69–006 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 110–748 

AMERICA’S BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL PARKS QUARTER 

DOLLAR COIN ACT OF 2008 

JULY 8, 2008.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, from the Committee on Financial 

Services, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 6184] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Financial Services, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 6184) to provide for a program for circulating quarter dollar coins that are emblematic of a national park or other national 

site in each State, the District of Columbia, and each territory of 

the United States, and for other purposes, having considered the 

same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 2 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 3 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 3 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 4 

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 4 

New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures ............. 4 

Committee Cost Estimate ....................................................................................... 4 

Congressional Budget Office Estimate ................................................................... 4 

Federal Mandates Statement ................................................................................. 7 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 8 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 8 

Applicability to Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 8 

Earmark Identification ............................................................................................ 8 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 8 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 9 


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PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

The ‘‘America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin 

Act of 2008’’ intends to create a beautiful, educational and logical 

successor to the 50-State quarter program that ends in 2008, and 

to its one-year successor program that honors the District of Columbia and the five territories on the reverse of the quarter in 

2009. Beginning in 2009, quarters issued would bear designs honoring one national park in each of the 50 States plus the District 

of Columbia and the territories, with five designs issued a year in 

the order the sites were designated as national sites. In addition, 

a unique investment-grade silver bullion coin would be available 

for sale through the normal investor network but also available for 

bulk purchase by a designee of the National Park Service so that 

the investment coins could be sold as mementos at various national 

sites including those chosen to be represented on circulating quarter dollars. The investment grade coins would be three inches in diameter, contain five ounces of .999 fine silver and bear exact replicas of the quarter dollar designs, issued only in the year when the 

comparable circulating quarter was issued. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 6184 was introduced June 4, 2008, by Mr. Castle, for himself, Mrs. Maloney and Mr. Gutierrez. The bill seeks to build on the 

success of the widely popular 50-State quarter program, which will 

end this year, followed by a one-year program during which the 

United States Mint will issue quarter-dollars with reverses honoring the District of Columbia and the five territories. 

H.R. 6184 would replace the images representing the various 

States on the reverse of the quarter with images of America’s national parks. Taking the structure of the State quarter program, it 

calls for five different designs a year, with the coins issued in the 

order in which the national park was designated either by the 

President or by Congress. All 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and the territories, would be honored, and after the first round 

of 56 quarters the Treasury Secretary could opt to do a second 56 

coins, honoring a second national site in each state or territory. 

To allow the proper ordering of the 56 designs, the legislation requires the Treasury Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 

of the Interior, the chief executive of each state or territory, and 

other appropriate Federal officials, to choose the complete list within 270 days of enactment. It allows for the selection of a national 

site other than a national park in the event that a national seashore, or a national monument or similar site is more significant 

to a particular state and its residents, and to the country, than a 

national park in that state. Coin reverse designs would be chosen 

by the Treasury Secretary in a manner similar to the method for 

choosing the State quarter designs. At the end of the program—

after either the first 56 or a second 56 coins—the reverse design 

would become a depiction of General Washington crossing the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton. 

Additionally, the bill creates an unusual investment-grade silver 

coin that would be three inches in diameter and be made of five 

ounces of .999 fine silver, and be issued bearing exact duplicates 

of the quarters. The bullion investment-grade coins would be issued 


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and for sale only during the year in which the equivalent quarter 

design is issued. The coins are expected to have appeal to investors 

as a hedge against inflation, and be available for sale through the 

normal investment-coin network, but the bill also makes special arrangements for the National Park Service or its designee to buy the 

bullion coins in bulk and make them available for sale at the national parks or other national sites represented on the quarters as 

mementos. 

HEARINGS

No hearings were held on H.R. 6184 in the 110th Congress. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

The Committee on Financial Services met in open session on 

June 24, 2008, and ordered reported H.R. 6184, America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008, to the House 

with a favorable recommendation by a record vote of 58 yeas and 

0 nays. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion 

to report legislation and amendments thereto. A motion by Mr. 

Frank to report the bill to the House with a favorable recommendation was agreed to by a record vote of 58 yeas and 0 nays (Record 

vote no. FC–111). The names of Members voting for and against 

follow: 

Representative Aye Nay Present Representative Aye Nay Present 

Mr. Frank .............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Bachus ........................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Kanjorski ......................... X ............ .............. Ms. Pryce (OH) ..................... X ............ ..............

