H. R. 770 

One Hundred Fifteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen 

An Act 

To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition of American 

innovation and significant innovation and pioneering efforts of individuals or 

groups from each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the United 

States territories, to promote the importance of innovation in the United States, 

the District of Columbia, and the United States territories, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘American Innovation $1 Coin 

Act’’. 

SEC. 2. AMERICAN INNOVATION $1 COIN PROGRAM. 

Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by 

inserting after subsection (v) the following new subsection: 

‘‘(w) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF $1 COINS HONORING INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS FROM EACH STATE, THE DISTRICT OF

COLUMBIA, AND EACH TERRITORY.— 

‘‘(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 2019.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1) 

and subsection (d)(2) and in accordance with the provisions 

of this subsection, during the 14-year period beginning 

on January 1, 2019 (or such later date as provided under 

subparagraph (B)(ii)), the Secretary of the Treasury shall 

mint and issue $1 coins to be known as ‘American Innovation $1 coins’, that— 

‘‘(i) have designs on the obverse selected in accordance with paragraph (2)(A); and 

‘‘(ii) have a design on the reverse selected in 

accordance with paragraph (2)(B). 

‘‘(B) CONTINUITY PROVISIONS.— 

‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subparagraph 

(A), the Secretary shall continue to mint and issue 

$1 coins honoring Native Americans and their contributions in accordance with subsection (r). 

‘‘(ii) FIRST COIN.—Notwithstanding subparagraph 

(A), if the Secretary finds that it is feasible and costeffective, the Secretary may mint and issue a $1 coin 

in 2018 to introduce the series of coins described in 

this subsection, that— 

‘‘(I) has the obverse described under paragraph 

(2)(A); 

‘‘(II) has a reverse that bears the inscription 

‘United States of America’ and ‘American 
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Innovators’ and a representation of the signature 

of President George Washington on the first 

United States patent issued; 

‘‘(III) has the edge-incusing described under 

paragraph (2)(C); and 

‘‘(IV) the design for which has reviewed by 

the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. 

‘‘(C) DEFINITION OF TERRITORY.—For purposes of this 

subsection, the term ‘territory’ means the Commonwealth 

of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States 

Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands. 

‘‘(2) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—Notwithstanding subsection 

(d)(1) and subsection (d)(2), the $1 coins issued in accordance 

with paragraph (1)(A) shall meet the following design requirements: 

‘‘(A) COIN OBVERSE.—The common design on the 

obverse of each coin issued under this subsection shall 

contain— 

‘‘(i) a likeness of the Statue of Liberty extending 

to the rim of the coin and large enough to provide 

a dramatic representation of Liberty; 

‘‘(ii) the inscription ‘$1’; and 

‘‘(iii) the inscription ‘In God We Trust’. 

‘‘(B) COIN REVERSE.—The design on the reverse of each 

coin issued under this subsection shall bear the following: 

‘‘(i) An image or images emblematic of one of the 

following from one of the 50 States, the District of 

Columbia, or the territories of the United States: 

‘‘(I) A significant innovation. 

‘‘(II) An innovator. 

‘‘(III) A group of innovators. 

‘‘(ii) The name of the State, the District of 

Columbia, or territory, as applicable. 

‘‘(iii) The inscription ‘United States of America’. 

‘‘(C) EDGE-INCUSED INSCRIPTIONS.— 

‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The inscription of the year of 

minting or issuance of the coin, the mint mark, and 

the inscription ‘E Pluribus Unum’ shall be edge-incused 

into the coin. 

‘‘(ii) PRESERVATION OF DISTINCTIVE EDGE.—The 

edge-incusing of the inscriptions under clause (i) on 

coins issued under this subsection shall be done in 

a manner that preserves the distinctive edge of the 

coin so that the denomination of the coin is readily 

discernible, including by individuals who are blind or 

visually impaired. 

