2021-S 25C Crossing the Delaware-Silver, DCAM (Proof)

2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter

The 2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter serves as a "bridge" between two multi-year circulating commemorative coin series. Released following the conclusion of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program in January 2021, this one-year design type was issued to fill the gap before the American Women Quarters Program debuted in 2022. While it was initially positioned to become the new permanent design for the quarter, it ultimately became a sought-after one-year commemorative type.

Design and Artistry

The reverse design was finalized in 2020 and officially revealed on Christmas Day, marking the 244th anniversary of George Washington’s daring 1776 crossing of the Delaware River. Designed by Benjamin Sowards of the Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) and sculpted by Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso, the reverse depicts Washington leading his troops through the ice-choked river.

For the obverse, this release marked a final curtain call for John Flanagan’s original 1932 Washington portrait. This iconic design had not been struck in its classic form since 1998- prior to the significant structural modifications made to accommodate the 50 State Quarters Program.

Proof Mintages and Compositions

The San Francisco Mint produced two distinct Proof versions for collectors:

• Clad Proof: Struck in the standard copper-nickel composition, identical to the business-strike coins but featuring a mirror-like finish.
• Silver Proof: Struck in .999 fine silver, this composition was adopted in 2019, replacing the traditional .900 fine silver alloy that had been the standard for the majority of the nation's silver coinage history.

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