Ms. Waters ............................ X ............ .............. Mr. Castle ............................ X ............ ..............

Mrs. Maloney ......................... ........... ............ .............. Mr. King (NY) ....................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Gutierrez ......................... X ............ .............. Mr. Royce ............................. ........... ............ ..............

Ms. Vela ́zquez ....................... ........... ............ .............. Mr. Lucas ............................. X ............ ..............

Mr. Watt ................................ X ............ .............. Mr. Paul ............................... ........... ............ ..............

Mr. Ackerman ........................ ........... ............ .............. Mr. LaTourette ...................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Sherman ......................... X ............ .............. Mr. Manzullo ........................ X ............ ..............

Mr. Meeks ............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Jones .............................. X ............ ..............

Mr. Moore (KS) ...................... X ............ .............. Mrs. Biggert ......................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Capuano ......................... ........... ............ .............. Mr. Shays ............................. X ............ ..............

Mr. Hinojosa .......................... X ............ .............. Mr. Miller (CA) ..................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Clay ................................ ........... ............ .............. Mrs. Capito .......................... X ............ ..............

Mrs. McCarthy ....................... X ............ .............. Mr. Feeney ............................ X ............ ..............

Mr. Baca ............................... X ............ .............. Mr. Hensarling ..................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Lynch .............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Garrett (NJ) .................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Miller (NC) ...................... X ............ .............. Ms. Brown-Waite .................. X ............ ..............

Mr. Scott ............................... X ............ .............. Mr. Barrett (SC) ................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Green .............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Gerlach .......................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Cleaver ........................... X ............ .............. Mr. Pearce ............................ X ............ ..............

Ms. Bean ............................... X ............ .............. Mr. Neugebauer .................... X ............ ..............

Ms. Moore (WI) ...................... ........... ............ .............. Mr. Price (GA) ...................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Davis (TN) ...................... X ............ .............. Mr. Davis (KY) ...................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Hodes .............................. X ............ .............. Mr. McHenry ......................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Ellison ............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Campbell ....................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Klein ............................... X ............ .............. Mr. Putnam .......................... ........... ............ ..............

Mr. Mahoney (FL) .................. ........... ............ .............. Mrs. Bachmann .................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Wilson ............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Roskam .......................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Perlmutter ....................... X ............ .............. Mr. Marchant ....................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Murphy ............................ X ............ .............. Mr. McCotter ........................ ........... ............ ..............


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Representative Aye Nay Present Representative Aye Nay Present 

Mr. Donnelly .......................... X ............ .............. Mr. McCarthy ........................ X ............ ..............

Mr. Foster .............................. X ............ .............. Mr. Heller ............................. X ............ ..............

Mr. Carson ............................ X ............ ..............

Ms. Speier ............................. ........... ............ ..............

Mr. Cazayoux ......................... X ............ ..............

Mr. Childers .......................... X ............ ..............

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee has held hearings and made 

findings that are reflected in this report. 

PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee establishes the following performance related goals and objectives for this legislation: 

The United States Mint will have succeeded at the rollout of this 

program if it has selected the 56 sites to be depicted on the first 

round of ‘‘National Park’’ quarters after having worked closely with 

the Interior Secretary, other Federal officials and the chief executives of the states and territories, in time to design the first five 

designs and put together a marketing program in time to issue the 

first of the new series of quarter dollars in January, 2010. Additionally, success will be evidenced by having developed a source of 

supply for the unique bullion coins, and a marketing program for 

them, so that they may be issued beginning in 2010 as well. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX

EXPENDITURES

In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the estimate of new budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues contained in the cost estimate prepared by 

the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by 

the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate provided by 

the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974: 


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JULY 8, 2008. 

Hon. BARNEY FRANK, 

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 6184, the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. 

Sincerely, 

PETER R. ORSZAG. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 6184—America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar 

Coin Act of 2008 

Summary: H.R. 6184 would authorize the U.S. Mint to make 

changes to the design of the quarter-dollar coin to feature one national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia, and each territory beginning in 2010. In addition, the legislation would require production of a new silver bullion coin bearing 

the same design as the quarter dollar. 

