Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005
PL 109-145 (S.1047), enacted 12/22/2005

119 STAT. 2664
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
Public Law 109–145
109th Congress
An Act
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of each
of the Nation’s past Presidents and their spouses, respectively, to improve circula-
tion of the $1 coin, to create a new bullion coin, 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 ‘‘Presidential $1 Coin Act of
2005’’.
TITLE I—PRESIDENTIAL $1 COINS
SEC. 101. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) There are sectors of the United States economy,
including public transportation, parking meters, vending
machines, and low-dollar value transactions, in which the use
of a $1 coin is both useful and desirable for keeping costs
and prices down.
(2) For a variety of reasons, the new $1 coin introduced
in 2000 has not been widely sought-after by the public, leading
to higher costs for merchants and thus higher prices for con-
sumers.
(3) The success of the 50 States Commemorative Coin
Program (31 U.S.C. 5112(l)) for circulating quarter dollars
shows that a design on a United States circulating coin that
is regularly changed in a manner similar to the systematic
change in designs in such Program radically increases demand
for the coin, rapidly pulling it through the economy.
(4) The 50 States Commemorative Coin Program also has
been an educational tool, teaching both Americans and visitors
something about each State for which a quarter has been
issued.
(5) A national survey and study by the Government
Accountability Office has indicated that many Americans who
do not seek, or who reject, the new $1 coin for use in commerce
would actively seek the coin if an attractive, educational
rotating design were to be struck on the coin.
(6) The President is the leader of our tripartite government
and the President’s spouse has often set the social tone for
the White House while spearheading and highlighting impor-
tant issues for the country.
31 USC 5112
note.
31 USC 5101
note.
Presidential $1
Coin Act of 2005.
Dec. 22, 2005
[S. 1047]
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119 STAT. 2665
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
(7) Sacagawea, as currently represented on the new $1
coin, is an important symbol of American history.
(8) Many people cannot name all of the Presidents, and
fewer can name the spouses, nor can many people accurately
place each President in the proper time period of American
history.
(9) First Spouses have not generally been recognized on
American coinage.
(10) In order to revitalize the design of United States
coinage and return circulating coinage to its position as not
only a necessary means of exchange in commerce, but also
as an object of aesthetic beauty in its own right, it is appropriate
to move many of the mottos and emblems, the inscription
of the year, and the so-called ‘‘mint marks’’ that currently
appear on the 2 faces of each circulating coin to the edge
of the coin, which would allow larger and more dramatic art-
work on the coins reminiscent of the so-called ‘‘Golden Age
of Coinage’’ in the United States, at the beginning of the Twen-
tieth Century, initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, with
the assistance of noted sculptors and medallic artists James
Earle Fraser and Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
(11) Placing inscriptions on the edge of coins, known as
edge-incusing, is a hallmark of modern coinage and is common
in large-volume production of coinage elsewhere in the world,
such as the 2,700,000,000 2-Euro coins in circulation, but it
has not been done on a large scale in United States coinage
in recent years.
(12) Although the Congress has authorized the Secretary
of the Treasury to issue gold coins with a purity of 99.99
percent, the Secretary has not done so.
(13) Bullion coins are a valuable tool for the investor and,
in some cases, an important aspect of coin collecting.
SEC. 102. PRESIDENTIAL $1 COIN PROGRAM.
Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
‘‘(n) REDESIGN AND ISSUANCE OF CIRCULATING $1 COINS HON-
ORING EACH OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.—
‘‘(1) REDESIGN BEGINNING IN 2007.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsection (d) and
in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, $1
coins issued during the period beginning January 1, 2007,
and ending upon the termination of the program under
paragraph (8), shall—
‘‘(i) have designs on the obverse selected in accord-
ance with paragraph (2)(B) which are emblematic of
the Presidents of the United States; and
‘‘(ii) have a design on the reverse selected in
accordance with paragraph (2)(A).
‘‘(B) CONTINUITY PROVISIONS.—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subparagraph
(A), the Secretary shall continue to mint and issue
$1 coins which bear any design in effect before the
issuance of coins as required under this subsection
(including the so-called ‘Sacagawea-design’ $1 coins).
Theodore
Roosevelt.
Earle Fraser.
Augustus
Saint-Gaudens.
Sacagawea.
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119 STAT. 2666
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
‘‘(ii) CIRCULATION QUANTITY.—Beginning January
1, 2007, and ending upon the termination of the pro-
gram under paragraph (8), the Secretary annually shall
mint and issue such ‘Sacagawea-design’ $1 coins for
circulation in quantities of no less than 1⁄3 of the total
$1 coins minted and issued under this subsection.’’.
