H. R. 3277
One Hundred Eighth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twentieth day of January, two thousand and four
An Act
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the
230th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps, and to support construction
of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
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 ‘‘Marine Corps 230th Anniversary
Commemorative Coin Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) November 10, 2005, marks the 230th anniversary of
the United States Marine Corps;
(2) the United States Marine Corps has, over the course
of its illustrious 230-year history, fought gallantly in defense
of the United States;
(3) the United States Marine Corps has, over the course
of its storied history, established itself as the Nation’s military
leader in amphibious warfare, and will continue in that role
as the United States faces the challenges of the 21st Century;
(4) the United States Marine Corps continues to exemplify
the warrior ethos that has made it a fighting force of inter-
national repute;
(5) all Americans should commemorate the legacy of the
United States Marine Corps so that the values embodied in
the ‘‘Corps’’ are recognized for the significant contribution they
have made in protecting the United States against its enemies;
(6) in 2001, the Congress authorized the construction of
the Marine Corps Heritage Center, the purpose of which is
to provide a multipurpose facility to be used for historical
displays for the public viewing, curation, and storage of arti-
facts, research facilities, classrooms, offices, and associated
activities, consistent with the mission of the Marine Corps;
(7) the Marine Corps Heritage Center is scheduled to open
on November 10, 2005;
(8) the United States should pay tribute to the 230th
anniversary of the United States Marine Corps by minting
and issuing a commemorative silver dollar coin; and
(9) the surcharge proceeds from the sale of a commemora-
tive coin, which would have no net costs to the taxpayers,
would raise valuable funding for the construction of the Marine
Corps Heritage Center.
H. R. 3277—2
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) $1 SILVER COINS.—The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter
in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and issue
not more than 500,000 $1 coins, each of which shall—
(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this Act shall
be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United
States Code.
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 warrior ethos of the United
States Marine Corps.
(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 the year ‘‘2005’’; and
(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, ‘‘In God We
Trust’’, ‘‘United States of America’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus
Unum’’.
(b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted under this
Act shall be—
(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the
Marine Corps Historical Division and the Commission of Fine
Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) QUALITY
OF COINS.—Coins minted under this Act shall
be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United States Mint
may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted
under this Act.
(c) PERIOD
FOR ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may issue coins
minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning
on January 1, 2005.
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 subsection (b) 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) SURCHARGES.—All sales of coins issued under this Act shall
include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
(c) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk sales of coins
issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(d) PREPAID ORDERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for coins minted under this Act before the issuance of such
coins.
H. R. 3277—3
(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) should be at a reasonable discount.
(e) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (b), no surcharge
may be included with respect to the 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 commemora-
tive 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. 7. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.
(a) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the
sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by
the Secretary to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for the
purposes of construction of the Marine Corps Heritage Center,
as authorized by section 1 of Public Law 106–398 (114 Stat. 1654).
(b) AUDIT.—The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation 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 (a).
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.