Civic Season
US Mint at Monticello: Celebrating the Declaration Coin
- Free
Join Monticello and the United States Mint for a celebration of the new Declaration of Independence Semiquincentennial Coin, commemorating 250 years since the signing of Jefferson’s Declaration in 1776.
About the Event
The program includes remarks from the Director of the U.S. Mint and a special appearance by Thomas Jefferson, portrayed by Bill Barker, connecting past to present at a site where so much of America's history took shape.
| Program Schedule | |
|---|---|
| 10-11am | View the award-winning Monticello | U.S. Mint Docu Short, PLAIN NUMBERS: The Jefferson Nickel, produced and directed by Ian G.H. Atkins at the Howard and Abby Milstein Theater |
| 11am -3pm | Coins for Young Visitors* and Children’s Activity Table in the Visitor Center Courtyard |
| 1-1:30pm | Remarks from U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis, Treasurer of the United States Brandon Beach, and Monticello's Vice President for Research and Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, Dr. Andrew Davenport, followed by a special appearance by Thomas Jefferson, portrayed by Bill Barker, and a commemorative coin pour of the new quarter. |
| 1:30 – 3:00pm | US Mint artist, John McGraw, will sign commemorative coin holders. |
Speakers
Brandon Beach — the 46th Treasurer of the United States.
In this role, he provides leadership and oversight for the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Fort Knox, and the Office of Tribal and Native Affairs, while also serving as a senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent.
Appointed by President Trump in May 2025, Treasurer Beach brings more than a decade of legislative experience to the position. From 2013 to 2025, he represented Georgia’s 21st District in the State Senate, where he chaired the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism. During his time in the legislature, he also served as an ex-officio member of the Committees on Higher Education, Reapportionment and Redistricting, and Transportation, and held seats on the Appropriations, Finance, Rules, and Assignments Committees.
Paul Hollis — Director of the United States Mint
President Donald J. Trump nominated the Honorable Paul Hollis to be the Director of the United States Mint on July 16, 2025, and the United States Senate confirmed him for this position on December 18, 2025. On January 5, 2026, Paul took the oath of office, becoming the 41st Director of the United States Mint.
Paul is a former Louisiana State Representative and one of the nation's leading authorities on United States coinage. He has spent more than 30 years as a professional numismatist. He is also an award-winning author of "American Numismatist" and a 25-year Life Member of the congressionally chartered American Numismatic Association.
During his career, Paul has served on various professional boards that include the Industry Council for Tangible Assets as well as the Numismatic Literary Guild. Following his 12 years of service in the Louisiana Legislature, Paul was elected to the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2023, where he served a constituency of 500,000.
Paul and his wife, Ashley, have been married for 24 years and have two children.
Coins for Young Visitors
Stop by the U.S. Mint table in the visitor center courtyard, where only children under 18 can pick up a complimentary coin and semiquincentennial coin holder *while supplies last. It's a tangible piece of history to take home.
About the Coin
The new Declaration quarter is part of the 2026 Semiquincentennial Circulating Coin Program, commemorating 250 years of American independence. It honors Jefferson as the Declaration's principal author and the nation's third president.
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Description: The obverse design features Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States. The inscriptions are “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “1776 ~ 2026.”
The reverse design depicts the Liberty Bell ringing. While it is unclear whether it rang out in July 1776, the Liberty Bell often rang to draw people near and share an announcement, or a declaration. The Bell’s crack is visible; the fragility of the Bell echoing the fragility of a young nation at its founding. The inscriptions are “THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “LIBERTY,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
About the Artist
John McGraw — Medallic Artist | U.S. Mint
John McGraw became a Medallic Artist in March 2020. He joined the U.S. Mint in January 2014 as a Product Design Specialist.
John received a BA in Sculpture and Graphic Design from Rutgers University Camden. Prior to joining the Mint, his first job was as a sculptor for Carolfi Studios just three blocks from the Philadelphia Mint. At Carolfi Studios he worked on architectural restorations and installations for multiple clients around the world.
In 1998, John started as a sculptor for Lenox China, America’s foremost dinnerware and collectables company. He mastered traditional pottery skills and low relief sculpting techniques in clay and plaster.
Leveraging his traditional sculpting skills with his 3-D digital artistry at Lenox, John created design concepts, dinnerware services, and figurative sculptures for many renown designers, brands, and companies, including Kate Spade, Donna Karen, Marchesa, Dansk, Walt Disney, and Warner Brothers. He helped develop both traditional and digital dinnerware shapes for multiple U.S. presidential and vice-presidential dinnerware services including President Clinton, President George W. Bush, and Vice President Cheney.
Monticello gratefully acknowledges the partnership of More Perfect in our 250th anniversary initiatives.