World War II 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coins Act
PL 102-414 (S.3195), enacted 10/14/1992

106 STAT. 2106 
PUBLIC LAW 102-414—OCT. 14, 1992 
Public Law 102-414 
102d Congress 
An Act 
Oct. 14, 1992 
[S. 3195] 
World War II 
50th 
Anniversary 
Commemorative 
Coins Act. 
31 u s e 5112 
note. 
31 u s e 5112 
note. 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 
50th anniversary of the United States' involvement in World War II. 
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 "World War II 50th Anniversary 
Commemorative Coins Act". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF THE CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—^The Congress finds that— 
(1) the period of December 7, 1991, through September 
2, 1995, will mark the 50th anniversary of the involvement 
of the United States in World War II; 
(2) over 16,000,000 people served in the Armed Forces 
of the United States during that conflict; 
(3) over 400,000 American men and women gave their 
lives in defense of freedom around the world during World 
War II; 
(4) World War II fundamentally reshaped the international 
geopolitical landscape, as well as the economic, political, and 
cultural institutions of our Nation; 
(5) the War involved a clear choice between democracy 
and t3n*anny and involved our Nation as a whole in a worldwide 
battle against the forces of fascism and oppression; 
(6) the June 6, 1944, invasion of northern France, when 
in one day 176,000 Allied military personnel were landed on 
the beaches of Normandy, was one of World War IFs most 
celebrated achievements; 
(7) the "D-Day invasion was the largest seaborne invasion 
in history, and the ensuing 76-day Battle of Normandy was 
one of the largest land battles in history; 
(8) the Battle of Normandy was a key to the Allied forces' 
eventual liberation of Europe; and 
(9) numerous organizations and individuals across the 
United States have expressed interest in or are engaged in 
efforts to draw attention to the 50th anniversary of World 
War II. 
(b) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress— 
(1) that the 50th anniversary of the involvement of the 
United States in World War II, the Battle of Normandy, and 
its other important battles should not go unrecognized at the 
national level; 
(2) that the United States should recognize these anniver-
saries by minting and issuing coins to commemorate these 
anniversaries; and 
(3) the minting of a United States coin to commemorate 
the Battle of Normandy and "D-Day" would be an appropriate 
PUBLIC LAW 102-414—OCT. 14, 1992 
106 STAT. 2107 
concomitance to the commitment by the Repubhc of France 
that it will mint a French commemorative coin in recognition 
of the anniversary. 
SEC. 3. WORLD WAR U COMMEMORATIVE COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred 
to as the "Secretary") shall mint and issue coins in accordance 
with this Act to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the involve-
ment of the United States in World War II. 
SEC. 4. SPECIFICATIONS OF COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) DENOMINATIONS.—^The Secretary shall mint and issue the 
^°^' 
following coins: 
(1) FIVE DOLLAR GOLD COINS.—Not more than 300,000 five 
dollar gold coins, each of which shall— 
(A) weigh 8.359 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and 
(C) be composed of 90 percent gold and 10 percent 
alloy. 
(2) ONE DOLLAR SILVER COINS.—^Not more than 1,000,000 
one dollar silver 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. 
(3) HALF DOLLAR CLAD COINS.—Not more than 2,000,000 
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 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. 
SEC. 5. SOURCES OF BULLION. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) GOLD.—^The Secretary shall obtain gold for minting coins "° ' 
under this Act pursuant to the authority of the Secretary under 
existing law. 
(b) SILVER.—^The Secretary shall obtain silver for minting coins 
under this Act only from stockpiles established under the Strategic 
and Critic£d Minerals Stock Piling Act. 
SEC. 6. DESIGN OF COINS. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—^The design of the coins authorized under 
this Act shall, in accordance with subsection (b), be symbolic 
of the participation of the United States in World War II. 
In addition, the design of the gold coin authorized under section 
4(a)(1) shall be emblematic of the Allied victory in World War 
II, and the silver coin authorized under section 4(a)(2) shall 
be emblematic of the Battle of Normandy. 
