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While not a rare coin in any of its forms, the Bicentennial quarter is squarely among the most important of all modern U.S. coinage issues. As a coin, it established the framework for future commemorative-coinage issues, and, as the first thematic circulating coin of its type, it also paved the way for the statehood quarters and America the Beautiful quarters. Near the end of 1973, an open contest was announced to select designs for the Bicentennial coinage to be issued in celebration of the 200th anniversary of U.S. independence. This announcement came after a long year of debate. Everyone, it seemed, was in agreement that the event was worthy of recognition, but many thought that a commemorative coin went against the primary purpose of the country’s coinage program: to produce coins that would be used readily in commerce. Based on that goal, no U.S. commemorative coin had been issued since 1954, and in recent years, from 1965 to 1967, coins had not had mintmarks so as to discourage hoarding. Now, it was proposed that coins would have a special design, making them sure candidates for hoarding. Initially, proponents of Bicentennial coinage sought to have all coins from the cent to the dollar redesigned. This proposal met strong resistance, and focus shifted to a redesign of only the half dollar and the dollar. Since these two denominations were less-used in commerce, plans proceeded with little resistance. As debate came into full swing, U.S. Mint director Mary Brooks and John Jay Pittman, director of the American Numismatic Association, pressed to have the quarter included in the redesign as well. With the numismatic press supporting them, they argued that Americans should have a coin in their pocket that represented the ideals of the country and told its story. Some, too, must have sensed the obvious omission if the quarter were not included—Washington, after all, was a great Revolutionary War general, but the Bicentennial coins being redesigned, the Kennedy half dollar and Eisenhower dollar, both featured 20th-century figures. When the design was announced, a plan was laid out that would be replicated by many future programs. Competitions are now regularly held to find and select new designs. The winner for the Bicentennial design was Jack L. Ahr’s reverse design of a colonial drummer and a torch surrounded by 13 stars. The obverse of the coins bore the dual date 1776–1976. To prevent hoarding and any potential interruption in commerce, a large number of coins were struck in advance of their 1975 release. Coins were released in both 1975 and 1976, with a special legislative allowance granted so that post-dated coins could circulate. There are, in fact, five different Bicentennial quarters. More than 1.6 billion pieces were struck at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints for circulation in the standard copper-nickel-clad composition, while regular copper-nickel Proof coins struck at San Francisco were included in the 1975 and 1976 Proof sets. Silver-clad examples were also struck at San Francisco in both Proof and Uncirculated formats that were each sold to collectors in three-coin sets alongside silver examples of the Bicentennial half dollar and dollar. All five different quarters are widely available today, with the Proof silver-clad version being the most valuable. Very high grade examples of the circulating coins can also be surprisingly elusive. Garrett, Jeff; Schechter, Scott. 100 Greatest US Modern Coins (Kindle Locations 2983-2989). Ingram Distribution. Kindle Edition.1976 was the first time that I really noticed our every day change. I had just begun collecting coins, but I thought that OLD coins was "where it's at". Our regular money never changed. (No pun intended). Then mt 13 year old self got handed a quarter with an all new reverse design....this was the seed of my interest in modern US coins which has cumulated in this set.
It really is amazing how hard it is to find the highest grade examples. Only 1 silver proof 1976 quarter is NGC graded PF70 UC. WHERE IS THAT COIN???