PUBLIC LAW 112–104—APR. 2, 2012 

UNITED STATES MARSHALS SERVICE 225TH 

ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT 


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126 STAT. 286 PUBLIC LAW 112–104—APR. 2, 2012 

Public Law 112–104 

112th Congress 

An Act 

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 

225th anniversary of the establishment of the Nation’s first Federal law enforcement agency, the United States Marshals Service. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Marshals Service 

225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

The Congress hereby finds as follows: 

(1) The United States Marshals, the first Federal law 

enforcement officers in America, were established under section 

27 of the Act of Congress entitled ‘‘Chapter XX.—An Act to 

Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States’’ and enacted 

on September 24, 1789 (commonly referred to as the ‘‘Judiciary 

Act of September 24, 1789’’), during the 1st Session of the 

1st Congress, and signed into law by the 1st President of 

the United States, George Washington. 

(2) George Washington had carefully considered the 

appointments to the Judicial Branch long before the enactment 

of the Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789, and nominated 

the first 11 United States Marshals on September 24, and 

the remaining two Marshals on September 25, 1789. The Senate 

confirmed all 13 on September 26, 1789, 2 days after the 

Judiciary Act was signed into law. 

(3) In 1969, by order of the Department of Justice, the 

United States Marshals Service was created, and achieved 

Bureau status in 1974. The United States Marshals Service 

has had major significance in the history of the United States, 

and has directly contributed to the safety and preservation 

of this Nation, by serving as an instrument of civil authority 

used by all 3 branches of the United States Government. 

(4) One of the original 13 United States Marshals, Robert 

Forsyth of Georgia, a 40-year-old veteran of the Revolutionary 

War, was the first civilian official of the United States Government, and the first of many United States Marshals and deputies, to be killed in the line of duty when he was shot on 

January 11, 1794, while trying to serve civil process. 

(5) The United States Marshals Service Commemorative 

Coin will be the first commemorative coin to honor the United 

States Marshals Service. 

United States 

Marshals Service 

225th 

Anniversary 

Commemorative 

Coin Act. 

31 USC 5112 

note. 

Apr. 2, 2012 

[H.R. 886] 


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PUBLIC LAW 112–104—APR. 2, 2012 126 STAT. 287 

(6) The United States should pay tribute to the Nation’s 

oldest Federal law enforcement agency, the United States Marshals Service, by minting and issuing commemorative coins, 

as provided in this Act. 

(7) A commemorative coin will bring national and international attention to the lasting legacy of this Nation’s oldest 

Federal law enforcement agency. 

(8) The proceeds from a surcharge on the sale of such 

commemorative coins will assist the financing of national 

museums and charitable organizations. 

SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 

(a) DENOMINATIONS.—In commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Marshals Service, 

the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to 

as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and issue the following coins: (1) $5 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 100,000 $5 gold coins, 

which shall— 

(A) weigh 8.359 grams; 

(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and 

(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy. 

(2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, 

which shall— 

(A) weigh 26.73 grams; 

(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 

(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent alloy. 

(3) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.—Not more than 750,000 

half dollar coins, which shall— 

(A) weigh 11.34 grams; 

(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 

(C) be minted to the specifications for half dollar coins 

contained in section 5112(b) of title 31 United States Code. 

(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this Act shall 

be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 

States Code. 

(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5134 of title 

31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall 

be considered to be numismatic items. 

SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 

(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The design of the coins minted under 

this Act shall be emblematic of the 225 years of exemplary 

and unparalleled achievements of the United States Marshals 

Service. 

(2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On each coin minted 

under this Act there shall be— 

(A) a designation of the value of the coin; 

(B) an inscription of— 

(i) the mint date ‘‘2015’’; and 

(ii) the years 1789 and 2014; and 

(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, ‘‘In God We 

Trust’’, ‘‘United States of America’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus 

Unum’’, and such other inscriptions as the Secretary may 

determine to be appropriate for the designs of the coins. 

(3) COIN IMAGES.— (A) $5 GOLD COINS.— 


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126 STAT. 288 PUBLIC LAW 112–104—APR. 2, 2012 

(i) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the $5 coins issued 

under this Act shall bear an image of the United 

States Marshals Service Star (also known as ‘‘America’s Star’’). 

(ii) REVERSE.—The reverse of the $5 coins issued 

under this Act shall bear a design emblematic of the 

sacrifice and service of the men and women of the 

United States Marshals Service who lost their lives 

in the line of duty and include the Marshals Service 

motto ‘‘Justice, Integrity, Service’’. 

(B) $1 SILVER COINS.— 

(i) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the $1 coins issued 

under this Act shall bear an image of the United 

States Marshals Service Star (also known as ‘‘America’s Star’’). 

(ii) REVERSE.—The reverse of the $1 silver coins 

issued under this Act shall bear an image emblematic 

of the United States Marshals legendary status in 

America’s cultural landscape. The image should depict 

Marshals as the lawmen of our frontiers, including 

their geographic, political, or cultural history, and shall 

include the Marshals Service motto ‘‘Justice, Integrity, 

Service’’. 

