Coin Legislation Update: H.R. 2097 Passes Senate

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.