I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2414
To provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative coin program to
commemorate each of the 50 States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 5, 1997
Mr. CASTLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Banking and Financial Services
A BILL
To provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative coin
program to commemorate each of the 50 States, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘50 States Commemo-
rative Coin Program Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress hereby finds the following:
(1) It is appropriate and timely to—
(A) honor the unique Federal republic of
50 States that comprise the United States; and
(B) promote the diffusion of knowledge
among the youth of the United States about the
individual States, their history and geography,
and the rich diversity of the national heritage.
(2) The circulating coinage of the United States
has not been modernized within the past 25 years.
(3) A circulating commemorative 25-cent coin
program could produce earnings of $110,000,000
over the 10-year period of issuance and would
produce 
indirect 
earnings 
of 
an 
estimated
$2,600,000,000 to $5,100,000,000 to the United
States Treasury, money that will replace borrowing
to fund the national debt to at least that extent.
(4) It is appropriate to launch a commemora-
tive circulating coin program that encourages young
people and their families to collect memorable tokens
of all the States for the face value of the coins.
SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF REDESIGNED QUARTER DOLLARS
OVER 
10-YEAR 
PERIOD 
COMMEMORATING
EACH OF THE 50 STATES.
Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(k) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOL-
LAR IN COMMEMORATION OF EACH OF THE 50 STATES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the 4th
sentence of subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2),
quarter dollar coins issued during the 10-year period
beginning on January 1, 1999, shall have designs on
the reverse side selected in accordance with this sub-
section which are emblematic of the 50 States.
‘‘(2) SINGLE STATE DESIGNS.—The design on
the reverse side of each quarter dollar issued during
the 10-year period referred to in paragraph (1) shall
be emblematic of 1 of the 50 States.
‘‘(3) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING 5
STATES DURING EACH OF THE 10 YEARS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The designs for the
quarter dollar coins issued during each year of
the 10-year period referred to in paragraph (1)
shall be emblematic of 5 States selected in the
order in which such States ratified the Con-
stitution of the United States or were admitted
into the Union, as the case may be.
‘‘(B) NUMBER OF EACH OF 5 COIN DE-
SIGNS IN EACH YEAR.—Of the quarter dollar
coins issued during each year (of the 10-year
period referred to in paragraph (1)), the Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall prescribe, on the
basis of such factors as the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate, the number of quarter
dollars which shall be issued with each of the 5
designs selected for such year.
‘‘(4) SELECTION OF DESIGN.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each of the 50 de-
signs required under this subsection for quarter
dollars shall be—
‘‘(i) selected by the Secretary after
consultation with—
‘‘(I) the Governor of the State
being commemorated, or such other
State officials or group as the State
may designate for such purpose; and
‘‘(II) the Commission of Fine
Arts; and
‘‘(ii) reviewed by the Citizens Com-
memorative Coin Advisory Committee.
‘‘(B) STATE PROPOSALS.—Subject to the
standards established under subparagraph (C),
each State may develop proposals for the design
for the quarter dollar commemorating such
State in any manner the State determines to be
appropriate and any such proposal shall form a
basis for the design selected by the Secretary
in accordance with this paragraph.
‘‘(C) STANDARDS.—Because it is impor-
tant 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 quarter dollar minted under this
subsection.
‘‘(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For
purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins mint-
ed under this subsection shall be considered to be
numismatic items.
‘‘(6) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—
‘‘(A) QUALITY OF COINS.—The Secretary
may mint and issue such number of quarter
dollars of each design selected under paragraph
(4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
‘‘(B) 
SILVER
COINS.—Notwithstanding
subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and
issue such number of quarter dollars of each
design selected under paragraph (4) as the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate with a con-
tent of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
‘‘(C) SOURCES
OF
BULLION.—The Sec-
retary shall obtain silver for minting coins
under subparagraph (B) only from stockpiles
established under the Strategic and Critical
Materials Stock Piling Act.
‘‘(D) SALE PRICE OF COINS.—The coins
issued under this paragraph shall be sold by the
Secretary at a price equal to the sum of the
face value of the coins and the cost of designing
and issuing the coins (including labor, mate-
rials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
marketing, profit, and shipping).
‘‘(7) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF THE ADMIS-
SION
OF
ADDITIONAL
STATES.—If any additional
State is admitted into the Union before the end of
the 10-year period referred to in paragraph (1), the
Secretary of the Treasury may issue quarter dollar
coins, in accordance with this subsection, with a de-
sign which is emblematic of such State during any
1 year of such 10-year period, in addition to the
quarter dollar coins issued during such year in ac-
cordance with paragraph (3)(A).’’.
Æ