CBO estimates that enacting this bill would reduce direct spending by $26 million over the 2010–2018 period. H.R. 6184 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would not affect the 

budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 6184 is shown in the following table. The 

budgetary effects of this legislation fall within budget function 800 

(general government). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars—

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2009– 2013 

2009– 2018 

CHANGES IN DIRECT SPENDING 

National Park Quarter Program: 

Estimated Budget 

Authority ............... 0 ¥2 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥11 ¥26 

Estimated Outlays .... 0 ¥2 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥11 ¥26 

Net Proceeds from Sales of 

Silver Bullion Coin: 

Estimated Budget 

Authority ............... 0 * * * * * * * * * * * 

Estimated Outlays .... 0 * * * * * * * * * * * 

Net Changes in Direct 

Spending Under H.R. 

6184: 

Estimated Budget 

Authority ............... 0 ¥2 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥11 ¥26 

Estimated Outlays .... 0 ¥2 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥3 ¥11 ¥26 

Note: * = savings of less than $500,000. 

In addition to the budgetary effects summarized in the table, by 

increasing the public’s holding of coins, H.R. 6184 also would provide the government with additional resources for financing the 

federal deficit. The seigniorage (or profit) from placing the additional coins in circulation—the difference between the face value of 


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the coins and the cost of production—would reduce the amount the 

government needs to borrow from the public. CBO estimates that 

seigniorage resulting from the bill would amount to about $785 

million over the 2010–2018 period. Under the principles established by the President’s 1967 Commission on Budget Concepts, 

seigniorage does not directly affect the budget but is treated as a 

means of financing the deficit. 

Basis of estimate: H.R. 6184 would direct the Secretary of the 

Treasury to design and issue a series of quarters that feature one 

national park or other national site in each state, the District of 

Columbia, and each territory (for a total of 56) over an 11-year period, beginning in 2010. During this period, designs for each national park or other national site in each state would replace the 

eagle design on the reverse side of the George Washington quarter 

that is scheduled to be used again in 2010 following the end of the 

state quarters series. 

The Mint would issue five quarters a year in the order that the 

national sites were established. The Secretary of the Treasury 

would select the sites within 270 days of enactment in consultation 

with the Secretary of the Interior, the governor or other chief executive of each state, territory, or the District of Columbia. The design selection would be made by the Secretary of the Treasury after 

consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Commission 

on Fine Arts. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee would review the designs. After the new National Parks Quarter Dollar Program ends, the quarter-dollar reverse design would contain an 

image of Washington crossing the Delaware prior to the Battle of 

Trenton. 

The bill also would direct the Mint to produce a silver bullion 

coin bearing the same designs as the circulating quarter dollars 

that would only be available during the calendar year the circulating coin is issued. The 0.999 fine silver bullion coins would have 

a diameter of 3 inches and weigh 5 ounces. The distribution of the 

bullion coins would be made through authorized dealers or through 

the National Park Service or a designee. 

NATIONAL PARKS QUARTER DOLLAR PROGRAM

Beginning in 2010, H.R. 6184 would authorize the Mint to sell 

uncirculated and proof coins, both made of copper-nickel and silver. 

CBO expects that the Mint would sell a variety of proof and silver 

sets of the redesigned quarter dollar. Since those are commercial 

products, the receipts would constitute offsetting collections to the 

Mint. Based on information from the Mint and historical sales and 

profit information for the 50 State Quarters Program, CBO estimates that those sales would increase offsetting collections to the 

Mint by about $30 million annually, for a total of about $263 million over the 2010–2018 period. Based on the cost of previous Mint 

sets, CBO estimates that the Mint would retain and spend about 

$27 million annually of the increased offsetting collections to cover 

the costs of producing the coins, at a total cost of about $237 million over the 2010–2018 period. The Mint must transfer any excess 

funds it generates from sales to the general fund of the Treasury. 

CBO estimates that net receipts to the Treasury, therefore, would 

total about $3 million annually or $26 million over the 2010–2018 

period. 


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SILVER BULLION COIN

H.R. 6184 would direct the Mint to produce a quarter-dollar coin 

of 0.999 fine silver bullion for investors. The new silver bullion coin 

would be produced in the same sequence as the coins in the National Parks Quarter Dollar Program. Based on information from 

the Mint and the numismatic and investment community, CBO expects that sales of the silver bullion coins would be small. Thus, we 

estimate that the silver bullion coins would generate less than 

$500,000 a year in excess of production costs; that amount would 

be recorded in the budget as offsetting receipts. 

