Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter, 2021 | CoinWeek

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

The Washington Quarter last had a consistent design in 1998, when John Flanagan’s Heraldic Eagle reverse was set aside in favor of the 50 State Quarters issued into circulation from 1999 through 2008. In 2009, as a stopgap measure, Congress authorized the production of quarters honoring each of the United States’ territories and the District of Columbia.

Starting in 2010, the Washington Quarter received another redesign with the 11-year America the Beautiful Quarters Program. With the conclusion of this second multiyear, multi-reverse series in 2021, Congress again saw fit to introduce additional circulating commemorative quarter programs. But before the first entry in the American Women Quarters series could be issued in 2022, the United States Mint was tasked with commemorating General George Washington’s famous 1776 crossing of the Delaware River on a one-year subtype.

Washington Crosses the Delaware

In a turning point of the American Revolutionary War, General Washington and 2,400 troops crossed the icy Delaware to launch a surprise attack on an encampment of better-trained and better-equipped Hessian soldiers.

The American attack was a decisive victory, with American forces taking nearly 900 prisoners and losing only two men. Washington would follow this success with victories at Assunpink Creek and Princeton. The Americans now believed that they could beat the British.

The iconic image of Washington crossing the Delaware that most think of is based on Emanuel Leutze’s painting Washington Crossing the Delaware (1851). Leutze’s original was destroyed in the aftermath of an allied bombing of Bremen, Germany, during World War II, but a copy is held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where it is on permanent display.

New Quarter Design Unveiled

On December 25, 2020, 244 years to the day of Washington’s heroic and daring river crossing, the United States Mint unveiled the new quarter design. Created by Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Benjamin Sowards and sculpted by Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso, the Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter’s reverse design shows a right-facing portrait of Washington, with his saber drawn and a boat filled with men navigating the river’s icy waters. For the obverse, Flanagan’s iconic Washington effigy was restored.

The 2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarters from the Philadelphia and Denver mints were released into circulation on April 5, 2021. Clad and silver Proofs were struck at San Francisco.

2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarters

• 2021-P
• 2021-D
• 2021-S Clad Proof
• 2021-S Silver Proof

Design

Obverse:

On the obverse, a left-facing portrait of Washington dominates the surface. Inside a flat rim is the word LIBERTY at the top, and the date at the bottom. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is placed to the lower left of Washington, the words arranged in two lines. The designer’s initials JF are on the right side of the base of Washington’s neck.

Reverse:

General Washington faces right, saber drawn, as he commands his troops through the overnight crossing of the icy Delaware River. In the background is a boat filled with Continental Army soldiers. Inscriptions include CROSSING THE DELAWARE, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the denomination QUARTER DOLLAR.

Edge:

The edge of the Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter is reeded.

Designers

American sculptor John Flanagan’s work in the medallic and metal arts ranks him as one of the best artists of his generation. For generations of coin collectors, he is most famous for his Washington Quarter design (View Designer’s Profile).

AIP artist Benjamin Sowards studied at Brigham Young University and Laguna College of Art and Design. He is known for his portraiture and fully painted book illustrations – including the Leven Thumps series of young adult fantasy novels. He has taught as Director of the Illustration Program at Southern Utah University since 2001.

Former Mint Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso joined the United States Mint in 2009, having worked at the Willet Hauser stained glass studio in Minnesota. He studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, the New York Academy Graduate School of Figurative Art in New York City, and the Repin Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia. Gaudioso retired from the Mint in 2020.

Coin Specifications

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