50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act
PL 105-124 (S.1228), enacted 12/01/1997

Ill STAT. 2534 
PUBLIC LAW 105-124—DEC. 1, 1997 
Public Law 105-124 
105th Congress 
An Act 
Dec. 1, 1997 
To provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative coin program to commemorate 
[S. 1228] 
®^^ of the 50 States, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
50 States 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Commemorative 
Coin Program 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Act 
31 use 5101 
I'l^is Act may be cited as the "50 States Commemorative Coin 
note. 
Program Act". 
31 use 5112 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
°°*^- 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) it is appropriate and timely— 
(A) to honor the unique Federal republic of 50 States 
that comprise the United States; and 
(B) to 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 during the 25-year period preceding the date 
of enactment of this Act; 
(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 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; and 
(4) it is appropriate to launch a commemorative circulating 
coin program that encourages young people and their families 
to collect memorable tokens of all of 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 
inserting after subsection (k) the following new subsection: 
"(1) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF QUARTER DOLLAR IN COMMEMO-
RATION OF EACH OF THE 50 STATES.— 
"(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 1999.— 
"(A) IN GENERAL.—^Notwithstanding the fourth sen-
tence of subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2), quarter 
dollar coins issued during the 10-year period beginning 
in 1999, shall have designs on the reverse side selected 
PUBLIC LAW 105-124—DEC. 1, 1997 
111 STAT. 2535 
in accordance with this subsection which are emblematic 
of the 50 States. 
"(B) TRANSITION PROVISION.—^Notwithstanding subpar-
agraph (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 ensure 
a smooth transition into the 10-year program 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 Constitution 
of the United States or were admitted into the Union, 
as the case may be. 
"(B) NUMBER OF EACH OF 5 COIN DESIGNS IN EACH 
YEAR.—Of the quarter dollar coins issued during each year 
of the 10-year period referred to in paragraph (1), the 
Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, on the basis 
of such factors as the Secretary determines to be appro-
priate, 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 designs required 
under this subsection for quarter dollars shall be— 
"(i) selected by the Secretary after consultation 
with— 
"(I) the Grovemor of the State being commemo-
rated, 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 Commemorative Coin 
Advisory Committee. 
"(B) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROCESS.—Designs for 
quarter dollars may be submitted in accordance with the 
design selection and approval process developed by the 
Secretary 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 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 quarter dollar minted under this subsection. 
"(E) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS.—^No 
head and shoulders portrait 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. 
I l l STAT. 2536 
PUBLIC LAW 105-124—DEC. 1, 1997 
"(5) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of 
sections 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this subsection 
shall be considered to be numismatic items. 
"(6) ISSUANCE.— 
"(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 Secretary determines to be appropriate, with a content 
of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. 
"(C) SOURCES OF BULLION.—The Secretary shall obtain 
silver for minting coins under subparagraph (B) from avail-
able resources, including stockpiles established under the 
Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act. 
"(7) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF THE ADMISSION OF ADDI-
TIONAL STATES.—If any additional State is admitted into the 
Union before the end of the 10-year period referred to in para-
graph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury may issue quarter 
dollar coins, in accordance with this subsection, with a design 
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 accordance with paragraph (3)(A).". 
United States $1 
SEC. 4. UNITED STATES DOLLAR COINS. 
31 use 5101 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—^This section may be cited as the "United 
note. 
States $1 Coin Act of 1997". 
(b) WEIGHT.—Section 5112(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, 
is amended by striking "and weighs 8.1 grams". 
(c) COLOR AND CONTENT.—Section 5112(b) of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking "dollar,"; and 
(2) by inserting after the fourth sentence the following: 
"The dollar coin shall be golden in color, have a distinctive 
edge, have tactile and visual features that make the denomina-
tion of the coin readily discernible, be minted and fabricated 
in the United States, and have similar metallic, anti-counter-
feiting properties as United States coinage in circulation on 
the date of enactment of the United States $1 Coin Act of 
1997.". 
(d) DESIGN.—Section 5112(d)(1) of title 31, United States Code, 
is amended by striking the fifth and sixth sentences and inserting 
the following: "The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with 
the Congress, shall select appropriate designs for the obverse and 
reverse sides of the dollar coin.". 
31 use 5112 
(e) PRODUCTION OF NEW DOLLAR COINS.— 
note. 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon the depletion of the Government's 
supply (as of the date of enactment of this Act) of $1 coins 
bearing the likeness • of Susan B. Anthony, the Secretary of 
the Treasury shall place into circulation $1 coins that comply 
with the requirements of subsections (b) and (d)(1) of section 
5112 of title 31, United States Code, as amended by this section. 
(2) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY TO CONTINUE PRODUCTION.— 
If the supply of $1 coins bearing the likeness of Susan B. 
Anthony is depleted before production has begun of $1 coins 
PUBLIC LAW 105-124—DEC. 1, 1997 
111 STAT. 2537 
which bear a design which compHes with the requirements 
of subsections (b) and (d)(1) of section 5112 of title 31, United 
States Code, as amended by this section, the Secretary of 
the Treasury may continue to mint and issue $1 coins bearing 
the Ukeness of Susan B. Anthony in accordance with that 
section 5112 (as in effect on the day before the date of enact-
ment of this Act) until such time as production begins. 
(3) NUMISMATIC SETS.—^The Secretary may include such 
$1 coins in any numismatic set produced by the United States 
Mint before the date on which the $1 coins authorized by 
this section are placed in circulation. 