SEIGNIORAGE

In addition to the bill’s effects on direct spending, by increasing 

the public’s holding of quarters, H.R. 6184 also would result in the 

government’s acquiring additional resources for financing the federal deficit in the form of seigniorage—the difference between the 

face value of coins and the cost to produce them. The Mint’s 50 

State Quarters Program has been credited with generating renewed interest in holding more coins by collectors and the public. 

The production of quarters increased from about 1.5 billion over 

the 1989–1998 period to over 6 billion in fiscal year 2000 when the 

50 State Quarters Program began. By fiscal year 2007, however, 

demand for quarters had fallen to about 2.7 billion quarters. The 

Mint estimates that the 50 State Quarters Program has generated 

about $3.5 billion of seigniorage since the program began in 1999. 

CBO expects that enacting the bill would lead to a greater production of quarters, although not as many as the 50 State Quarters 

Program. The seigniorage, or profit, from placing the additional 

coins in circulation would reduce the amount of government borrowing from the public. Quarter-dollar production has averaged 

about 3.5 billion coins a year over the past nine years, and the seigniorage is about 15.2 cents per coin. However, over the past five 

years, quarter-dollar production has diminished to about 2.6 billion 

coins a year. Based on information from the Mint and the 

numisatic community, CBO expects that quarter-dollar production 

under the National Parks Quarter Dollar Program would be about 

2 billion coins annually, or almost 600 million more quarter-dollar 

coins a year than would otherwise be produced. CBO estimates 

that seigniorage earned by the federal government would increase 

by about $785 million over the 10-year period. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 6184 contains 

no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in 

UMRA and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 

governments. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Matthew Pickford; Impact 

on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Elizabeth Cove; Impact 

on the Private Sector: Paige Piper/Bach. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 


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ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds that the Constitutional 

Authority of Congress to enact this legislation is provided by Article 1, section 8, clause 1 (relating to the general welfare of the 

United States) and clause 3 (relating to the power to regulate interstate commerce). 

APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. 

EARMARK IDENTIFICATION

H.R. 6184 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule 

XXI. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF H.R. 6184 

Section 1. Short title 

This section establishes the short title of the bill, the ‘‘America’s 

Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008.’’

TITLE I—NATIONAL SITE QUARTER DOLLARS

Section 101—Findings 

Congress finds that: Yellowstone National Park became the nation’s first national park in 1872; President Theodore Roosevelt is 

considered by many to be our ‘‘Conservationist President’’; that the 

National Park System now includes 391 areas and about 84 million 

acres; and numerous other types of national sites have been placed 

under various forms of conservancy, such as the national forests 

and sites within the National Wildlife Refuge System and on the 

National Register of Historic Places. 

Section 102—Issuance of quarter dollars emblematic of national 

parks or other national sites, in each state, the District of Columbia and each territory 

Directs that beginning in 2010, quarter dollars shall have designs on the reverse depicting one national site in each of the 

States, and in the District of Columbia and the territories. Five designs are to be issued each year in the order that the sites were 

recognized as national sites, determined after the Treasury Secretary working with the Interior Secretary (or other appropriate 

Federal officials and state governors), selects one site per State. 

National sites are defined as including national parks as well as 

any other nationally recognized site such as a national wildlife refuge. Allows for the issue of the coins in various numismatic forms, 


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including solid silver versions, and allows for a complete second 

round of the quarters recognizing a second national site in each 

State, after proper notice to the committees of jurisdiction. Designs 

would be selected by the Treasury Secretary after appropriate consultations. Provides that the design on the reverse of the coin after 

the national parks quarter program is concluded will be a representation of General George Washington crossing the Delaware River 

before the Battle of Trenton. 

TITLE II—BULLION INVESTMENT PRODUCT

Section 201—Silver bullion coin 

Provides for the minting and issuing of investment grade silver 

bullion coins that are three inches in diameter and made of 5 

ounces of .999 fine silver. Such coins shall be exact duplicates of 

the quarter dollars and carry that denomination, and would be sold 

through the Mint’s regular authorized dealer network for investment products and also made available for bulk purchase by the 

representative of the National Park Service Director, so that they 

may be sold as a memento at various national sites including those 

honored by the actual quarter-dollar coin reverse designs. The investment-grade coins could not be minted as so-called ‘‘fractional’’

coins and would only be available for purchase during the year in 

which the corresponding quarter dollar reverse design was available. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is printed in italic 

and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 

roman): 