‘‘(2) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—The $1 coins issued in accord-
ance with paragraph (1)(A) shall meet the following design
requirements:
‘‘(A) COIN REVERSE.—The design on the reverse shall
bear—
‘‘(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 while not being
large enough to create the impression of a ‘2-headed’
coin;
‘‘(ii) the inscription ‘$1’; and
‘‘(iii) the inscription ‘United States of America’.
‘‘(B) COIN OBVERSE.—The design on the obverse shall
contain—
‘‘(i) the name and likeness of a President of the
United States; and
‘‘(ii) 
basic 
information 
about 
the 
President,
including—
‘‘(I) the dates or years of the term of office
of such President; and
‘‘(II) a number indicating the order of the
period of service in which the President served.
‘‘(C) EDGE-INCUSED INSCRIPTIONS.—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The inscription of the year of
minting or issuance of the coin and the inscriptions
‘E Pluribus Unum’ and ‘In God We Trust’ 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.
‘‘(D) INSCRIPTIONS OF ‘LIBERTY’.—Notwithstanding the
second sentence of subsection (d)(1), because the use of
a design bearing the likeness of the Statue of Liberty
on the reverse of the coins issued under this subsection
adequately conveys the concept of Liberty, the inscription
of ‘Liberty’ shall not appear on the coins.
‘‘(E) LIMITATION IN SERIES TO DECEASED PRESIDENTS.—
No coin issued under this subsection may bear the image
of a living former or current President, or of any deceased
former President during the 2-year period following the
date of the death of that President.
‘‘(3) ISSUANCE
OF
COINS
COMMEMORATING
PRESIDENTS.—
‘‘(A) ORDER OF ISSUANCE.—The coins issued under this
subsection commemorating Presidents of the United States
shall be issued in the order of the period of service of
each President, beginning with President George Wash-
ington.
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119 STAT. 2667
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
‘‘(B) TREATMENT OF PERIOD OF SERVICE.—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to clause (ii), only 1 coin
design shall be issued for a period of service for any
President, no matter how many consecutive terms of
office the President served.
‘‘(ii) NONCONSECUTIVE TERMS.—If a President has
served during 2 or more nonconsecutive periods of
service, a coin shall be issued under this subsection
for each such nonconsecutive period of service.
‘‘(4) ISSUANCE
OF
COINS
COMMEMORATING
4
PRESIDENTS
DURING EACH YEAR OF THE PERIOD.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The designs for the $1 coins issued
during each year of the period referred to in paragraph
(1) shall be emblematic of 4 Presidents until each President
has been so honored, subject to paragraph (2)(E).
‘‘(B) NUMBER OF 4 CIRCULATING COIN DESIGNS IN EACH
YEAR.—The Secretary 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).
‘‘(5) LEGAL
TENDER.—The coins minted under this title
shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103.
‘‘(6) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of
section 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this subsection
shall be considered to be numismatic items.
‘‘(7) 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.
‘‘(8) TERMINATION
OF
PROGRAM.—The issuance of coins
under this subsection shall terminate when each President
has been so honored, subject to paragraph (2)(E), and may
not be resumed except by an Act of Congress.
‘‘(9) REVERSION TO PRECEDING DESIGN.—Upon the termi-
nation of the issuance of coins under this subsection, the design
of all $1 coins shall revert to the so-called ‘Sacagawea-design’
$1 coins.’’.
SEC. 103. FIRST SPOUSE BULLION COIN PROGRAM.
Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, as amended by
section 102, is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(o) FIRST SPOUSE BULLION COIN PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—During the same period described in
subsection (n), the Secretary shall issue bullion coins under
this subsection that are emblematic of the spouse of each such
President.
‘‘(2) SPECIFICATIONS.—The coins issued under this sub-
section shall—
‘‘(A) have the same diameter as the $1 coins described
in subsection (n);
‘‘(B) weigh 0.5 ounce; and
‘‘(C) contain 99.99 percent pure gold.
‘‘(3) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(A) COIN OBVERSE.—The design on the obverse of each
coin issued under this subsection shall contain—
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119 STAT. 2668
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
‘‘(i) the name and likeness of a person who was
a spouse of a President during the President’s period
of service;
‘‘(ii) an inscription of the years during which such
person was the spouse of a President during the Presi-
dent’s period of service; and
‘‘(iii) a number indicating the order of the period
of service in which such President served.
