Depicts a modified left-facing bust of George Washington, a design by John Flanagan based on a 1786 plaster bust by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. Sculptor-engraver William Cousins designed the newer rendition of Washington.

Wrapping around the top of the coin is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. To Washington’s left is the inscription LIBERTY. To his right, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The coin’s denomination wraps around the bottom of the coin, written as QUARTER DOLLAR. The initials of John Flanagan (JF) and William Cousins (WC) are visible in the bust truncation. The mintmark is seen to the right of Washington’s ponytail.

George Washington (1732–1799) was the first President of the United States (1789–1797), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the current United States Constitution and during his lifetime was called the "father of his country".

Depicts Duke Ellington, who was born and raised in Washington, D.C., seated at a grand piano. The District's motto "Justice for All" below.

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899–1974) was an American composer, pianist, and bandleader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death in a career spanning over fifty years. Often collaborating with others, some with John Coltrane, Billy Strayhorn, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, Ellington wrote more than one thousand compositions; his extensive body of work is the largest recorded personal jazz legacy, with many of his works having become standards.

Due to his inventive use of the orchestra, or big band, and thanks to his eloquence and charisma, Ellington is generally considered to have elevated the perception of jazz to an art form on a par with other more traditional musical genres.

Throughout his life, he received numerous awards and honors, including multiple Grammy® awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 in honor of his ability to carry the message of freedom to all the Nations of the world through his gift of music and understanding. His reputation continued to rise after he died, and he was awarded a special posthumous Pulitzer Prize for music in 1999.

Engraver: Don Everhart (DE)