United States Army Commemorative Coin Act of 2008
PL 110-450 (H.R.5714), enacted 12/01/2008

122 STAT. 5017 
PUBLIC LAW 110–450—DEC. 1, 2008 
Public Law 110–450 
110th Congress 
An Act 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition and celebration 
of the establishment of the United States Army in 1775, to honor the American 
soldier of both today and yesterday, in wartime and in peace, and to commemorate 
the traditions, history, and heritage of the United States Army and its role 
in American society, from the Colonial period to today. 
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 ‘‘United States Army Commemora-
tive Coin Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) the United States Army, founded in 1775, has served 
this country well for over 230 years; 
(2) the United States Army has played a decisive role 
in protecting and defending freedom throughout the history 
of the United States, from the Colonial period to today, in 
wartime and in peace, and has consistently answered the call 
to serve the American people at home and abroad since the 
Revolutionary War; 
(3) the sacrifice of the American soldier, of all ranks, since 
the earliest days of the Republic has been immense and is 
deserving of the unique recognition bestowed by commemora-
tive coinage; 
(4) the Army, the Nation’s oldest and largest military 
service, is the only service branch that currently does not 
have a comprehensive national museum celebrating, preserving, 
and displaying its heritage and honoring its veterans; 
(5) the National Museum of the United States Army will 
be— 
(A) the Army’s only service-wide, national museum 
honoring all soldiers, of all ranks, in all branches since 
1775; and 
(B) located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, across the 
Potomac River from the Nation’s Capitol, a 10-minute drive 
from Mount Vernon, the home of the Army’s first Com-
mander-in-Chief, and astride the Civil War’s decisive Wash-
ington-Richmond corridor; 
(6) the Army Historical Foundation (hereafter in this Act 
referred to as the ‘‘Foundation’’), founded in 1983— 
(A) is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage 
of the American soldier; and 
United States 
Army 
Commemorative 
Coin Act of 2008. 
31 USC 5112 
note. 
Dec. 1, 2008 
[H.R. 5714] 
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122 STAT. 5018 
PUBLIC LAW 110–450—DEC. 1, 2008 
(B) seeks to educate future Americans to fully appre-
ciate the sacrifices that generations of American soldiers 
have made to safeguard the freedoms of this Nation; 
(7) the completion and opening to the public of the National 
Museum of the United States Army will immeasurably help 
in fulfilling that mission; 
(8) the Foundation is a nongovernmental, member-based, 
and publicly supported nonprofit organization that is dependent 
on funds from members, donations, and grants for support; 
(9) the Foundation uses such support to help create the 
National Museum of the United States Army, refurbish histor-
ical Army buildings, acquire and conserve Army historical art 
and artifacts, support Army history educational programs, for 
research, and publication of historical materials on the Amer-
ican soldier, and to provide support and counsel to private 
and governmental organizations committed to the same goals 
as the Foundation; 
(10) in 2000, the Secretary of the Army designated the 
Foundation as its primary partner in the building of the 
National Museum of the United States Army; and 
(11) the Foundation is actively engaged in executing a 
major capital campaign to support the National Museum of 
the United States Army. 
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) DENOMINATIONS.—In recognition and celebration of the 
founding of the United States Army in 1775, and notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 
in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and issue 
the following coins: 
(1) $5 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which 
shall— 
(A) weigh 8.359 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and 
(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy. 
(2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, 
which shall— 
(A) weigh 26.73 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. 
(3) HALF
DOLLAR
CLAD
COINS.—Not more than 750,000 
half dollar coins, which shall— 
(A) weigh 11.34 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and 
(C) 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 Act shall 
be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 5134 and 
5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this 
Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The design of the coins minted under 
this Act shall be emblematic of the traditions, history, and 
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122 STAT. 5019 
PUBLIC LAW 110–450—DEC. 1, 2008 
heritage of the United States Army, and its role in American 
society from the Colonial period to today. 
(2) DESIGNATIONS AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On each coin minted 
under this Act, there shall be— 
(A) a designation of the value of the coin; 
(B) an inscription of the year ‘‘2011’’; and 
(C) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, ‘‘In God We 
Trust’’, ‘‘United States of America’’, and ‘‘E Pluribus 
Unum’’. 
(b) SELECTION.—The design for the coins minted under this 
Act shall— 
(1) contain motifs that specifically honor the American 
soldier of both today and yesterday, in wartime and in peace, 
such designs to be consistent with the traditions and heritage 
of the United States Army, the mission and goals of the 
National Museum of the United States Army, and the missions 
and goals of the Foundation; 
(2) be selected by the Secretary, after consultation with 
the Secretary of the Army, the Foundation, and the Commission 
of Fine Arts; and 
(3) be reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Com-
mittee. 
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
(a) QUALITY
OF COINS.—Coins minted under this Act shall 
be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 
(b) MINT FACILITIES.—For each of the 3 coins minted under 
this Act, at least 1 facility of the United States Mint shall be 
used to strike proof quality coins, while at least 1 other such 
facility shall be used to strike the uncirculated quality coins. 
(c) PERIOD
FOR ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may issue coins 
minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning 
on January 1, 2011. 
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 
(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act shall be 
sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of— 
(1) the face value of the coins; 
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect 
to such coins; and 
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including 
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, 
marketing, and shipping). 
(b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the 
coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount. 
(c) PREPAID ORDERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 
for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of 
such coins. 
(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders 
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount. 
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins minted under this Act 
shall include a surcharge as follows: 
(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin. 
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin. 
(3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half dollar coin. 
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122 STAT. 5020 
PUBLIC LAW 110–450—DEC. 1, 2008 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5714 (S. 2579): 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 154 (2008): 
Oct. 3, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 17, considered and passed Senate. 
(b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United 
States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the 
sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by 
the Secretary to the Foundation to help finance the National 
Museum of the United States Army. 
(c) AUDITS.—The Foundation shall be subject to the audit 
requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, 
with regard to the amounts received by the Foundation under 
subsection (b). 
(d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge 
may be included with respect to the issuance under this Act of 
any coin during a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, 
the issuance of such coin would result in the number of commemora-
tive coin programs issued during such year to exceed the annual 
2 commemorative coin program issuance limitation under section 
5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in effect on the 
date of the enactment of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury 
may issue guidance to carry out this subsection. 
Approved December 1, 2008. 
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