‘‘(3) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING INNOVATION OR

INNOVATORS.— ‘‘(A) ORDER OF ISSUANCE.— 

‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The coins issued under this subsection commemorating either an innovation, an individual innovator, or a group of innovators, from each 

State, the District of Columbia, or a territory shall 

be issued in the following order: 

‘‘(I) STATE.—With respect to each State, the 

coins shall be issued in the order in which the 
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States ratified the Constitution of the United 

States or were admitted into the Union, as the 

case may be. 

‘‘(II) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND TERRITORIES.—After all coins are issued under subclause 

(I), the coins shall be issued for the District of 

Columbia and the territories in the following order: 

the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United 

States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of 

the Northern Mariana Islands. 

‘‘(ii) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF THE ADMISSION OF

ADDITIONAL STATES.—Notwithstanding clause (i), if any 

additional State is admitted into the Union before the 

end of the 14-year period referred to in paragraph 

(1), the Secretary of the Treasury may issue a $1 

coin with respect to the additional State in accordance 

with clause (i)(I). 

‘‘(iii) APPLICATION IN THE EVENT OF INDEPENDENCE

OR ADDING OF A TERRITORY.—Notwithstanding clause 

(i)— 

‘‘(I) if any territory becomes independent or 

otherwise ceases to be a territory of the United 

States before $1 coins are minted pursuant to this 

subsection, the subsection shall cease to apply with 

respect to such territory; and 

‘‘(II) if any new territory is added to the United 

States, $1 coins shall be issued for such territories 

in the order in which the new the territories are 

added, beginning after the $1 coin is issued for 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands. 

‘‘(B) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING FOUR

INNOVATIONS OR INNOVATORS DURING EACH OF 14 YEARS.— 

‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Four $1 coin designs as 

described in this subsection shall be issued during 

each year of the period referred to in paragraph (1) 

until 1 coin featuring 1 innovation, an individual innovator, or a group of innovators, from each of the States, 

the District of Columbia, and territories has been 

issued. 

‘‘(ii) NUMBER OF COINS OF EACH DESIGN.—The Secretary shall prescribe, on the basis of such factors 

as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the 

number of $1 coins that shall be issued with each 

of the designs selected for each year of the period 

referred to in paragraph (1). 

‘‘(4) SELECTION OF CONCEPT AND DESIGN.— ‘‘(A) CONCEPT.—With respect to each State, the District 

of Columbia, and each territory to be honored with a coin 

under this subsection, the selection of the significant 

innovation, innovator, or group of innovators to be borne 

on the reverse of such coin shall be made by the Secretary 

of the Treasury, after consultation with the Governor or 

other chief executive of the State, the District of Columbia, 

or territory with respect to which a coin is to be issued 

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

subsection shall be selected by the Secretary after— 

‘‘(i) consultation with— 

‘‘(I) the Governor or other chief executive of 

the State, the District of Columbia, or territory 

with respect to which a coin is to be issued under 

this subsection; and 

‘‘(II) the Commission of Fine Arts; and 

‘‘(ii) review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. 

‘‘(C) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROCESS.—Proposals for 

designs for $1 coins under this subsection may be submitted 

in accordance with the design selection and approval 

process developed by the Secretary in the sole discretion 

of the Secretary. 

‘‘(D) 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 $1 coin minted under this subsection. 

‘‘(E) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS.—No 

head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person and 

no portrait of a living person may be included in the 

design of any coin issued under this subsection. 

‘‘(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of 

sections 5134 and 5136, all $1 coins minted under this subsection shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

‘‘(6) ISSUANCE OF NUMISMATIC COINS.—The Secretary may 

mint and issue such number of $1 coins of each design selected 

under this subsection in uncirculated and proof qualities as 

the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

‘‘(7) TERMINATION OF PROGRAM.—The issuance of coins 

under this subsection shall terminate when one innovation, 

an individual innovator, or a group of innovators, from each 

State, the District of Columbia, and each territory has been 

honored and may not be resumed except by an Act of Congress.’’. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.