Coin Legislation

Next year, the United States Mint will issue 2011 Commemorative Coins under two separate programs. Following the prior two years of programs featuring only silver dollars, next year’s issues will also include coins struck in gold and copper nickel clad composition. Across both programs, a total of five different commemorative coins will be issued. Additionally, commemorative medals will be issued under a separate program.

The 2011 Army Commemorative coins will be issued in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the U.S. Army, to honor the American solider of today and yesterday, and to commemorate the traditions, history and heritage of the Army. The authorizing legislation was signed into law in December 2008.

The program will include $5 gold coins, silver dollars, and clad half dollars with maximum authorized mintages of 100,000 coins, 500,000 coins, and 750,000 coins, respectively. All coins will be available in either proof or uncirculated versions.

Designs for the upcoming coins have not yet been announced, but candidate designs have been reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and Commission of Fine Arts.

The second program on schedule for next year will be the 2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative coins. This program will recognize and celebrate America’s highest award for valor in action against an enemy force and the recipients of the Medal of Honor. The authorizing legislation was signed in November 2009.

Coins issued through the program will include $5 gold coin to a maximum mintage of 100,000, and silver dollars to a maximum mintage of 500,000. Once again, designs have not yet been announced, but candidate designs are available for viewing.

Besides the commemorative coin programs, the US Mint will also issue 2011 September 11 Commemorative Medals. The medals would be struck “in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and the establishement of hte National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.”

The authorizing legislation was only recently signed into law on August 6, 2010. Up to two million medals struck in one ounce of silver are authorized. Based on the legislation, the designs would focus on the courage, sacrifice, and strength of those who perished in the attacks, the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others, and the resilience and hope of those who survived.

The schedule of upcoming commemorative coins continues to fill up with the recent passage of H.R. 2097. This bill was introduced back on April 23, 2009 by Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland. It was passed by the House on September 9, 2009 and more recently approved by the Senate on August 2, 2010.

With the President’s signature on August 16, 2010, the bill became Public Law No. 111-232. It requires the Treasury Secretary to issue $5 gold coins and silver dollars to commemorate the bicentennial of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, the National Anthem of the United States of America.

The maximum two commemorative coin programs per year have now been approved for upcoming years through 2012. The Star Spangled Banner commemorative coins will join previously approved coins for the Army Infantry. For 2011, programs will honor the Medal of Honor and the Army.

For the years 2013 and 2014, one program has already been approved for each year honoring the centennial of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

Last week, the President signed the bill H.R. 4684, creating Public Law No: 111-221. This law will require the Secretary of the Treasury to produce commemorative silver medals for the 10th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the establishment of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

This program for medals would join two previously approved commemorative coin programs authorized for 2011, which will feature the United States Army and the Medal of Honor.

Up to 2 million of the silver medals may be produced through December 31, 2012. Sales of the medals may begin on January 1, 2011, with no specified ending date. Each medal will contain one ounce of silver and be struck in quality comparable to proof coins.

H.R. 2097: Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act passed the Senate on August 2, 2010. Since the bill had previously passed in the House of September 9, 2009, the only thing now required to make the bill law is the president’s signature.

The bill, which seeks Star Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins struck in gold and silver would be issued to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the writing of our national anthem. This bill had been introduced on April 23, 2009. Previous attempts had been made to authorize such a program, but past proposals had never progressed to this stage.

After the bill is signed into law, up to 100,000 of the $5 gold coins and 500,000 of the silver dollars could be issued in the year 2012, with designs emblematic of the Battle of Baltimore during War of 1812, which served as the inspiration for the anthem.

H.R. 4684: national September 11 Memorial & Museum Commemorative Medal Act of 2010 passed the House on July 20, 2010 and passed the Senate on July 22, 2010. The bill now awaits the President’s signature.

The bill seeks the production and issuance of commemorative medals struck in one ounce of silver for the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the establishment of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The bill was originally introduced on February 24, 2010 by Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York.

If signed into law, up to 2 million of the silver medals would be produced by the Secretary of the Treasury. The bill requests that the medals be minted half at the Philadelphia Mint and half at the West Point Mint. The medals would be issued beginning January 1, 2011, with production to conclude by December 31, 2012.