Thomas Alva Edison Commemorative Coin Act
PL 105-331 (H.R.678), enacted 10/31/1998

PUBLIC LAW 105-331—OCT. 31, 1998 
112 STAT. 3073 
Public Law 105-331 
105th Congress 
An Act 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of Thomas 
n * 91 
Alva Edison and the 125th anniversary of Edison's invention of the light bulb, 
Oct. 61, 1998 
and for other purposes. 
[H.R. 678] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Thomas Alva 
Edison 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Commemorative 
This Act may be cited as the "Thomas Alva Edison Commemora- gj ^gp jjjo 
tive Coin Act". 
note 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Thomas Alva Edison, one of America's greatest 
inventors, was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. 
(2) The inexhaustible energy and genius of Thomas A. 
Edison produced more than 1,300 inventions in his lifetime, 
including the incandescent light bulb and the phonograph. 
(3) In 1928, Thomas A. Edison received the Congressional 
gold medal "for development and application of inventions that 
have revolutionized civilization in the last century. 
(4) 2004 will mark the 125th anniversary of the invention 
of the light bulb by Thomas A. Edison in 1879, the first practical 
incandescent electric lamp. 
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) DENOMINATION.—In commemoration of the 125th anniver-
sary of the invention of the light bulb by Thomas A. Edison, 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. 
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5134 of title 
31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall 
be considered to be numismatic items. 
SEC. 4. SOURCES OF BULLION. 
The Secretary may obtain silver for minting coins under this 
Act from any available source, including stockpiles established 
under the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act. 
112 STAT. 3074 
PUBLIC LAW 105-331—OCT. 31, 1998 
SEC. 5. DESIGN OF COINS. 
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—^The design of the coins minted under 
this Act shall be emblematic of the light bulb and the many 
inventions made by Thomas A. Edison throughout his prolific 
life. 
(2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On each coin minted 
under this Act there shall be— 
(A) a designation of the value of the coin; and 
(B) inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus 
Unum". 
(3) OBVERSE OF COIN.—^The obverse of each coin minted 
under this Act shall bear the likeness of Thomas A. Edison. 
(b) SELECTION.—^The design for the coins minted under this 
Act shall be— 
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the 
Commission of Fine Arts; and 
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory 
Committee. 
SEC. 6. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this Act shall 
be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 
(b) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—^The Secretary may issue 
coins minted under this Act beginning on January 1, 2004. 
(c) TERMINATION OF MINTING AUTHORITY.—^No coins may be 
minted under this Act after December 31, 2004. 
SEC. 
7
. 
SURCHARGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins minted under this Act 
shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin. 
(b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United 
States Code, the first $5,000,000 of the surcharges received by 
the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall 
be paid by the Secretary as follows: 
(1) MUSEUM OF ARTS AND HISTORY.—Up to Vs to 
the 
Museum of Arts and History, in the city of Port Huron, Michi-
gan, for the endowment and construction of a special museum 
on the life of Thomas A. Edison in Port Huron. 
(2) EDISON BIRTHPLACE ASSOCIATION.—^Up to 
Vs to 
the 
Edison Birthplace Association, Incorporated, in Milan, Ohio, 
to assist in the efforts of the association to raise an endowment 
as a permanent source of support for the repair and mainte-
nance of the Thomas A. Edison birthplace, a national historic 
landmark. 
(3) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.—^Up to Vs to the National 
Park Service, for use in protecting, restoring, and cataloguing 
historic documents and objects at the "invention factory of 
Thomas A. Edison in West Orange, New Jersey. 
(4) EDISON PLAZA MUSEUM.—Up to Vs to the Edison Plaza 
Museum in Beaumont, Texas, for expanding educational pro-
grams on Thomas A. Edison and for the repair and maintenance 
of the museum. 
(5) EDISON WINTER HOME AND MUSEUM.—^Up to Vs to 
the 
Edison Winter Home and Museum in Fort Myers, Florida, 
PUBLIC LAW 105-331—OCT. 31, 1998 
112 STAT. 3075 
for historic preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the 
historic home and chemical laboratory of Thomas A. Edison. 
(6) EDISON INSTITUTE.—Up to Vs to the Edison Institute, 
otherwise known as "Greenfield Village", in Dearborn, Michi-
gan, for use in maintaining and expanding displays and edu-
cational programs associated with Thomas A. Edison. 
(7) EDISON MEMORIAL TOWER.—Up to Vs to the Edison 
Memorial Tower in Edison, New Jersey, for the preservation, 
restoration, and expansion of the tower and museum. 
(8) HALL OF ELECTRICAL HISTORY.—^Up to Vs to the Schenec-
tady Museum Association in Schenectady, New York, for the 
historic preservation of materials of Thomas A. Edison and 
for the development of educational programs associated with 
Thomas A. Edison. 
(c) AUDITS.—Each organization that receives any payment from 
the Secretary under this section shall be subject to the audit 
requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code. 
Approved October 31, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 678: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998): 
Sept. 9, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 7, considered and passed Senate.