(2) DESIGNATIONS AND INSCRIPTIONS.—Each coin authorized 
under this Act shall bear a designation of the value of the 
coin, an inscription of the years "1991-1995", and inscriptions 
of the words "Liberty", "In God We Trust", "United States 
of America", and "E Pluribus Unum". In addition, the silver 
coin authorized under section 4(a)(2) may bear a designation 
106 STAT. 2108 
PUBLIC LAW 102-414—OCT. 14, 1992 
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note. 
Contracts. 
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of the date "June 6, 1944" and an inscription of the words 
"Battle of Normandy" or "D-Day Invasion". 
(b) DESIGN 
COMPETITION.—The Secretary shall sponsor a 
nationwide open competition for the design of each coin authorized 
by this Act. 
(c) SELECTION.—The design for each coin authorized by this 
Act shall be selected by the Secretary from the results of the 
design competition under subsection (b), after consultation with— 
(1) representatives of veterans organizations of the United 
States whose membership includes veterans of World War II, 
including— 
(A) the American Legion; 
(B) the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States; 
(C) AMVETS (American Veterans of World War II, 
Korea, and Vietnam); and 
(D) the Disabled American Veterans; and 
(2) in the case of the one dollar silver coin authorized 
under section 4(a)(2), the Battle of Normandy Foundation and 
individuals designated by the Foundation from among individ-
uals who are particularly knowledgeable, by reason of their 
education, training, or experience, about the history of World 
War II. 
SEC. 7. ISSUANCE OF COINS. 
(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this Act may be 
issued in uncirculated and proof qualities. 
(b) MINT FACILITY.—Only 1 facility of the United States Mint 
may be used to strike any particular combination of denomination 
and quality for the coins minted under this Act. 
(c) COMMENCEMENT OF ISSUANCE.—^The Secretary may issue 
the coins minted under this Act beginning on January 1, 1993. 
(d) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—Coins may 
not be minted 
under this Act after December 31, 1993. 
(e) PROMOTION CONSULTATION FOR WORLD WAR II MEMORL\L.— 
The Secretary shall determine the role that the American Battle 
Monuments Commission (hereafter referred to as the "Commission") 
and any entity established by the Congress to assist the Commission 
in erecting a World War II memorial will have in the promotion, 
advertising, or marketing of coins authorized under this Act. This 
determination shall be made in consultation with the Commission 
and any other such entity. The Secretary may enter into a contract 
involving the promotion, advertising, or marketing of such coins 
with the Commission and such other entity if the Secretary deter-
mines that such a contract would be beneficial in the sale of 
the coins. 
(f) PROMOTION CONSULTATION FOR NORMANDY MEMORIAL.—In 
consultation with the Battle of Normandy Foundation, the Secretary 
shall determine the role such entity shall have in the promotion, 
advertising, or marketing of the coins authorized under this Act. 
The Secretary shall enter into a contract involving the promotion, 
advertising, or marketing of such coins with the Foundation if 
the Secretary determines that such a contract would be beneficial 
in the sale of the coins. 
SEC. 8. SALE OF COINS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary shall sell coins minted under 
this Act at a price equal to the sum of the face value of the 
coins, the surcharge provided in subsection (d) with respect to 
PUBLIC LAW 102-414—OCT. 14, 1992 
106 STAT. 2109 
such coins, and 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, 
$8 per coin for the one dollar coins, and $2 per coin for the half 
dollar coins. 
SEC. 9. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) No NET COST TO 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 Federal 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 Government. 
SEC. 10. USE OF SURCHARGES. 