‘‘(B) COIN REVERSE.—The design on the reverse of each
coin issued under this subsection shall bear—
‘‘(i) images emblematic of the life and work of
the First Spouse whose image is borne on the obverse;
and
‘‘(ii) the inscription ‘United States of America’.
‘‘(C) DESIGNATED
DENOMINATION.—Each coin issued
under this subsection shall bear, on the reverse, an inscrip-
tion of the nominal denomination of the coin which shall
be ‘$10’.
‘‘(D) DESIGN
IN
CASE
OF
NO
FIRST
SPOUSE.—In the
case of any President who served without a spouse—
‘‘(i) the image on the obverse of the bullion coin
corresponding to the $1 coin relating to such President
shall be an image emblematic of the concept of
‘Liberty’—
‘‘(I) as represented on a United States coin
issued during the period of service of such Presi-
dent; or
‘‘(II) as represented, in the case of President
Chester Alan Arthur, by a design incorporating
the name and likeness of Alice Paul, a leading
strategist in the suffrage movement, who was
instrumental in gaining women the right to vote
upon the adoption of the 19th amendment and
thus the ability to participate in the election of
future Presidents, and who was born on January
11, 1885, during the term of President Arthur;
and
‘‘(ii) the reverse of such bullion coin shall be of
a design representative of themes of such President,
except that in the case of the bullion coin referred
to in clause (i)(II) the reverse of such coin shall be
representative of the suffrage movement.
‘‘(E) DESIGN AND COIN FOR EACH SPOUSE.—A separate
coin shall be designed and issued under this section for
each person who was the spouse of a President during
any portion of a term of office of such President.
‘‘(F) INSCRIPTIONS.—Each bullion coin issued under this
subsection shall bear the inscription of the year of minting
or issuance of the coin and such other inscriptions as
the Secretary may determine to be appropriate.
‘‘(4) SALE
OF
BULLION
COINS.—Each bullion coin issued
under this subsection shall be sold by the Secretary at a price
that is equal to or greater than the sum of—
‘‘(A) the face value of the coins; and
‘‘(B) the cost of designing and issuing the coins
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, over-
head expenses, marketing, and shipping).
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119 STAT. 2669
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
‘‘(5) ISSUANCE OF COINS COMMEMORATING FIRST SPOUSES.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The bullion coins issued under this
subsection with respect to any spouse of a President shall
be issued on the same schedule as the $1 coin issued
under subsection (n) with respect to each such President.
‘‘(B) MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BULLION COINS FOR EACH
DESIGN.—The Secretary shall—
‘‘(i) prescribe, on the basis of such factors as the
Secretary determines to be appropriate, the maximum
number of bullion coins that shall be issued with each
of the designs selected under this subsection; and
‘‘(ii) announce, before the issuance of the bullion
coins of each such design, the maximum number of
bullion coins of that design that will be issued.
‘‘(C) TERMINATION OF PROGRAM.—No bullion coin may
be issued under this subsection after the termination, in
accordance with subsection (n)(8), of the $1 coin program
established under subsection (n).
‘‘(6) QUALITY OF COINS.—The bullion coins minted under
this Act shall be issued in both proof and uncirculated qualities.
‘‘(7) SOURCE OF GOLD BULLION.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall acquire gold
for the coins issued under this subsection by purchase
of gold mined from natural deposits in the United States,
or in a territory or possession of the United States, within
1 year after the month in which the ore from which it
is derived was mined.
‘‘(B) PRICE OF GOLD.—The Secretary shall pay not more
than the average world price for the gold mined under
subparagraph (A).
‘‘(8) BRONZE MEDALS.—The Secretary may strike and sell
bronze medals that bear the likeness of the bullion coins author-
ized under this subsection, at a price, size, and weight, and
with such inscriptions, as the Secretary determines to be appro-
priate.
‘‘(9) LEGAL
TENDER.—The coins minted under this title
shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103.
‘‘(10) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of
section 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this subsection
shall be considered to be numismatic items.’’.
SEC. 104. REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO CIRCULATION.
Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, as amended by
sections 102 and 103, by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(p) REMOVAL
OF BARRIERS
TO CIRCULATION
OF $1 COIN.—
‘‘(1) ACCEPTANCE BY AGENCIES AND INSTRUMENTALITIES.—
Beginning January 1, 2006, all agencies and instrumentalities
of the United States, the United States Postal Service, all
nonappropriated fund instrumentalities established under title
10, United States Code, all transit systems that receive oper-
ational subsidies or any disbursement of funds from the Federal
Government, such as funds from the Federal Highway Trust
Fund, including the Mass Transit Account, and all entities
that operate any business, including vending machines, on any
premises owned by the United States or under the control
of any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including
the legislative and judicial branches of the Federal Government,
Effective date.
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119 STAT. 2670
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
shall take such action as may be appropriate to ensure that
by the end of the 2-year period beginning on such date—
‘‘(A) any business operations conducted by any such
agency, instrumentality, system, or entity that involve coins
or currency will be fully capable of accepting and dispensing
$1 coins in connection with such operations; and
‘‘(B) displays signs and notices denoting such capability
on the premises where coins or currency are accepted or
dispensed, including on each vending machine.
‘‘(2) PUBLICITY.—The Director of the United States Mint,
shall work closely with consumer groups, media outlets, and
schools to ensure an adequate amount of news coverage, and
other means of increasing public awareness, of the inauguration
of the Presidential $1 Coin Program established in subsection
(n) to ensure that consumers know of the availability of the
coin.
‘‘(3) COORDINATION.—The Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System and the Secretary shall take steps to ensure
that an adequate supply of $1 coins is available for commerce
and collectors at such places and in such quantities as are
appropriate by—
‘‘(A) consulting, to accurately gauge demand for coins
and to anticipate and eliminate obstacles to the easy and
efficient distribution and circulation of $1 coins as well
as all other circulating coins, from time to time but no
less frequently than annually, with a coin users group,
which may include—
‘‘(i) representatives of merchants who would ben-
efit from the increased usage of $1 coins;
‘‘(ii) vending machine and other coin acceptor
manufacturers;
‘‘(iii) vending machine owners and operators;
‘‘(iv) transit officials;
‘‘(v) municipal parking officials;
‘‘(vi) depository institutions;
‘‘(vii) coin and currency handlers;
‘‘(viii) armored-car operators;
‘‘(ix) car wash operators; and
‘‘(x) coin collectors and dealers;
‘‘(B) submitting an annual report to the Congress
containing—
‘‘(i) an assessment of the remaining obstacles to
the efficient and timely circulation of coins, particularly
$1 coins;
‘‘(ii) an assessment of the extent to which the
goals of subparagraph (C) are being met; and
‘‘(iii) such recommendations for legislative action
the Board and the Secretary may determine to be
appropriate;
‘‘(C) consulting with industry representatives to encour-
age operators of vending machines and other automated
coin-accepting devices in the United States to accept coins
issued under the Presidential $1 Coin Program established
under subsection (n) and any coins bearing any design
in effect before the issuance of coins required under sub-
section (n) (including the so-called ‘Sacagawea-design’ $1
Reports.
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119 STAT. 2671
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
coins), and to include notices on the machines and devices
of such acceptability;
‘‘(D) ensuring that—
‘‘(i) during an introductory period, all institutions
that want unmixed supplies of each newly-issued
design of $1 coins minted under subsections (n) and
(o) are able to obtain such unmixed supplies; and
‘‘(ii) circulating coins will be available for ordinary
commerce in packaging of sizes and types appropriate
for and useful to ordinary commerce, including rolled
coins;
‘‘(E) working closely with any agency, instrumentality,
system, or entity referred to in paragraph (1) to facilitate
compliance with the requirements of such paragraph; and
‘‘(F) identifying, analyzing, and overcoming barriers
to the robust circulation of $1 coins minted under sub-
sections (n) and (o), including the use of demand prediction,
improved methods of distribution and circulation, and
improved public education and awareness campaigns.
‘‘(4) BULLION DEALERS.—The Director of the United States
Mint shall take all steps necessary to ensure that a maximum
number of reputable, reliable, and responsible dealers are quali-
fied to offer for sale all bullion coins struck and issued by
the United States Mint.
‘‘(5) REVIEW OF CO-CIRCULATION.—At such time as the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate, and after consultation
with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
the Secretary shall notify the Congress of its assessment of
issues related to the co-circulation of any circulating $1 coin
bearing any design, other than the so-called ‘Sacagawea-design’
$1 coin, in effect before the issuance of coins required under
subsection (n), including the effect of co-circulation on the
acceptance and use of $1 coins, and make recommendations
to the Congress for improving the circulation of $1 coins.’’.
