Plinky's Coin of the Month
July 1999

Before the 50 State Quarters® Program, when was the last time a design other than the eagle appeared on the back of the quarter?

From 1975–76.  For those two years, the United States Mint produced the Bicentennial Quarter.

The quarter's reverse has a colonial drummer and a victory torch circled by 13 stars, one star for each state in the Union when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Bet you can't tell a quarter minted in 1975 from one minted in 1976.  Why?  No one can—only Bicentennial Quarters were made, and all have the same dual dating (1776–1976).