(f) MARKETING PROGRAM.— 
3i use 5112 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Before placing into circulation $1 coins note, 
authorized under this section, the Secretary of the Treasury 
shall adopt a program to promote the use of such coins by 
commercial enterprises, mass transit authorities, and Federal, 
State, and local government agencies. 
(2) STUDY REQUIRED.—^The Secretary of the Treasury shall 
conduct a study on the progress of the marketing program 
adopted in accordance with paragraph (1). 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than March 31, 2001, the Secretary 
of the Treasury shall submit a report to the Congress on the 
results of the study conducted pursuant to paragraph (2). 
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
31 USC 5112 
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act 
shall be construed to evidence any intention to eliminate or to 
limit the printing or circulation of United States currency in the 
$1 denomination. 
SEC. 6. FIRST FUGHT COMMEMORATIVE COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) COIN SPECIFICATIONS.— 
^°^' 
(1) DENOMINATIONS.—^The Secretary of the Treasury (here-
after in this section referred to as the "Secretary") shall mint 
and issue the following coins: 
(A) $10 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 100,000 $10 coins, 
each of which shall— 
(i) weigh 16.718 grams; 
(ii) have a diameter of 1.06 inches; and 
(iii) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy. 
(B) $1 SILVER COINS.—^Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, 
each of which shall— 
(i) weigh 26.73 grams; 
(ii) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 
(iii) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent cop-
per. 
(C) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.—Not more than 750,000 
half dollar coins each of which shall— 
(i) weigh 11.34 grams; 
(ii) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 
(iii) be minted to the specifications for half dollar 
coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—^The coins minted under this section shall 
be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(c) SOURCES OF BULLION.—The Secretary shall obtain gold and 
silver for minting coins under this section pursuant to the authority 
39-194 O - 97 - 15 : QL 3 Part 3 
I l l STAT. 2538 
PUBLIC LAW 105-124—DEC. 1, 1997 
of the Secretary under other provisions of law, including authority 
relating to the use of silver stockpiles established under the Strate-
gic and Critical Materials Stockpiling Act, as applicable. 
(d) DESIGN OF COINS.— 
(1) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—^The design of the coins minted under 
this section shall be emblematic of the first flight of Orville 
and Wilbur Wright in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on 
December 17, 1903. 
(B) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On each coin 
minted under this section there shall be— 
(i) a designation of the value of the coin; 
(ii) an inscription of the year "2003"; and 
(iii) inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God 
We Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus 
Unum". 
(2) SELECTION.—^The design for the coins minted under 
this section shall be— 
(A) selected by the Secretary after consultation with 
the Board of Directors of the First Flight Foundation and 
the Commission of Fine Arts; and 
(B) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin 
Advisory Committee. 
(e) PERIOD FOR ISSUANCE OF COINS.—^The Secretary may issue 
coins minted under this section only during the period beginning 
on August 1, 2003, and ending on July 31, 2004. 
if) SALE OF COINS.— 
(1) SALE PRICE.—^The coins issued under this section shall 
be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of— 
(A) the face value of the coins; 
(B) the surcharge provided in paragraph (4) with 
respect to such coins; and 
(C) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (includ-
ing labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead 
expenses, marketing, and shipping). 
(2) BULK SALES.—^The Secretary shall make bulk sales of 
the coins issued under this section at a reasonable discount. 
(3) PREPAID ORDERS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary shall accept prepaid 
orders for the coins minted under this section before the 
issuance of such coins. 
(B) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to prepaid 
orders under subparagraph (A) shall be at a reasonable 
discount. 
(4) SURCHARGES.—^All sales shall include a surcharge of— 
(A) $35 per coin for the $10 coin; 
(B) $10 per coin for the $1 coin; and 
(C) $1 per coin for the half dollar coin. 
(g) GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
provision of law governing procurement or public contracts 
shall be applicable to the procurement of goods and services 
necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act. 
(2) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.—Paragraph (1) does 
not relieve any person entering into a contract under the 
PUBLIC LAW 105-124—DEC. 1, 1997 
111 STAT. 2539 
authority of this section from complying with any law relating 
to equal emplojmient opportunity. 
(h) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sec-
tions 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins 
minted under this subsection shall be considered to be numismatic 
items. 
(i) DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to section 5134 of title 31, United 
States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from 
the sale of coins issued under this section shall be promptly 
paid by the Secretary to the First Flight Foundation for the 
purposes of— 
(A) repairing, refurbishing, 
and 
maintaining 
the 
Wright Brothers Monument on the Outer Banks of North 
Carolina; and 
(B) expanding (or, if necessary, 
replacing) 
and 
maintaining the visitor center and other facilities at the 
Wright Brothers National Memorial Park on the Outer 
Banks of North Carolina, including providing educational 
programs and exhibits for visitors. 
(2) AUDITS.—^The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall have the right to examine such books, records, documents, 
and other data of the First Flight Foundation as may be related 
to the expenditures of amounts paid under paragraph (1). 
(j) FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.—^The Secretary shall take such 
actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting and issuing 
coins under this section will not result in any net cost to the 
United States Grovemment. 
Approved December 1, 1997. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1228: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-130 (Comm. on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af-
fairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997): 
Nov. 9, considered and passed Senate. 
Nov. 13, considered and passed House.