San Marcos illustrator Chris Palance saw his artwork chosen for the U.S. Mint’s ongoing American democracy coin series, a project that celebrates the nation’s founding documents .. His design, featuring a floating quill against storm‑clouds pierced by sunlight, will appear on the 250th‑anniversary coin for the Declaration of Independence. The Mint plans two follow‑up issues – one for the Constitution in 2025 and another for the Bill of Rights in 2028.

Palance’s quill‑pen design anchors the 250th‑anniversary coin

The selected artwork shows a quill pen hovering above a stylized parchment, with storm clouds breaking apart to reveal rays of sunshine. Palance explained that the composition is meant to evoke the moment of birth for the new nation, “the quill … floating off of the surface with storm clouds in the background that are slightly breaking apart with rays of sunshine pouring through.” The visual metaphor ties the act of signing the Declaration of Independence to a hopeful emergence from turmoil .

Upcoming Constitution and Bill of Rights coins slated for 2025 and 2028

According to the KPBS interview , the Mint’s series will continue with a 2025 coin depicting the U.S. Constitution and a third issue scheduled for 2028 featuring the Bill of Rights. Each coin will carry a distinct image tailored to its subject, extending the narrative of American governance across three decades of releases.

U.S. Mint’s designer competition: process and selection criteria

The Mint runs an open competition for artists, evaluating submissions on artistic merit, historical relevance, and how well the design translates to a three‑dimensional coin. As Palance noted, “there’s competition among designers,” and the final choice hinges on how the image interacts with light and metal – a factor that creates the illusion of movement when the coin is turned.

Unclear timeline for the third iteration of the seires

While the interview mentions a 2028 release for the Bill of Rights coin, the exact launch date and design brief have not been confirmed by the Mint. The source does not provide details on whether the 2028 issue will follow the same artistic guidelines or if a new set of designers will be invited.

What still needs verification about the series’ rollout

Two specific points remain uncertain: first, whether the Constitution coin will indeed debut in 2025 as stated, and second , if the Mint has already shortlisted artists for the 2028 Bill of Rights design. The KPBS report relays Palance’s perspective but does not include official Mint statements confirming these dates.