31 USC 5112 
(a) SPLIT OF SURCHARGES BETWEEN BATTLE OF NORMANDY "°*®' 
MEMORIAL AND WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL.—Surcharges received 
from the sale of coins minted under this Act shall be distributed 
by the Secretary as follows: 
(1) 
BATTLE 
OF 
NORMANDY 
FOUNDATION.—The 
first 
$3,000,000 received from the sale of coins shall be transferred 
to the Battle of Normandy Foundation and used to create, 
to endow, and to dedicate, on the 50th Anniversary of D-
Day, a United States D-Day and Battle of Normandy Memorial 
in Normandy, France, adjacent to the largest World War II 
Museum in the world in Caen, France, and to encourage and 
support visits to the memorial by United States citizens, and 
especially students. 
(2) AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION.—The first 
$7,000,000 received from the sale of coins after the $3,000,000 
referred to in paragraph (1) shall be deposited by the Secretary, 
subject to subsection (b)(2), in the fund established in the 
Treasury which is available to the American Battle Monuments 
Commission for the expenses incurred in establishing a memo-
rial on Federal land in the District of Columbia or its environs 
to honor members of the Armed Forces of the United States 
who served in World War II and to commemorate the participa-
tion of the United States in that war. 
(3) DISTRIBUTION OF EXCESS.—Of the amounts received 
from the sale of coins in excess of $10,000,000— 
(A) 30 percent shall be transferred to the Battle of 
Normandy Foundation and used in the manner provided 
in paragraph (1); and 
106 STAT. 2110 
PUBLIC LAW 102-414—OCT. 14, 1992 
(B) 70 percent shall be deposited by the Secretary, 
subject to subsection (b)(2), in the fund described in para-
graph (2). 
(b) USE OF FUNDS IF NOT USED FOR MEMORIAL.— 
(1) BATTLE OF NORMANDY MEMORL\L.—Of the amounts 
received by the Battle of Normandy Foundation under this 
section, any amount in excess of the amount spent by the 
Foundation for the uses described in subsection (a)(1) shall 
be transferred to the Secretary for deposit in the account pro-
vided for in section 8(b)(1) of the Act entitled "An Act to 
provide standards for placement of commemorative works on 
certain Federal lands in the District of Columbia and its envi-
rons, and for other purposes" and approved November 14, 1986, 
in the same manner as provided by law for the World War 
II memorial described in subsection (a)(2). 
(2) WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL.—If the World War II memo-
rial described in subsection (a)(2) is not authorized by Congress 
by December 31, 1995, the amounts described in paragraphs 
(2) and (3)(B) of subsection (a) shall be deposited by the Sec-
retary in the account described in paragraph (1) of this sub-
section. 
(c) AUDITS.—^The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct an annual audit of any books, records, documents, 
and other data— 
(1) belonging to the Battle of Normandy Foundation, the 
American Battle Monuments Commission, and any agency or 
organization which receives any amount from the fund 
described in subsection (a); and 
(2) relating to the expenditure of any amount received 
under subsection (a) or from the fund, 
until all amounts received by the foundation, commission, agency, 
or organization under subsection (a) or from the fund have been 
spent and the expenditure of such amounts has been audited. 
31 use 5112 
SEC. 11. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than March 31, 1994, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Congress a report regarding the activities carried out under 
this Act. 
31 u s e 5112 
SEC. 12. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), no provi-
sion of law governing procurement or public contracts shall be 
applicable to the procurement of goods and services necessary for 
carrjdng out the provisions of this Act relating to the minting 
or selling of the coins authorized by this Act. 
(b) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.—Subsection (a) shall 
not relieve any person entering into a contract under the authority 
of this Act from complying with any law relating to equal employ-
ment opportunity. 
31 use 5112 
SEC. 13. COINAGE PROFIT FUND. 
(a) DEPOSITS.—^All amounts received from the sale of coins 
issued under this Act shall be deposited in the coinage profit fund. 
(b) PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall pay the amounts author-
ized under section 10 from the coinage profit fund. 
PUBLIC LAW 102-414—OCT. 14, 1992 
106 STAT. 2111 
(c) EXPENDITURES.—^The Secretary shall charge the coinage 
profit fiind with all expenditures under this Act. 
Approved October 14, 1992. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 3195: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 138 (1992): 
Sept. 18, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 29, considered and passed House.