(C) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.— 

(i) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the half dollar clad 

coins issued under this Act shall bear an image 

emblematic of the United States Marshals Service and 

its history. 

(ii) REVERSE.—The reverse of the half dollar clad 

coins issued under this Act shall bear an image consistent with the role that the United States Marshals 

played in a changing nation, as they were involved 

in some of the most pivotal social issues in American 

history. The image should show the ties that the Marshals have to the United States Constitution, with 

themes including— 

(I) the Whiskey Rebellion and the rule of law; 

(II) slavery and the legacy of inequality; and 

(III) the struggle between labor and capital. 

(4) REALISTIC AND HISTORICALLY ACCURATE DEPICTIONS.— 

The images for the designs of coins issued under this Act 

shall be selected on the basis of the realism and historical 

accuracy of the images and on the extent to which the images 

are reminiscent of the dramatic and beautiful artwork on coins 

of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age of Coinage’’ in the United States, 

at the beginning of the 20th Century, with the participation 

of such noted sculptors and medallic artists as James Earle 

Fraser, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Victor David Brenner, Adolph 

A. Weinman, Charles E. Barber, and George T. Morgan. 

(b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted under this 

Act shall be— 

(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the 

Director of the United States Marshals Service and the 

Commission of Fine Arts; and 

(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coin Advisory Committee. 


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PUBLIC LAW 112–104—APR. 2, 2012 126 STAT. 289 

SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 

(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this Act shall 

be issued in proof quality and uncirculated quality. 

(b) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United States Mint 

may be used to strike any particular combination of denomination 

and quality of the coins minted under this Act. 

(c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may issue 

coins, to the public, minted under this Act beginning on or after 

January 1, 2015, except for a limited number to be issued prior 

to such date to the Director of the United States Marshals Service 

and employees of the Service for display and presentation during 

the 225th Anniversary celebration. 

(d) TERMINATION OF MINTING AUTHORITY.—No coins may be 

minted under this Act after December 31, 2015. 

SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 

(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act shall be 

sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of— 

(1) the face value of the coins; 

(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect 

to such coins; and 

(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including 

labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, 

marketing, and shipping). 

(b) PREPAID ORDERS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 

for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of 

such coins. 

(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders 

under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount. 

SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins minted under this Act 

shall include a surcharge as follows: 

(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 gold coin. 

(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 silver coin. 

(3) A surcharge of $3 per coin for the half dollar coin. 

(b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United 

States Code, the Secretary shall promptly distribute all surcharges 

received from the sale of coins issued under this Act as follows: 

(1) The first $5,000,000 available for distribution under 

this section, to the U.S. Marshals Museum, Inc., also known 

as the United States Marshals Museum, for the preservation, 

maintenance, and display of artifacts and documents. 

(2) Of amounts available for distribution after the payment 

under paragraph (1)— 

(A) One third shall be distributed to the National 

Center for Missing & Exploited Children, to be used for 

finding missing children and combating child sexual exploitation. 

(B) One third shall be distributed to the Federal Law 

Enforcement Officers Association Foundation, to be used— 

(i) to provide financial assistance for— 

(I) surviving family members of Federal law 

enforcement members killed in the line of duty; 

(II) Federal law enforcement members who 

have become disabled; and 


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126 STAT. 290 PUBLIC LAW 112–104—APR. 2, 2012 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 886: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 

Vol. 157 (2011): Dec. 13, 15, considered and passed House. 

Vol. 158 (2012): Mar. 15, considered and passed Senate, amended. 

Mar. 21, House concurred in Senate amendment. 

Æ 

(III) Federal law enforcement employees and 

their families in select instances, such as severe 

trauma or financial loss, where no other source 

of assistance is available; 

(ii) to provide scholarships to students pursuing 

a career in the law enforcement field; and 

(iii) to provide selective grants to charitable 

organizations. 

(C) One third shall be distributed to the National Law 

Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, to support the 

construction of the National Law Enforcement Museum 

and the preservation and display of its artifacts. 

(c) AUDITS.—All organizations, associations, and funds shall 

be subject to the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 

31, United States Code, with regard to the amounts received under 

subsection (b). 

(d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge 

may be included with respect to this issuance under this Act of 

any coin during a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, 

the issuance of such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during such year to exceed the annual 

2 commemorative coin program issuance limitation under section 

5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in effect on the 

date of the enactment of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury 

may issue guidance to carry out this subsection. 

SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 

The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary 

to ensure that— 

(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result 

in any net cost to the United States Government; 

(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, shall be disbursed to any recipient designated in section 7 until the total 

cost of designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by 

this Act (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 

overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping) is recovered by 

the United States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m) 

and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code. 

Approved April 2, 2012. 


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