Close-up of a 2026-D Mayflower Compact quarter roll showing the ship reverse design through the wrapper, with additional rolls in the background

Semiquincentennial Quarters Series

Mayflower Compact Quarter

History, design, and collector guide

Close-up of a 2026-D Mayflower Compact quarter roll showing the ship reverse design through the wrapper, with additional rolls in the background

Mayflower Compact Overview

The Mayflower Compact quarter opened the Semiquincentennial series on January 5, 2026, becoming the first new quarter design to enter circulation for America’s 250th anniversary. It honors the Mayflower Compact, a short agreement signed aboard the Mayflower on November 21, 1620 by the ship’s passengers before they came ashore at what became Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Historians regard the Compact as one of the earliest examples of self-government based on the consent of the governed, a document often described as a forerunner to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Design and Specifications

The obverse shows two Pilgrims embracing as they look out at the New World, marking the moment before they came ashore without a charter to legally establish their colony. The reverse depicts the Mayflower under full sail, cutting through rough seas on its voyage west.

  • Obverse designer: Ronald D. Sanders, sculptor Eric David Custer
  • Reverse designer: Cyrus E. Dallin, sculptor Phebe Hemphill
  • Release date: January 5, 2026 (circulation), rolls and bags available February 5, 2026
  • Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel
  • Diameter: 24.26 mm, edge: reeded
  • Mints: Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D)

Production So Far

The Mint’s first production batch, struck in December 2025 ahead of the January release, totaled 78.2 million coins, with 48.8 million struck at the Denver Mint and the remainder at Philadelphia. Production continued well beyond that initial batch once the coin entered circulation, and combined 2026 quarter production across all designs topped 500 million by mid-2026.

A Confirmed Mint Error, Right Out of the Gate

In March 2026, an inventory specialist at Littleton Coin Company found a “struck-through” error while preparing bags of Philadelphia-struck Mayflower Compact quarters. A foreign object, likely stuck to the die, left an incuse impression between “GOD” and “WE” in the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and again between the dual dates “1776” and “2026.”

According to Littleton’s chief coin buyer, errors like this escape the Mint’s quality control in extremely small numbers, and finding one on a brand new design this early in a series is unusual. If you are coin roll hunting Mayflower Compact quarters, it is worth checking closely around the motto and the date for anything similar.

Collecting the Mayflower Compact Quarter

With production already in the tens of millions and climbing, a normal circulated Mayflower Compact quarter is worth face value, twenty five cents. It is genuinely fun to find one, though, since it is the first quarter obverse besides Washington that most collectors have ever pulled from pocket change.

The struck-through error is the one thing on this coin worth a second look. Confirmed examples with a clear, visible impression in the motto or date area are the ones generating collector interest, ordinary coins without the error are common and not worth a premium.

5 Fun Facts About the Mayflower Compact Quarter

  1. The Mayflower Compact quarter was the first coin released in the Semiquincentennial series, entering circulation January 5, 2026.
  2. It marks the first time since 1930 that a Washington-obverse quarter design has been fully replaced in general circulation.
  3. The Mayflower Compact was signed November 21, 1620, before the Pilgrims came ashore, since they lacked a charter for their actual landing site.
  4. A confirmed struck-through error, caused by a foreign object stuck to the die, was found on 2026-P coins in March 2026.
  5. The Mint’s first production run alone totaled 78.2 million coins across the Philadelphia and Denver mints.

5 Common FAQs About the Mayflower Compact Quarter

  1. Is a Mayflower Compact quarter worth anything?
    A normal circulated example is worth face value, twenty five cents. Confirmed struck-through error coins are the exception and draw collector interest.
  2. Why doesn’t the Mayflower Compact quarter have George Washington on it?
    2026 is the first year since 1930 that most circulating quarter designs replaced Washington entirely. Only the Revolutionary War quarter keeps him this year.
  3. What is the Mayflower Compact?
    A short agreement signed by the Mayflower’s passengers on November 21, 1620, establishing self-government by the consent of the colonists before they landed at Plymouth.
  4. What is the Mayflower Compact quarter error?
    A struck-through error found on 2026-P coins, where a foreign object stuck to the die left an incuse impression in the motto and between the dual dates.
  5. How many Mayflower Compact quarters were made?
    The initial December 2025 production run totaled 78.2 million, with more struck after the coin entered circulation in January 2026.

3 Quiz Questions About the Mayflower Compact Quarter

  1. When did the Mayflower Compact quarter enter circulation?
    A) November 2025
    B) January 5, 2026
    C) March 2026
    D) July 2026
  2. What caused the confirmed Mayflower Compact quarter error?
    A) A doubled die
    B) A foreign object stuck to the die
    C) A wrong planchet
    D) A clipped planchet
  3. Which mint struck the larger share of the first Mayflower Compact production run?
    A) Philadelphia
    B) Denver
    C) San Francisco
    D) West Point

Mayflower Compact Quarter, Takeaway

The Mayflower Compact quarter opened the Semiquincentennial series in January 2026 and made history as the first fully new quarter obverse since 1930. A confirmed struck-through error found just two months later adds a genuine reason to look closely at any you find, even though a normal example is worth only face value.

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