105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2414
AN ACT
To provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative
coin program to commemorate each of the 50
States, and for other purposes.
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2414
AN ACT
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
from the sale of silver proof coins and sets over the
10-year period of issuance and would produce indi-
rect 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 na-
tional 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) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 1999.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the
4th sentence of subsection (d)(1) and sub-
section (d)(2), quarter dollar coins issued dur-
ing the 10-year period beginning in 1999, shall
have designs on the reverse side selected in ac-
cordance with this subsection which are em-
blematic of the 50 States.
‘‘(B) TRANSITION
PROVISION.—Notwith-
standing subparagraph (A), the Secretary may
continue to mint and issue quarter dollars in
1999 which bear the design in effect before the
redesign required under this subsection and an
inscription of the year ‘1998’ as required to en-
sure a smooth transition into the 10-year pro-
gram under this subsection.
‘‘(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) SELECTION
AND
APPROVAL
PROC-
ESS.—Designs for quarter dollars may be sub-
mitted in accordance with the design selection
and approval process developed by the Sec-
retary in the sole discretion of the Secretary.
‘‘(C) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary may
include participation by State officials, artists
from the States, engravers of the United States
Mint, and members of the general public.
‘‘(D) 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.
‘‘(E) PROHIBITION
ON
CERTAIN
REP-
RESENTATIONS.—No head and shoulders por-
trait or bust of any person, living or dead, and
no portrait of a living person may be included
in the design of any quarter dollar 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) from available re-
sources, including stockpiles established under
the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Pil-
ing Act.
‘‘(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).’’.
Passed the House of Representatives September 23,
1997.
Attest:
Clerk.