The U.S. Mint has issued the 2026 Semiquincentennial Enduring Liberty Half Dollar, featuring a "9-11-01" privy mark encircled by "NEVER FORGET," to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Circulating-quality coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint are available in 20-coin rolls for $40 and 100-coin bags for $100; preorders run through Sept. 25, with shipping expected Dec. 3. Officials say the coin is intended both to honor victims and to serve as a tangible tool for educating younger generations, amid polling that shows many born after 2001 lack familiarity with 9/11.
U.S. Mint Releases 2026 “Never Forget” Half Dollar to Mark 25th Anniversary of 9/11
Semiquincentennial Half Dollar 2026. (United States Mint)
The U.S. Mint on Thursday unveiled the 2026 Semiquincentennial Enduring Liberty Half Dollar — a circulating-quality coin bearing a "9-11-01" privy mark encircled by the words "NEVER FORGET" — issued to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Design And Symbolism
The obverse (front) shows a close-up of the Statue of Liberty gazing outward and includes the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the dates "1776 ~ 2026." The reverse depicts Liberty passing her torch to a new generation and bears the inscription "KNOWLEDGE IS THE ONLY GUARDIAN OF TRUE LIBERTY." A prominent privy mark — "9-11-01" surrounded by "NEVER FORGET" — commemorates the anniversary; the issue also honors victims of the February 26, 1993, World Trade Center bombing.
Availability And Pricing
The coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint and are being offered in circulating quality. The U.S. Mint is selling them in 20-coin rolls for $40 and 100-coin bags for $100. Preorders opened Thursday and run through September 25 at 3 p.m. ET, with shipping expected to begin on December 3.
Remarks And Purpose
"A quarter century later, our promise to the victims and their families remains the same: we will never forget," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in announcing the coin.
U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis added, "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...about the sacrifices made."
Context And Public Memory
The release coincides with renewed discussion about how younger Americans remember and learn about 9/11. A YouGov survey conducted Aug. 20–23 (n=1,098; margin of error ±4.1 percentage points) found 54% of U.S. adults say people born after 2001 generally do not have a good understanding of the attacks.
- 75% of respondents said they remember where they were when they first heard about the attacks, with most calling that memory very clear.
- Memory varies sharply by generation: only 15% of adults under 30 recall hearing about the attacks at the time, compared with 90% of those aged 30 and older.
- Nearly two-thirds of Americans said the attacks changed the United States completely, and 51% support making September 11 a national holiday to honor those who died.
Historical Note
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks on September 11, 2001, when hijacked airliners struck the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; a fourth plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The Mint has previously produced commemorative pieces, including a one-ounce silver September 11 National Medal released for the 10th anniversary in 2011.
The half dollar is part of the U.S. Mint's broader 2026 Semiquincentennial program marking the nation’s 250th anniversary and is presented by officials as both a memorial and an educational tool to help preserve the memory of those events for future generations.
Help us improve.
