Bicentennial of the United States Congress Commemorative Coin Act
PL 100-673 (H.R.5280), enacted 11/17/1988

102 STAT. 3992 
PUBLIC LAW 100-673—NOV. 17, 1988 
Public Law 100-673 
100th Congress 
An Act 
Nov. 17, 1988 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 
[H.R. 5280] 
Bicentennial of the United States Congress. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Bicentennial of 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
the United 
States Congress 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Coin Act. 
This Act may be cited as the "Bicentennial of the United States 
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Congress Commemorative Coin Act". 
note. 
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SEC. 2. SPECIFICATIONS OF COINS. 
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(a) FIVE DOLLAR GOLD COINS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Secretary of the Treasury (hereinafter in 
this Act referred to as the "Secretary") shall mint and issue not 
more than 1,000,000 five dollar coins each of which shall— 
(A) weigh 8.359 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of .850 inches; and 
(C) be composed of 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy. 
(2) DESIGN.—The design of the five dollar coins shall, in 
accordance with section 4, be emblematic of the Bicentennial of 
the United States Congress. Each five dollar coin shall bear a 
designation of the value of the coin, an inscription of the year 
"1989", and inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". 
0>) ONE DOLLAR SILVER COINS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Secretary shall mint and issue not more 
than 3,000,000 one dollar coins each of which shall— 
(A) weigh 26.73 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and 
(C) be composed of 90 percent silver and 10 percent 
copper. 
(2) DESIGN.—The design of the one dollar coins shall, in 
accordance with section 4, be emblematic of the Bicentennial of 
the United States Congress. Each one dollar coin shall bear a 
designation of the value of the coin, an inscription of the year 
"1989", and inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". 
(c) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.— 
(1) ISSUANCE.—The Secretary shall issue not more than 
4,000,000 half dollar coins each of 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 51120t)) of title 31, United States Code. 
(2) DESIGN.—The design of the half dollar coins shall, in 
accordance with section 4, be emblematic of the Bicentennial of 
the United States Congress. On each half dollar coin shall be a 
designation of the value of the coin, an inscription of the year 
PUBLIC LAW 100-673—NOV. 17, 1988 
102 STAT. 3993 
"1989", and inscriptions of the words "Liberty", "In God We 
Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". 
(d) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this Act shall be legal 
tender as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code. 
(e) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5132(aXl) of title 
31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items. 
SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) GrOLD.—The Secretary shall obtain gold for minting coins under 
this Act pursuant to the authority of the Secretary under existing 
law. 
0)) SILVER.—The Secretary shall obtain silver for minting coins 
under this Act only from stockpiles established under the Strategic 
and Critical Minerals Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.). 
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
The design for each coin authorized by this Act shall be selected 
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by the Secretary after consultation with the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the 
Commission of Fine Arts. 
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) FIVE DOLLAR COINS.—The five dollar coins minted under this 
Act may be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities and shall be 
struck at the United States Mint at West Point, New York. 
(b) ONE DOLLAR AND HALF DOLLAR COINS.—The one dollar and 
half dollar coins minted under this Act may be issued in uncir-
culated and proof qualities, except that not more than one facility of 
the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular com-
bination of denomination and quality. 
(c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may issue the 
coins minted under this Act beginning January 1,1989. 
(d) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Coins may not be minted under 
this Act after June 30,1990. 
(e) CONTRACTS.—Any contract to be made by the Secretary involv-
ing the promotion, advertising, or marketing of any coins authorized 
under this Act shall be valid only upon approval by the United 
States Capitol Preservation Commission. 
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
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Secretary shall sell the coins minted under this Act at a price equal 
to the face value, plus the cost of designing and issuing the coins 
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead 
expenses). 
(b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make any bulk sales of the 
coins minted under this Act at a reasonable discount to reflect the 
lower costs of such sales. 
(c) PREPAID ORDERS.—The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 
for the coins minted under this Act prior to the issuance of such 
coins. Sale prices with respect to such prepaid orders shall be at a 
reasonable discount. 
(d) SURCHARGES.—All sales of coins minted under this Act shall 
include a surcharge of $35 per coin for the five dollar coins, $7 per 
coin for the one dollar coins, and $1 per coin for the half dollar coins. 
102 STAT. 3994 
PUBLIC LAW 100-673—NOV. 17, 1988 
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SEC. 7. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 
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(a) No NET COST TO THE GOVERNMENT.—The Secretary shall take 
such actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting and issuing 
coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the United 
States Government. 
(b) PAYMENT FOR COINS.—A coin shall not be issued under this Act 
unless the Secretary has received— 
(1) full payment for the coin; 
(2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the 
United States for full payment; or 
(3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the Secretary 
from a depository institution whose deposits are insured by the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Savings 
and Loan Insurance Corporation, or the National Credit Union 
Administration Board. 
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SEC. 8. USE OF SURCHARGES. 
(a) USE OF SURCHARGES.—Fifty percent of the first $40,000,000 in 
surcharges that are received by the Secretary from the sale of coins 
minted under this Act shall be deposited in the Capitol Preservation 
Fund and be available to the United States Capitol Preservation 
Commission. The balance of the surcharges received by the Sec-
retary shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury for the 
sole purpose of reducing the national debt. 
(b) RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF SURCHARGES.— 
(1) PROHIBITION ON REPRESENTATIONAL EXPENSES.—No amount 
received by the Commission from the Capitol Preservation Fund 
may be used to pay representational 
expenses of the 
Commission. 
(2) LIMITATIONS ON REIMBURSEMENTS.—A member of an ad-
visory board established by the Commission shall be entitled to 
receive per diem, travel and transportation expenses in the 
same manner as an employee serving intermittently in the 
Government service may receive under section 5703 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(c) REPORT REQUIRED.—The Commission shall submit a report of 
expenditures to the Clerk of the House of Representatives not later 
than February 28 for the last six months of the preceding year and 
not later than August 31 for the first six months of the current year. 
The Clerk shall promptly transmit the reports to the Public Printer 
for printing in the Congressional Record. 
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SEC. 9. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 0?), no provi-
sion 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. 
Qo) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.—Subsection (a) shall not 
relieve any person entering into a contract under the authority of 
PUBLIC LAW 100-673—NOV. 17, 1988 
102 STAT. 3995 
this Act from complying with any law relating to equal employment 
opportunity. 
Approved November 17, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5280: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 134 (1988): 
Oct. 3, 4, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 7, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Oct. 20, House concurred in Senate amendment with an amendment. Senate 
concurred in House amendment. 
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