Legislation passed in the House of Representatives and now pending before the Senate would create a $1 silver coin commemorating the battle of Baltimore that inspired the national anthem.
On May 19, the House passed H.R. 2894, an act “To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the War of 1812.”
The bill was first introduced by Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD] in June of 2007. Although nearly a year went by without solid action, in the end it easily passed with 298 cosponsors.
“From VFW and American Legion halls across the country to Little League baseball games to Presidential inaugurations, we play the national anthem to bring Americans together and honor our nation.
Today in honor of past, present, and future veterans, we salute their service and sacrifice with a Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin. This coin is for all of our veterans.
It is a wonderful way to honor the courage and dedication of military personnel of today and yesterday,” said Ruppersberger.
The bill calls for 350,000 commemorative $1 silver coins to be issued in 2012, the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.
Francis Scott Key wrote the poem “The Star-Spangled Banner” when he saw the American flag flying above Fort McHenry after a 25-hour British bombardment in 1814. The Star-Spangled Banner was set to music and became the national anthem in 1931.
Commemorative coin specifications and design
Should the bill pass the Senate and become law by Presidential signature, $1 silver coins in both proof and uncirculated quantities would be issued with the following specifications:
- weigh 26.73 grams;
- have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
- contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper
As is typical with coin legislation, few designs details are provided. For the commemorative coin, the bills states the coins:
” … shall be emblematic of the War of 1812 and particularly the Battle for Fort McHenry that formed the basis for the `Star-Spangled Banner’.”
With specific of having the inscriptions of the year "2012"," Liberty", "In God We Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum."
The coin design process managed by the U.S. Mint would take over from these legislated guidelines.
Each bicentennial coin would have a $10 surcharge with proceeds going to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.
H.R. 2894: Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 2894
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the `Star Spangled Banner’ and the War of 1812, and for other purposes.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the `Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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The Congress finds as follows:
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(1) During the War of 1812, on September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key visited the British fleet in Chesapeake Bay to secure the release of Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured after the burning of Washington, DC.
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(2) The release was completed, but Key was held by the British overnight during the shelling of Fort McHenry, one of the forts defending Baltimore.
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(3) In the morning, Key peered through clearing smoke to see an enormous American flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British bombardment of Fort McHenry.
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(4) He was so delighted to see the flag still flying over the fort that he began a poem to commemorate the occasion, with a note that it should be sung to the popular British melody `To Anacreon in Heaven’.
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(5) In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that it be played at military and naval occasions.
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(6) In 1931, the `Star-Spangled Banner’ became our National Anthem.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
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(a) $1 Silver Coins- The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the `Secretary’) shall mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812, each of which shall–
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(1) weigh 26.73 grams;
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(2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
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(3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
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(b) Legal Tender- The coins minted under this Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
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(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.
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(a) Design Requirements-
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(1) IN GENERAL- The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the War of 1812 and particularly the Battle for Fort McHenry that formed the basis for the `Star-Spangled Banner’.
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(2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS- On each coin minted under this Act, there shall be–
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(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
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(B) an inscription of the year `2012′; and
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(C) inscriptions of the words `Liberty’, `In God We Trust’, `United States of America’, and `E Pluribus Unum’.
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(b) Selection- The design for the coins minted under this Act shall be–
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(1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
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(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
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(a) Quality of Coins- Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
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(b) Mint Facility- Only one facility of the United States Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the coins minted under this Act.
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(c) Period for Issuance- The Secretary may issue coins under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2012.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
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(a) Sale Price- The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of–
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(1) the face value of the coins;
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(2) the surcharge provided in section 7 with respect to such coins; and
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(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
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(b) Bulk Sales- The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
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(c) Prepaid Orders-
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(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of such coins.
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(2) DISCOUNT- Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
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(a) In General- All sales of coins issued under this Act shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin.
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(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 paid to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission for the purpose of supporting bicentennial activities in collaboration with and aiding the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission as it provides coordination, advice, and assistance to Federal agencies, States, localities, and other organizations for such bicentennial activities, educational outreach activities (including supporting scholarly research and the development of exhibits), and preservation and improvement activities relating to the sites and structures relating to the War of 1812.
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(c) Audits- The Comptroller General of the United States shall have the right to examine such books, records, documents, and other data of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission as may be related to the expenditures of amounts paid under subsection (b).
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(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 commemorative 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.
Passed the House of Representatives May 15, 2008.
Attest:
Clerk.
