II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3214 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 26, 2008 

Mr. BARRASSO introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

A BILL 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘America’s Beautiful 

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


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1 TITLE I—NATIONAL SITE 

2 QUARTER DOLLARS 

3 SEC. 101. ISSUANCE OF REDESIGNED QUARTER DOLLARS 

4 EMBLEMATIC OF NATIONAL PARKS OR 

5 OTHER NATIONAL SITES IN EACH STATE, THE 

6 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND EACH TERRI7 TORY. 

8 Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is 

9 amended— 

10 (1) by redesignating subsection (r) (as added by 

11 section 622 of the Financial Services and General 

12 Government Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 

13 110–161; 121 Stat. 2016)) as subsection (s); and 

14 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(t) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOL16 LARS EMBLEMATIC OF NATIONAL SITES IN EACH STATE, 

17 THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND EACH TERRITORY.— 

18 ‘‘(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING UPON COMPLETION

19 OF PRIOR PROGRAM.— 

20 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the 

21 fourth sentence of subsection (d)(1) and sub22 section (d)(2), quarter dollars issued beginning 

23 in 2010 shall have designs on the reverse se24 lected in accordance with this subsection which 

25 are emblematic of the national sites in the 


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1 States, the District of Columbia and the terri2 tories of the United States. 

3 ‘‘(B) FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO

4 PLACEMENT OF INSCRIPTIONS.—Notwith5 standing subsection (d)(1), the Secretary may 

6 select a design for quarter dollars referred to in 

7 subparagraph (A) in which— 

8 ‘‘(i) the inscription described in the 

9 second sentence of subsection (d)(1) ap10 pears on the reverse side of any such quar11 ter dollars; and 

12 ‘‘(ii) any inscription described in the 

13 third sentence of subsection (d)(1) or the 

14 designation of the value of the coin ap15 pears on the obverse side of any such quar16 ter dollars. 

17 ‘‘(C) INCLUSION OF DISTRICT OF COLUM18 BIA, AND TERRITORIES.—For purposes of this 

19 subsection, the term ‘State’ has the same mean20 ing as in section 3(a) of the Federal Deposit 

21 Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(a)). 

22 ‘‘(2) SINGLE SITE IN EACH STATE.—The design 

23 on the reverse side of each quarter dollar issued dur24 ing the period of issuance under this subsection shall 

25 be emblematic of one national site in each State. 


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1 ‘‘(3) SELECTION OF SITE AND DESIGN.— 

2 ‘‘(A) SITE.— 

3 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The selection of a 

4 national park or other national site in each 

5 State to be honored with a coin under this 

6 subsection shall be made by the Secretary 

7 of the Treasury, after consultation with 

8 the Secretary of the Interior and the gov9 ernor or other chief executive of each State 

10 with respect to which a coin is to be issued 

11 under this subsection, and after giving full 

12 and thoughtful consideration to national 

13 sites that are not under the jurisdiction of 

14 the Secretary of the Interior so that the 

15 national site chosen for each State shall be 

16 the most appropriate in terms of natural 

17 or historic significance. 

18 ‘‘(ii) TIMING.—The selection process 

19 under clause (i) shall be completed before 

20 the end of the 270-day period beginning on 

21 the date of the enactment of the America’s 

22 Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar 

23 Coin Act of 2008. 


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1 ‘‘(B) DESIGN.—Each of the designs re2 quired under this subsection for quarter dollars 

3 shall be— 

4 ‘‘(i) selected by the Secretary after 

5 consultation with— 

6 ‘‘(I) the Secretary of the Interior; 

7 ‘‘(II) the Secretary of Agriculture 

8 for national sites within the jurisdic9 tion of the Secretary of Agriculture; 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(III) the Commission of Fine 

12 Arts; and 

13 ‘‘(ii) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage 

14 Advisory Committee. 

15 ‘‘(C) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROC16 ESS.—Recommendations for site selections and 

17 designs for quarter dollars may be submitted in 

18 accordance with the site and design selection 

19 and approval process developed by the Sec20 retary in the sole discretion of the Secretary. 

21 ‘‘(D) PARTICIPATION IN DESIGN.—The 

22 Secretary may include participation by officials 

23 of the State, artists from the State, engravers 

24 of the United States Mint, and members of the 

25 general public. 


