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
PL 115-197 (H.R.770), enacted 07/20/2018

132 STAT. 1515 
PUBLIC LAW 115–197—JULY 20, 2018 
Public Law 115–197 
115th Congress 
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 INNOVA-
TION
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 Innova-
tion $1 coins’, that— 
‘‘(i) have designs on the obverse selected in accord-
ance 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 contribu-
tions in accordance with subsection (r). 
‘‘(ii) FIRST COIN.—Notwithstanding subparagraph 
(A), if the Secretary finds that it is feasible and cost- 
effective, 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 
Time period. 
31 USC 5101 
note. 
American 
Innovation $1 
Coin Act. 
July 20, 2018 
[H.R. 770] 
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132 STAT. 1516 
PUBLIC LAW 115–197—JULY 20, 2018 
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 require-
ments: 
‘‘(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 sub-
section commemorating either an innovation, an indi-
vidual 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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132 STAT. 1517 
PUBLIC LAW 115–197—JULY 20, 2018 
States ratified the Constitution of the United 
States or were admitted into the Union, as the 
case may be. 
‘‘(II) DISTRICT
OF
COLUMBIA
AND
TERRI-
TORIES.—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 inno-
vator, 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 Sec-
retary 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. 
Consultation. 
Determination. 
Time period. 
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132 STAT. 1518 
PUBLIC LAW 115–197—JULY 20, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 770: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
Jan. 16, considered and passed House. 
June 20, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
June 27, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
‘‘(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 Com-
mittee. 
‘‘(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 sub-
section 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 Con-
gress.’’. 
Approved July 20, 2018. 
Review. 
Consultation. 
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