A musket salute cracked over the North Bridge in Concord on Sept. 9 as the U.S. Mint unveiled the first new dime design in 80 years.

U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis said the park was chosen because colonists there mustered the courage to fight for freedom, as first reported by The Concord Bridge. The free celebration at the North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty St., ran from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and featured a color guard and a musket salute performed by volunteers from the Friends of Minute Man National Park. Commemorative coin boards were available throughout the day.

The coin, called the "Emerging Liberty" dime, replaces the Franklin D. Roosevelt portrait that had appeared on every circulating dime since 1946. Liberty had graced the dime in various forms from its first minting in 1796 until Roosevelt replaced her. The new design is a one-year-only issue produced for the nation's Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of American independence. The Mint will keep striking the coin through the end of 2026.

On the front, a figure of Liberty wears a cap patterned with stars and stripes as winds sweep through her hair. The back shows an eagle in flight clutching arrows over the inscription "LIBERTY OVER TYRANNY." Artist Esao Andrews designed the front image, and Eric David Custer designed the reverse, according to CoinNews.net. The designs were selected from 21 candidates reviewed in late 2024.

The arrows drew attention. Earlier in 2026, the absence of an olive branch on the reverse sparked controversy. Hollis recounted that designer Custer explained colonists at the time of the Revolution "couldn't even think about peace; it was not an option."

Donna McIntosh, Concord's town communication manager, said the dime's themes of liberty and independence made Minute Man National Historical Park a fitting stage for the celebration.

The dime is part of a broader 2026 Semiquincentennial coin lineup that includes a half dollar and five quarter designs honoring milestones such as the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence.

The Mint began shipping the new dimes to Federal Reserve banks on Jan. 5 and had struck about 260 million for circulation through March. Collector sets have already sold out. A two-roll set limited to 12,000 and a 200-coin bag limited to 8,000 were both listed as unavailable as of Sept. 20, according to CoinNews.net.

Residents may still find the coins in everyday change through the end of the year.