for 2026, aligning with the celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial.
How are Indian Head gold pieces not on this list?
I know!
True, but you can get the rare 1986 SOL Commemorative trash
Kaiser, while I understand, I think the exclusion of the Indian Head coins is a real travesty. The only incuse coins ever produced, and honestly they are quite attractive. If they only redid the $2.50, I would be fine, but to omit them from the list seems like a mistake.
Did the survey yesterday. Some winners, some losers on the list but most are stunning.
Really enjoy all the 1916 coins and the Peace Dollar as well as the very early coins by the Mint.
Guess we’ll hurry up and wait to see what’s chosen by the Mint for 2026.
The Peace Dollar is my all-time US Mint favorite even before Mint decided to reissue it Kaiser.
Agreed! I never understood why some people think Liberty looks like a floating head.
Is the Mint really this devoid of ideas and artists? We’ve already had modern gold versions of nine of the 21 coins on the list. Besides, with the Mint selling its new Morgan dollar for 80 times its face value, who’s going to be able to afford this?
Sign up for hsn no interest card and save additional $20. Free shipping and 8 flex pay. Hurry hurry hurry, going fast, sold out, we’re the exclusive authorized dealers of this never made coin. This is how the fiji mint should have done it. This is definitely a sellout item before out 3rd scheduled airing today. But wait, there’s more, act now and get a solid red oak box. Made from 100%American wood.
Kaiser,
I wonder what company manufactures the Red Oak boxes (ROB)?? I want to buy stock in their company for sure!
NumisdudeTX
Kaiser,
Good idea! The China Mint should package their panda bullion coins in bamboo boxes.
NumisdudeTX
Oh boy… where do I start?
Forget all the one they did already Morgan dollar huh. a pass…..Lincoln cent 09 common unless a S VDB remake. Statue of Liberty 1986 WTF, SAME WITH. All the others common, available…try a $4 Stella, 2017 HR are they smoking crack, they still have these Uber popular all available from USM SIX YEARS LATER…. Cal quarter great….Gorbrecht $1 must be stuck in silver……1804 dollar I got 3 already
Great ad for $16o exclusively priced medals as well. So, there would be like $4,000 for a 1849 $20….
Good list but the 1916s been done. Maybe a holy dollar pattern!!!! Aluminum Pennie’s, 1943 Copper cent in gold, reverse proof of course $3,043….
When it does so well, you gotta sell it again. Maybe we can get old colony and English French and Spanish coin. Made from South American and African gold. Or a guns of Murica series and highlight all the guns that changed history. Musket, long rifle, flint lock, Gatlin, the ironclad, cannon (land and ship) 1906, 1911, m16, m4, Winchester, colt, blunderbuss. Tommy. Serial numbers missing.
While actual stocks and handles made of cherry wood (from the George Washington hoarde) the matching coin sent in red oak box, made from recycled pine. With a green velvet liner of course. Hmmm maybe these red oak boxes is the red wave we kept hearing about
Kaiser,
Fun fact: In some states you cannot be buried in the old-fashioned cheap pine wood caskets used in the Wild West days, due to health/water table contamination reasons. Also, in many states, you cannot be buried on your private property. (Ivanna Trump was buried on one of Trump’s private golf courses, so she’s a hole there, just as she was to him when they were married! Lol.).
NumisdudeTX
In this day and age of no winners, only participation trophies, why not just make a trophy shaped coin that has all 21 obverse on 1 side and all reverse on other side. On the edge, 21 tied for 1st place. Then technically the longstanding, out of many, one; will be so appropriate.
Kaiser,
So very true for sure, as life is a contest that we all lose in the end – the great equalizer. “Heads I win, Tails you lose”! Lol.
NumisdudeTX
what wasn’t clear to me about the list is if they were going to re-issue the exact coin as-is, or if they are only going to steal the designs and plop them into oversized commemoratives – they’ve done the latter already (a $2000 giant palladium mercury dime is cool but not really the same as the original) i would much prefer to see the older coins come back in circulating form with the original relief that you can hold in your hand without costing a ton of cash. for me my favorite would be the standing quarter, just regular circulation… Read more »