TITLE 31, UNITED STATES CODE 

* * * * * * * 

Subtitle IV—MONEY 

* * * * * * * 

CHAPTER 51—COINS AND CURRENCY 

* * * * * * * 

SUBCHAPTER II—GENERAL AUTHORITY 

* * * * * * * 

§ 5112. Denominations, specifications, and design of coins 

(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(t) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOLLARS EMBLEMATIC

OF NATIONAL SITES IN EACH STATE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 

AND EACH TERRITORY.—


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(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING UPON COMPLETION OF PRIOR PRO- GRAM.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the fourth sentence of 

subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2), quarter dollars 

issued beginning in 2010 shall have designs on the reverse 

selected in accordance with this subsection which are emblematic of the national sites in the States, the District of 

Columbia and the territories of the United States. 

(B) FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO PLACEMENT OF INSCRIP- TIONS.—Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1), the Secretary 

may select a design for quarter dollars referred to in subparagraph (A) in which— (i) the inscription described in the second sentence of 

subsection (d)(1) appears on the reverse side of any 

such quarter dollars; and 

(ii) any inscription described in the third sentence of 

subsection (d)(1) or the designation of the value of the 

coin appears on the obverse side of any such quarter 

dollars. 

(C) INCLUSION OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND TERRI- TORIES.—For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘‘State’’ has the same meaning as in section 3(a)(3) of the Federal 

Deposit Insurance Act. 

(2) SINGLE SITE IN EACH STATE.—The design on the reverse 

side of each quarter dollar issued during the period of issuance 

under this subsection shall be emblematic of 1 national site in 

each State. 

(3) SELECTION OF SITE AND DESIGN.— (A) SITE.—

(i) IN GENERAL.—The selection of a national park or 

other national site in each State to be honored with a 

coin under this subsection shall be made by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the governor or other chief executive of each State with respect to which a coin is to 

be issued under this subsection, and after giving full 

and thoughtful consideration to national sites that are 

not under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior so that the national site chosen for each State 

shall be the most appropriate in terms of natural or 

historic significance. 

(ii) TIMING.—The selection process under clause (i) 

shall be completed before the end of the 270-day period 

beginning on the date of the enactment of the America’s 

Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 

2008. 

(B) DESIGN.—Each of the designs required under this 

subsection for quarter dollars shall be—

(i) selected by the Secretary after consultation with— (I) the Secretary of the Interior; and 

(II) the Commission of Fine Arts; and 

(ii) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. 

(C) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROCESS.—Recommendations for site selections and designs for quarter dollars may 


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be submitted in accordance with the site and design selection and approval process developed by the Secretary in the 

sole discretion of the Secretary. 

(D) PARTICIPATION IN DESIGN.—The Secretary may include participation by officials of the State, artists from the 

State, engravers of the United States Mint, and members of 

the general public. 

(E) STANDARDS.—Because it is important that the Nation’s coinage and currency bear dignified designs of which 

the citizens of the United States can be proud, the Secretary 

shall not select any frivolous or inappropriate design for 

any quarter dollar minted under this subsection. 

(F) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS.—No 

head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living 

or dead, no portrait of a living person, and no outline or 

map of a State may be included in the design on the reverse 

of any quarter dollar under this subsection. 

(4) ISSUANCE OF COINS.— (A) ORDER OF ISSUANCE.—The quarter dollar coins 

issued under this subsection bearing designs of national 

sites shall be issued in the order in which the sites selected 

under paragraph (3) were first established as a national 

site. 

(B) RATE OF ISSUANCE.—The quarter dollar coins bearing 

designs of national sites under this subsection shall be 

issued at the rate of 5 new designs during each year of the 

period of issuance under this subsection. 

(C) NUMBER OF EACH OF 5 COIN DESIGNS IN EACH YEAR.— Of the quarter dollar coins issued during each year of the 

period of issuance, the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, on the basis of such factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the number of quarter dollars 

which shall be issued with each of the designs selected for 

such year. 

(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this subsection 

shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

(6) ISSUANCE.— (A) QUALITY OF COINS.—The Secretary may mint and 

issue such number of quarter dollars of each design selected under paragraph (3) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

(B) SILVER COINS.—Notwithstanding subsection (b), the 

Secretary may mint and issue such number of quarter dollars of each design selected under paragraph (3) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, with a content of 90 

percent silver and 10 percent copper. 

