U.S. Mint Produced 448.5 Million Circulating Coins in January 2026 as 250th Anniversary Coins Debuted

This article is based on a CoinNews report published on February 12, 2026, about the U.S. Mint's production of circulating coins in January 2026.

January output at an eight-month high

According to CoinNews, the U.S. Mint produced 448.5 million coins for circulation in January 2026, an eight-month high. During the same period, the first 1776-2026 Semiquincentennial coins, marking the nation's 250th anniversary, entered circulation.

Output rose 60.6% from December 2025 (279.20 million) but was 29.2% lower than in January 2025 (633.56 million). A year earlier, cents were still being produced for commerce, and cent production alone accounted for 242.4 million coins.

Cents no longer struck for circulation

Last year, at the direction of the Treasury, the U.S. Mint stopped producing cents for circulation. The cent had often accounted for more than half of the Mint's annual output. Cents are now struck only for collector products, and the Mint does not publish those figures.

Changes by denomination

Compared with December, nickel output rose 95.4% and quarter production increased 103%, while dime production matched December's total.

In January, the Denver Mint struck 237.64 million coins and the Philadelphia Mint produced 210.86 million, for a combined 448.5 million. By denomination:

- Jefferson nickel: 164,160,000 (Denver 93,600,000; Philadelphia 70,560,000) - Emerging Liberty dime: 110,000,000 (Denver 50,000,000; Philadelphia 60,000,000) - Quarters: 160,400,000 (Denver 86,400,000; Philadelphia 74,000,000) - Enduring Liberty half dollar: 13,800,000 (Denver 7,500,000; Philadelphia 6,300,000) - Native American $1 coin: 140,000 (Denver only)

CoinNews calculated that if the current pace continues through December, 2026 production would near 5.4 billion coins. The Mint produced nearly 4.95 billion coins for circulation in 2025, a fifth straight year of declines and the lowest output since 2009.

Half dollars and dollars

In 2026, the long-running Kennedy half dollar design is replaced with a one-year-only "Enduring Liberty" design marking the 250th anniversary. As of the report, it was unclear how many 2026 half dollars had been produced for general circulation. Production figures up to that point showed 7.5 million struck at Denver and 6.3 million at Philadelphia, for 13.8 million in total. In 2025, production totaled 19.8 million at Denver and 14.2 million at Philadelphia, or 34 million overall. As of the report, rolls and bags of circulating 2026 P&D half dollars were expected to become available on May 5.

Native American $1 coins are no longer ordered by the Federal Reserve but are still struck in circulating quality for collectors. As of the report, 140,000 of the 2026 coins had been reported struck, all at Denver. In 2025, production reached 5.18 million, including 2.52 million from Denver and 2.66 million from Philadelphia. The Mint began selling rolls and bags of 2026 P&D Native American dollars on January 27.

Semiquincentennial quarters

For the 250th anniversary, the Mint will strike five 2026 quarters, recognizing the Mayflower Compact, the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Gettysburg Address.

The Mayflower Compact quarter entered circulation on January 5, and the Mint began offering rolls and bags to the public on February 5. The Mint reported 79.8 million struck in December (48.8 million at Denver, 31 million at Philadelphia), and January added 85.6 million at Denver and 73.2 million at Philadelphia. Cumulative totals as of the report were 134.4 million from Denver and 104.2 million from Philadelphia, or 238.6 million combined.

As of the February 12 report, the Revolutionary War quarter was scheduled for release in March. The Mint reported 1 million struck at Denver in December, and January added 800,000 each at Denver and Philadelphia, for cumulative totals of 1.8 million from Denver and 800,000 from Philadelphia, or 2.6 million overall.

Source: CoinNews, "U.S. Coin Production Jumps in January as 2026 Coins Debut" (February 12, 2026).