SEC. 105. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the enactment of this Act will serve to increase the
use of $1 coins generally, which will increase the circulation
of the so-called ‘‘Sacagawea-design’’ $1 coins that have been
and will continue to be minted and issued;
(2) the continued minting and issuance of the so-called
‘‘Sacagawea-design’’ $1 coins will serve as a lasting tribute
to the role of women and Native Americans in the history
of the United States;
(3) the full circulation potential and cost-savings benefit
projections for the $1 coins are not likely to be achieved unless
the coins are delivered in ways useful to ordinary commerce;
(4) the coins issued in connection with this title should
not be introduced with an overly expensive taxpayer-funded
public relations campaign;
(5) in order for the circulation of $1 coins to achieve max-
imum potential—
(A) the coins should be as attractive as possible; and
(B) the Director of the United States Mint should take
all reasonable steps to ensure that all $1 coins minted
Notification.
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119 STAT. 2672
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and issued remain tarnish-free for as long as possible with-
out incurring undue expense; and
(6) if the Secretary of the Treasury determines to include
on any $1 coin minted under section 102 of this Act a mark
denoting the United States Mint facility at which the coin
was struck, such mark should be edge-incused.
TITLE II—BUFFALO GOLD BULLION
COINS
SEC. 201. GOLD BULLION COINS.
Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(11) A $50 gold coin that is of an appropriate size and
thickness, as determined by the Secretary, weighs 1 ounce,
and contains 99.99 percent pure gold.’’; and
(2) by adding at the end, the following:
‘‘(q) GOLD BULLION COINS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the date
of enactment of the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005, the
Secretary shall commence striking and issuing for sale such
number of $50 gold bullion and proof coins as the Secretary
may determine to be appropriate, in such quantities, as the
Secretary, in the Secretary’s discretion, may prescribe.
‘‘(2) INITIAL DESIGN.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under subpara-
graph (B), the obverse and reverse of the gold bullion
coins struck under this subsection during the first year
of issuance shall bear the original designs by James Earle
Fraser, which appear on the 5-cent coin commonly referred
to as the ‘Buffalo nickel’ or the ‘1913 Type 1’.
‘‘(B) VARIATIONS.—The coins referred to in subpara-
graph (A) shall—
‘‘(i) have inscriptions of the weight of the coin
and the nominal denomination of the coin incused in
that portion of the design on the reverse of the coin
commonly known as the ‘grassy mound’; and
‘‘(ii) bear such other inscriptions as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
‘‘(3) SUBSEQUENT
DESIGNS.—After the 1-year period
described to in paragraph (2), the Secretary may—
‘‘(A) after consulting with the Commission of Fine Arts,
and subject to the review of the Citizens Coinage Advisory
Committee, change the design on the obverse or reverse
of gold bullion coins struck under this subsection; and
‘‘(B) change the maximum number of coins issued in
any year.
‘‘(4) SOURCE OF GOLD BULLION.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall acquire gold
for the coins issued under this subsection by purchase
of gold mined from natural deposits in the United States,
or in a territory or possession of the United States, within
1 year after the month in which the ore from which it
is derived was mined.
James Earle
Fraser.
Deadline.
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119 STAT. 2673
PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
‘‘(B) PRICE OF GOLD.—The Secretary shall pay not more
than the average world price for the gold mined under
subparagraph (A).
‘‘(5) SALE OF COINS.—Each gold bullion coin issued under
this subsection shall be sold for an amount the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate, but not less than the sum of—
‘‘(A) the market value of the bullion at the time of
sale; and
‘‘(B) the cost of designing and issuing the coins,
including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead
expenses, marketing, and shipping.
‘‘(6) LEGAL
TENDER.—The coins minted under this title
shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103.
‘‘(7) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of
section 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this subsection
shall be considered to be numismatic items.
‘‘(8) PROTECTIVE COVERING.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each bullion coin having a metallic
content as described in subsection (a)(11) and a design
specified in paragraph (2) shall be sold in an inexpensive
covering that will protect the coin from damage due to
ordinary handling or storage.
‘‘(B) DESIGN.—The protective covering required under
subparagraph (A) shall be readily distinguishable from any
coin packaging that may be used to protect proof coins
minted and issued under this subsection.’’.
TITLE III—ABRAHAM LINCOLN
BICENTENNIAL 1-CENT COIN REDESIGN
SEC. 301. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, was one of the
Nation’s greatest leaders, demonstrating true courage during
the Civil War, one of the greatest crises in the Nation’s history.
