2017-P 25C Frederick Douglass NP (Regular Strike)

The 2017-P Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Quarter

Following the success of the 50 State Quarters and the subsequent District of Columbia and Territories programs, the United States Mint launched the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. Authorized by the National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–456), the series features redesigned quarters honoring national parks and historic sites from every state, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories.

The release order mirrors the timeline of the sites themselves, with coins issued based on when each location was first established as a national site.

The 2017 Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Quarter (P #625520, D #625521, S #625522) represents Washington, D.C. It is the second of five designs released that year and the 37th issue in the overall series.

The Legacy of Frederick Douglass

Born into slavery in Maryland, Douglass successfully escaped to New York City in 1838 at the age of 20. He eventually settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts, becoming a global figure in the fight for abolition and social reform. Douglass dedicated his life to ensuring the United States honored the values of its founding documents. He spent his final decades at Cedar Hill, his home in Washington, D.C., until his death on February 20, 1895.

From Private Home to National Site

In 1900, Douglass's widow founded a memorial association to preserve Cedar Hill alongside the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. The National Park Service (NPS) took ownership in 1962, and the home was officially designated a National Historic Site in 1988.

Reverse Design and Symbolism

The coin’s reverse depicts Douglass—the 19th century’s most prominent African-American abolitionist, writer, and orator—at his writing desk. He gazes directly at the viewer with a stern expression. This "stern facade" was a deliberate choice Douglass made throughout his life; he viewed photography as a tool for social progress, believing the "unvarnished truth" of a portrait could challenge racial prejudices.

The reverse was designed by Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Thomas R. Hipschen (initials "TRH") and engraved by Mint Sculptor Phebe Hemphill (initials "PH").

D.C. Quarter Trivia

This 2017 release marks the second time Washington, D.C. has honored a legendary African-American figure on a quarter. The first was in 2009, when jazz composer Duke Ellington was featured on the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarter (P #406597, D #406599).

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