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1 ‘‘(E) STANDARDS.—Because it is impor2 tant that the Nation’s coinage and currency 

3 bear dignified designs of which the citizens of 

4 the United States can be proud, the Secretary 

5 shall not select any frivolous or inappropriate 

6 design for any quarter dollar minted under this 

7 subsection. 

8 ‘‘(F) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REP9 RESENTATIONS.—No head and shoulders por10 trait or bust of any person, living or dead, no 

11 portrait of a living person, and no outline or 

12 map of a State may be included in the design 

13 on the reverse of any quarter dollar under this 

14 subsection. 

15 ‘‘(4) ISSUANCE OF COINS.— 

16 ‘‘(A) YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.— 

17 Since Yellowstone National Park was estab18 lished by an Act signed by President Ulysses S. 

19 Grant on March 1, 1872, as the Nation’s first 

20 National Park, Yellowstone National Park shall 

21 be— 

22 ‘‘(i) depicted on the first quarter dol23 lar issued; and 

24 ‘‘(ii) designated to the State of Wyo25 ming. 


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1 ‘‘(B) ORDER OF ISSUANCE.—Subject to 

2 subparagraph (A), the quarter dollar coins 

3 issued under this subsection bearing designs of 

4 national sites shall be issued in the order in 

5 which the sites selected under paragraph (3) 

6 were first established as a national site. 

7 ‘‘(C) RATE OF ISSUANCE.—The quarter 

8 dollar coins bearing designs of national sites 

9 under this subsection shall be issued at the rate 

10 of 5 new designs during each year of the period 

11 of issuance under this subsection. 

12 ‘‘(D) NUMBER OF EACH OF FIVE COIN DE13 SIGNS IN EACH YEAR.—Of the quarter dollar 

14 coins issued during each year of the period of 

15 issuance, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 

16 prescribe, on the basis of such factors as the 

17 Secretary determines to be appropriate, the 

18 number of quarter dollars which shall be issued 

19 with each of the designs selected for such year. 

20 ‘‘(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For 

21 purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins mint22 ed under this subsection shall be considered to be 

23 numismatic items. 

24 ‘‘(6) ISSUANCE.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) QUALITY OF COINS.—The Secretary 

2 may mint and issue such number of quarter 

3 dollars of each design selected under paragraph 

4 (3) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the 

5 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

6 ‘‘(B) SILVER COINS.—Notwithstanding 

7 subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and 

8 issue such number of quarter dollars of each 

9 design selected under paragraph (3) as the Sec10 retary determines to be appropriate, with a con11 tent of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. 

12 ‘‘(7) PERIOD OF ISSUANCE.— 

13 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph 

14 (2), the program established under this sub15 section shall continue in effect until a national 

16 site in each State has been honored. 

17 ‘‘(B) SECOND ROUND AT DISCRETION OF

18 SECRETARY.— 

19 ‘‘(i) DETERMINATION.—The Secretary 

20 may make a determination before the end 

21 of the 9-year period beginning when the 

22 first quarter dollar is issued under this 

23 subsection to continue the period of 

24 issuance until a second national site in 

25 each State, the District of Columbia, and 


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1 each territory referred to in this subsection 

2 has been honored with a design on a quar3 ter dollar. 

4 ‘‘(ii) NOTICE AND REPORT.—Within 

5 30 days after making a determination 

6 under clause (i), the Secretary shall submit 

7 a written report on such determination to 

8 the Committee on Financial Services of the 

9 House of Representatives and the Com10 mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 

11 Affairs of the Senate. 

12 ‘‘(iii) APPLICABILITY OF PROVI13 SIONS.—If the Secretary makes a deter14 mination under clause (i), the provisions of 

15 this subsection applicable to site and de16 sign selection and approval, the order, tim17 ing, and conditions of issuance shall apply 

18 in like manner as the initial issuance of 

19 quarter dollars under this subsection, ex20 cept that the issuance of quarter dollars 

21 pursuant to such determination bearing 

22 the first design shall commence in order 

23 immediately following the last issuance of 

24 quarter dollars under the first round. 


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1 ‘‘(iv) CONTINUATION UNTIL ALL

2 STATES ARE HONORED.—If the Secretary 

3 makes a determination under clause (i), 

4 the program under this subsection shall 

5 continue until a second site in each State 

6 has been so honored. 