(2) Born of humble roots in Hardin County (present-day
LaRue County), Kentucky, on February 12, 1809, Abraham
Lincoln rose to the Presidency through a combination of hon-
esty, integrity, intelligence, and commitment to the United
States.
(3) With the belief that all men are created equal, Abraham
Lincoln led the effort to free all slaves in the United States.
(4) Abraham Lincoln had a generous heart, with malice
toward none, and with charity for all.
(5) Abraham Lincoln gave the ultimate sacrifice for the
country he loved, dying from an assassin’s bullet on April
15, 1865.
(6) All Americans could benefit from studying the life of
Abraham Lincoln, for Lincoln’s life is a model for accomplishing
the ‘‘American dream’’ through honesty, integrity, loyalty, and
a lifetime of education.
(7) The year 2009 will be the bicentennial anniversary
of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.
(8) Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, grew to adult-
hood in Indiana, achieved fame in Illinois, and led the nation
in Washington, D.C.
31 USC 5112
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(9) The so-called ‘‘Lincoln cent’’ was introduced in 1909
on the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, making the obverse
design the most enduring on the nation’s coinage.
(10) President Theodore Roosevelt was so impressed by
the talent of Victor David Brenner that the sculptor was chosen
to design the likeness of President Lincoln for the coin, adapting
a design from a plaque Brenner had prepared earlier.
(11) In the nearly 100 years of production of the ‘‘Lincoln
cent’’, there have been only 2 designs on the reverse: the
original, featuring 2 wheat-heads in memorial style enclosing
mottoes, and the current representation of the Lincoln Memo-
rial in Washington, D.C.
(12) On the occasion of the bicentennial of President Lin-
coln’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the production of
the Lincoln cent, it is entirely fitting to issue a series of 1-
cent coins with designs on the reverse that are emblematic
of the 4 major periods of President Lincoln’s life.
SEC. 302. REDESIGN OF LINCOLN CENT FOR 2009.
(a) IN GENERAL.—During the year 2009, the Secretary of the
Treasury shall issue 1-cent coins in accordance with the following
design specifications:
(1) OBVERSE.—The obverse of the 1-cent coin shall continue
to bear the Victor David Brenner likeness of President Abraham
Lincoln.
(2) REVERSE.—The reverse of the coins shall bear 4 different
designs each representing a different aspect of the life of
Abraham Lincoln, such as—
(A) his birth and early childhood in Kentucky;
(B) his formative years in Indiana;
(C) his professional life in Illinois; and
(D) his presidency, in Washington, D.C.
(b) ISSUANCE OF REDESIGNED LINCOLN CENTS IN 2009.—
(1) ORDER.—The 1-cent coins to which this section applies
shall be issued with 1 of the 4 designs referred to in subsection
(a)(2) beginning at the start of each calendar quarter of 2009.
(2) NUMBER.—The Secretary shall prescribe, on the basis
of such factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate,
the number of 1-cent coins that shall be issued with each
of the designs selected for each calendar quarter of 2009.
(c) DESIGN SELECTION.—The designs for the coins specified
in this section shall be chosen by the Secretary—
(1) after consultation with the Abraham Lincoln Bicenten-
nial Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) after review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Com-
mittee.
SEC. 303. REDESIGN OF REVERSE OF 1-CENT COINS AFTER 2009.
The design on the reverse of the 1-cent coins issued after
December 31, 2009, shall bear an image emblematic of President
Lincoln’s preservation of the United States of America as a single
and united country.
SEC. 304. NUMISMATIC PENNIES WITH THE SAME METALLIC CONTENT
AS THE 1909 PENNY.
The Secretary of the Treasury shall issue 1-cent coins in 2009
with the exact metallic content as the 1-cent coin contained in
31 USC 5112
note.
31 USC 5112
note.
Victor David
Brenner.
31 USC 5112
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PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1047 (H.R. 902):
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 109–39 accompanying H.R. 902 (Comm. on Financial Serv-
ices).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 151 (2005):
Nov. 18, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 13, considered and passed House.
1909 in such number as the Secretary determines to be appropriate
for numismatic purposes.
SEC. 305. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the original Victor David
Brenner design for the 1-cent coin was a dramatic departure from
previous American coinage that should be reproduced, using the
original form and relief of the likeness of Abraham Lincoln, on
the 1-cent coins issued in 2009.
Approved December 22, 2005.
31 USC 5112
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