Full Breakdown
2026 Enduring Liberty Half Dollar Marks 25th Anniversary of September 11
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Background & Context
The United States Mint’s 2026 Semiquincentennial Enduring Liberty program coincides with the nation’s 250th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The coin also honors the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing, linking three pivotal dates on a single circulating half-dollar.
Coin Design and Production Details
- Obverse: A close-up of the Statue of Liberty looking outward, inscribed “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and the dual date 1776 ~ 2026. A privy mark displays “9-11-01” encircled by NEVER FORGET.
- Minting: Struck at the Philadelphia Mint (P mint mark) for public sale; a West Point-minted presentation set (W mint mark) bears the privy mark “ALWAYS REMEMBER.”
- Availability: Preorders opened on September 10 and close on September 25, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET. Rolls of 20 coins sell for $40; bags of 100 sell for $100. Shipping begins on December 3.
- Presentation Coins: On August 21, 2026 the Mint delivered 2,983 special-issue Enduring Liberty half dollars to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, matching the total of 2,977 victims of the 2001 attacks plus six victims of the 1993 bombing.
Official Statements & Responses
Mint Director Paul Hollis highlighted the coin’s educational role, noting that broader distribution offers a tangible reminder of national unity and a tool to teach younger Americans about the sacrifices made. Officials linked the design’s forward-looking imagery to the need for future generations to understand the events that reshaped the country.
Public Reception and Educational Intent
A YouGov survey conducted August 20-23 found that 54 percent of U.S. adults believe Americans born after 2001 lack a good understanding of the attacks. The poll reported that three-quarters of respondents could recall where they were when the news broke, but only 15 percent of adults under 30 remembered hearing about the attacks at the time.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact wording of the 9/11 privy mark. The Philadelphia-struck public coins feature NEVER FORGET, while the West Point presentation pieces use ALWAYS REMEMBER. Both versions are authentic but serve distinct collector markets. The public issue lists no mintage limit; the presentation set’s count of 2,983 coins directly mirrors the memorial’s victim tally.
Verbatim Quotes
- “A quarter century later, our promise to the victims and their families remains the same: we will never forget,” — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
- “Offering these special coins to a greater number of Americans affords more of us a tangible reminder of how the Nation came together on that fateful day, and provides us opportunity to educate younger generations, many of whom were not even born, about the sacrifices made,” — Paul Hollis, mint director