I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5220

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

of the Washington National Opera, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 5, 2004

Mr. KING of New York (for himself and Mrs. MALONEY) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 

A BILL

To require the the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins 

in commemoration of the Washington National Opera, 

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 ‘‘Washington National 

5 Opera Commemorative Coin Act of 2004’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds as follows: 

8 (1) The Washington National Opera has served 

9 as the Nation’s opera since its creation in 1956. 
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1 (2) In 2000, the Washington Opera was des2 ignated the ‘‘National Opera’’ by an Act of Congress 

3 to reflect the significant national arts leadership role 

4 of the Opera. 

5 (3) The Washington National Opera educates 

6 and inspires students of all ages through engaging 

7 educational programs and innovative partnerships 

8 that broaden public awareness and appreciation for 

9 opera and are accessible to people of all abilities 

10 through needs-based scholarships and accommoda11 tions. 

12 (4) The education programs of the Washington 

13 National Opera strengthen and enhance local, State, 

14 and national standards for learning. 

15 (5) The Washington National Opera has 

16 worked since its inception to encourage the develop17 ment of gifted young American artists. 

18 (6) It is appropriate to authorize coins com19 memorating the 20th anniversary of the Washington 

20 National Opera Education and Community Pro21 grams with proceeds from the sale of the coins being 

22 deposited for the Washington National Opera Edu23 cation and Community Program with the specific 

24 purpose of aiding in the education of students, 
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1 broadening awareness and appreciation for opera, 

2 and enriching standards for learning. 

3 SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 

4 (a) $1 COINS.—The Secretary of the Treasury (here5 after in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint 

6 and issue not more than 300,000 $1 coins, each of which 

7 shall—

8 (1) weigh 26.73 grams; 

9 (2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 

10 (3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent 

11 copper. 

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

13 Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of 

14 title 31, United States Code. 

15 (c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 

16 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted 

17 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

18 SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 

19 (a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—

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

21 minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the 

22 Washington National Opera. 

23 (2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On 

24 each coin minted under this Act, there shall be—

25 (A) a designation of the value of the coin; 
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1 (B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2010’’; and 

2 (C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, 

3 ‘‘In God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of Amer4 ica’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’. 

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

6 under this Act shall be—

7 (1) selected by the Secretary after consultation 

8 with the Commission of Fine Arts and the Board of 

9 Directors of the Washington National Opera (here10 after in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Board’’); and 

11 (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory 

12 Committee established under section 5135 of title 

13 31, United States Code. 

14 SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 

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

16 Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 

17 (b) MINT FACILITY.—Not more than 1 facility of the 

18 United States Mint may be used to strike the coins minted 

19 under this Act. 

20 (c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary 

21 may issue coins minted under this Act beginning January 

22 1, 2010, except that the Secretary may initiate sales of 

23 such coins, without issuance, before such date. 
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1 (d) TERMINATION OF MINTING AUTHORITY.—No 

2 coins shall be minted under this Act after December 31, 

3 2010. 

4 (e) FIRST USE OF YEAR 2010 DATE.—The coins 

5 minted under this Act shall be the first commemorative 

6 coins of the United States to be issued bearing the inscrip7 tion of the year ‘‘2010’’. 

8 (f) PROMOTION CONSULTATION.—The Secretary 

9 shall consult on a regular and frequent basis with the 

10 Board in order to establish a role for the Board in the 

11 promotion, advertising and marketing of the coins minted 

12 under this Act. 

13 SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 

14 (a) SALE PRICE.—Notwithstanding any other provi15 sion of law, the coins issued under this Act shall be sold 

16 by the Secretary at a price equal to—

17 (1) the face value of the coins; 

18 (2) the surcharge provided in section 7 with re19 spect to such coins; and 

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

21 (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 

22 overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping). 

23 (b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk 

24 sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable 

25 discount. 
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1 (c) PREPAID ORDERS AT A DISCOUNT.—

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept 

3 prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act 

4 before the issuance of such coins. 

5 (2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre6 paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea7 sonable discount. 

8 SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. 

9 (a) SURCHARGE REQUIRED.—All sales of coins under 

10 this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin. 

11 (b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of 

12 title 31, United States Code, all surcharges which are re13 ceived by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under 

14 this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the 

15 Board on behalf of the Washington National Opera Edu16 cation and Community Program to be used to aid in the 

17 education of students, broadening awareness and appre18 ciation for opera, and enriching standards for learning. 

19 (c) AUDITS.—The Board and the Washington Na20 tional Opera Education and Community Program shall be 

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

22 title 31, United States Code.

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