(7) PERIOD OF ISSUANCE.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the program 

established under this subsection shall continue in effect 

until a national site in each State has been honored. 

(B) SECOND ROUND AT DISCRETION OF SECRETARY.— (i) DETERMINATION.—The Secretary may make a determination before the end of the 9-year period beginning when the first quarter dollar is issued under this 


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subsection to continue the period of issuance until a 

second national site in each State, the District of Columbia, and each territory referred to in this subsection 

has been honored with a design on a quarter dollar. 

(ii) NOTICE AND REPORT.—Within 30 days after making a determination under clause (i), the Secretary 

shall submit a written report on such determination to 

the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 

Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. 

(iii) APPLICABILITY OF PROVISIONS.—If the Secretary 

makes a determination under clause (i), the provisions 

of this subsection applicable to site and design selection 

and approval, the order, timing, and conditions of 

issuance shall apply in like manner as the initial 

issuance of quarter dollars under this subsection, except that the issuance of quarter dollars pursuant to 

such determination bearing the first design shall commence in order immediately following the last issuance 

of quarter dollars under the first round. 

(iv) CONTINUATION UNTIL ALL STATES ARE HONORED.—If the Secretary makes a determination under 

clause (i), the program under this subsection shall continue until a second site in each State has been so honored. 

(8) DESIGNS AFTER END OF PROGRAM.—Upon the completion 

of the coin program under this subsection, the design on—

(A) the obverse of the quarter dollar shall revert to the 

same design containing an image of President Washington 

in effect for the quarter dollar before the institution of the 

50-State quarter dollar program; and 

(B) notwithstanding the fourth sentence of subsection 

(d)(1), the reverse of the quarter dollar shall contain an 

image of General Washington crossing the Delaware River 

prior to the Battle of Trenton. 

(9) NATIONAL SITE.—For purposes of this subsection, the term 

‘‘national site’’ means any site under the supervision, management, or conservancy of the National Park Service, the United 

States Forest Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or any similar department or agency of the Federal Government, including any national park, national monument, national battlefield, national military park, national historical 

park, national historic site, national lakeshore, seashore, recreation area, parkway, scenic river, or trail and any site in the 

National Wildlife Refuge System. 

(10) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF INDEPENDENCE.—If any territory becomes independent or otherwise ceases to be a territory 

or possession of the United States before quarter dollars bearing 

designs which are emblematic of such territory are minted pursuant to this subsection, this subsection shall cease to apply 

with respect to such territory. 

(u) SILVER BULLION INVESTMENT PRODUCT.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall strike and make available for sale such number of bullion coins as the Secretary deVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:40 Jul 09, 2008 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\HR748.XXX HR748

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termines to be appropriate that are exact duplicates of the quarter dollars issued under subsection (t), each of which shall— (A) have a diameter of 3.0 inches and weigh 5.0 ounces; 

(B) contain .999 fine silver; 

(C) have incused into the edge the fineness and weight of 

the bullion coin; 

(D) bear an inscription of the denomination of such coin, 

which shall be ‘‘quarter dollar’’; and 

(E) not be minted or issued by the United States Mint as 

so-called ‘‘fractional’’ bullion coins or in any size other than 

the size described in paragraph (A). 

(2) AVAILABILITY FOR SALE.—Bullion coins minted under 

paragraph (1)—

(A) shall become available for sale no sooner than the 

first day of the calendar year in which the circulating quarter dollar of which such bullion coin is a duplicate is 

issued; and 

(B) may only be available for sale during the year in 

which such circulating quarter dollar is issued. 

(3) DISTRIBUTION.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the authorized dealers 

utilized by the Secretary in distributing bullion coins and 

solely for purposes of distributing bullion coins issued 

under this subsection, the Director of the National Park 

Service, or the designee of the Director, may purchase numismatic items issued under this subsection, but only in 

units of no fewer than 1,000 at a time, and the Director, 

or the Director’s designee, may resell or repackage such numismatic items as the Director determines to be appropriate. 

(B) RESALE.—The Director of the National Park Service, 

or the designee of the Director, may resell, at cost and without repackaging, numismatic items acquired by the Director or such designee under subparagraph (A) to any party 

affiliated with any national site honored by a quarter dollar under subsection (t) for repackaging and resale by such 

party in the same manner and to the same extent as such 

party would be authorized to engage in such activities 

under subparagraph (A) if the party were acting as the designee of the Director under such subparagraph. 

* * * * * * * 

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