7 ‘‘(8) DESIGNS AFTER END OF PROGRAM.— 

8 Upon the completion of the coin program under this 

9 subsection, the design on— 

10 ‘‘(A) the obverse of the quarter dollar shall 

11 revert to the same design containing an image 

12 of President Washington in effect for the quar13 ter dollar before the institution of the 50-State 

14 quarter dollar program; and 

15 ‘‘(B) notwithstanding the fourth sentence 

16 of subsection (d)(1), the reverse of the quarter 

17 dollar shall contain an image of General Wash18 ington crossing the Delaware River prior to the 

19 Battle of Trenton. 

20 ‘‘(9) NATIONAL SITE.—For purposes of this 

21 subsection, the term ‘national site’ means any site 

22 under the supervision, management, or conservancy 

23 of the National Park Service, the United States For24 est Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife 

25 Service, or any similar department or agency of the 


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1 Federal Government, including any national park, 

2 national monument, national battlefield, national 

3 military park, national historical park, national his4 toric site, national lakeshore, seashore, recreation 

5 area, parkway, scenic river, or trail and any site in 

6 the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

7 ‘‘(10) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF INDEPEND8 ENCE.—If any territory becomes independent or oth9 erwise ceases to be a territory or possession of the 

10 United States before quarter dollars bearing designs 

11 which are emblematic of such territory are minted 

12 pursuant to this subsection, this subsection shall 

13 cease to apply with respect to such territory.’’. 

14 TITLE II—BULLION INVESTMENT 

15 PRODUCTS 

16 SEC. 201. SILVER BULLION COIN. 

17 Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is 

18 amended by inserting after subsection (t) (as added by 

19 section 101 of this Act) the following: 

20 ‘‘(u) SILVER BULLION INVESTMENT PRODUCT.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall strike 

22 and make available for sale such number of bullion 

23 coins as the Secretary determines to be appropriate 

24 that are exact duplicates of the quarter dollars 

25 issued under subsection (t), each of which shall— 


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1 ‘‘(A) have a diameter of 3.0 inches and 

2 weigh 5.0 ounces; 

3 ‘‘(B) contain .999 fine silver; 

4 ‘‘(C) have incused into the edge the 

5 fineness and weight of the bullion coin; 

6 ‘‘(D) bear an inscription of the denomina7 tion of such coin, which shall be ‘quarter dol8 lar’; and 

9 ‘‘(E) not be minted or issued by the 

10 United States Mint as so-called ‘fractional’ bul11 lion coins or in any size other than the size de12 scribed in paragraph (A). 

13 ‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY FOR SALE.—Bullion coins 

14 minted under paragraph (1)— 

15 ‘‘(A) shall become available for sale no 

16 sooner than the first day of the calendar year 

17 in which the circulating quarter dollar of which 

18 such bullion coin is a duplicate is issued; and 

19 ‘‘(B) may only be available for sale during 

20 the year in which such circulating quarter dol21 lar is issued. 

22 ‘‘(3) DISTRIBUTION.— 

23 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the au24 thorized dealers utilized by the Secretary in dis25 tributing bullion coins and solely for purposes 


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1 of distributing bullion coins issued under this 

2 subsection, the Director of the National Park 

3 Service, or the designee of the Director, may 

4 purchase numismatic items issued under this 

5 subsection, but only in units of no fewer than 

6 1,000 at a time, and the Director, or the Direc7 tor’s designee, may resell or repackage such nu8 mismatic items as the Director determines to be 

9 appropriate. 

10 ‘‘(B) RESALE.—The Director of the Na11 tional Park Service, or the designee of the Di12 rector, may resell, at cost and without repack13 aging, numismatic items acquired by the Direc14 tor or such designee under subparagraph (A) to 

15 any party affiliated with any national site hon16 ored by a quarter dollar under subsection (t) 

17 for repackaging and resale by such party in the 

18 same manner and to the same extent as such 

19 party would be authorized to engage in such ac20 tivities under subparagraph (A) if the party 

21 were acting as the designee of the Director 

22 under such subparagraph.’’. 


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1 TITLE III—ADMINISTRATION 

2 SEC. 301. NO NET COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 

3 The Secretary of the Treasury shall take such actions 

4 as are necessary to ensure that minting and issuing coins 

5 under this Act and the amendments made by this Act will 

6 not result in any net cost to the Federal Government. 

Æ 


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