American Buffalo Coin Commemorative Coin Act of 2000
PL 106-375 (H.R.4259), enacted 10/27/2000

PUBLIC LAW 106-375—OCT. 27, 2000 
114 STAT. 1435 
Public Law 106-375 
106th Congress 
An Act 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 
National Museum of the American Indian of the Smithsonian Institution, 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 "National Museum of the American 
Indian Commemorative Coin Act of 2000", or the "American Buffalo 
Coin Commemorative Coin Act of 2000". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Smithsonian Institution was established in 1846, 
with funds bequeathed to the United States by James Smithson 
for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge". 
(2) Once established, the Smithsonian Institution became 
an important part of the process of developing the United 
States national identity, an ongoing role which continues today. 
(3) The Smithsonian Institution, which is now the world's 
largest museum complex, including 16 museums, 4 research 
centers, and the National Zoo, is visited by millions of Ameri-
cans and people from all over the world each year. 
(4) The National Museum of the American Indian of the 
Smithsonian Institution (hereafter referred to in this section 
as the "NMAI") was established by an Act of Congress in 
1989, in Public Law 101-185. 
(5) The purpose of the NMAI, as established by Congress, 
is to— 
(A) advance the study of Native Americans, including 
the study of language, literature, history, art, anthropology, 
and life; 
(B) collect, preserve, and exhibit Native American 
objects of artistic, historical, literary, anthropological, and 
scientific interest; and 
(C) provide for Native American research and study 
programs. 
(6) The NMAI works in cooperation with Native Americans 
and oversees a collection that spans more than 10,000 years 
of American history. 
(7) It is fitting that the NMAI will be located in a place 
of honor near the United States Capitol, and on the National 
Mall. 
Oct. 27, 2000 
[H.R. 4259] 
National 
Museximofthe 
American Indian 
Commemorative 
Coin Act of 2000. 
31 u s e 5112 
note. 
114 STAT. 1436 
PUBLIC LAW 106-375—OCT. 27, 2000 
(8) Thousgmds of Americans, including many American 
Indians, came from all over the Nation to witness the ground-
breaking ceremony for the NMAI on September 28, 1999. 
(9) The NMAI is scheduled to open in the summer of 
2002. 
(10) The original 5-cent buffalo nickel, as designed by 
James Earle Fraser and minted from 1913 through 1938, which 
portrays a profile representation of a Native American on the 
obverse side and a representation of an American buffalo on 
the reverse side, is a distinctive and appropriate model for 
a coin to commemorate the NMAI. 
(11) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a commemora-
tive coin, which would have no net cost to the taxpayers, 
would raise valuable funding for the opening of the NMAI 
and help to supplement the endowment and educational out-
reach funds of the NMAI. 
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) $1 SILVER COINS.—In commemoration of the opening of 
the Museum of the American Indian of the Smithsonian Institution, 
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. 
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. 
SEC. 5. DESIGN OF COINS. 
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The design of the $1 coins minted under 
this Act shall be based on the original 5-cent buffalo nickel 
designed by James Earle Fraser and minted fi'om 1913 through 
1938. Each coin shall have on the obverse side a profile rep-
resentation of a Native American, and on the reverse side, 
a representation of an American buffalo (also known as a 
bison). 
(2) DESIGNATION 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 "2001"; 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 be— 
(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the 
Commission of Fine Arts; and 
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory 
Committee. 
PUBLIC LAW 106-375—OCT. 27, 2000 
114 STAT. 1437 
SEC. 6. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this Act shall 
be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 
(b) MINT FACILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Only one facility of the United States 
Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins 
minted under this Act. 
(2) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that the United States Mint facility in Denver, Colorado 
should strike the coins authorized by this Act, unless the Sec-
retary determines that such action would be technically or 
cost-prohibitive. 
(c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may issue 
coins minted under this Act beginning on January 1, 2001. 
(d) TERMINATION OF MINTING.—No coins may be minted under 
this Act after December 31, 2001. 
SEC. 7. 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 o
f
— 
(1) the face value of the coins; 
(2) the surcharge required by subsection (d) 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 
xinder paragraph (1) shall oe at a reasonable discount. 
(d) SURCHARGES.—^All sales of coins minted under this Act 
shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin. 
SEC. 8. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United 
States Code, the proceeds from the surcharges received by the 
Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be 
paid promptly by the Secretary to the National Museum of the 
American Indian of the Smithsonian Institution for the purposes 
of— 
(1) commemorating the opening of the National Museum 
of the American Indian; and 
(2) supplementing the endowment and educational outreach 
funds of the Museum of the American Indian, 
(b) AUDITS.—The National Museum of the American Indiein 
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 museum under subsection (a). 
SEC. 9. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 
(a) No NET COST TO THE GOVERNMENT.—The Secretary shall 
take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting 
£ind issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net cost 
to the United States Government. 
114 STAT. 1438 
PUBLIC LAW 106-375—OCT. 27, 2000 
(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, the deposits of which are insured 
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National 
Credit Union Administration Board. 
Approved October 27, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4259: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000): 
Sept. 26, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 11, considered and passed Senate.