Should a newly introduced House bill become law, 350,000 silver $1 coins will be issued in 2011 commemorating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Rep. Jack Kingston introduced the Girl Scouts commemorative coin legislation last week, but it’s taken a full seven days for details to emerge. Uncharacteristically, the Government Printing Office (GPO) was extremely slow in providing the official legislation text of H.R. 6404.
Coin release date and design specifications
H.R. 6404 is entitled the "Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act." With the Girl Scouts 100th anniversary on March 12, 2012, initial expectations were for the coin’s issuance in 2012. Those expectations were incorrect.
Instead, legislation directs minting of coins in 2011. Given the name of the act, it’s seemingly strange. However, in 1911, Juliette Gordon Low met Sir Robert Baden-Powell, a war hero and the founder of the Boy Scouts, and began planning an association for girls that would become Girl Scouts of the USA. From that perspective and going forward one hundred years, the date makes more sense.
As is typical with most coin legislation, H.R. 6404 does not layout a specific coin design outside standard commemorative inscriptions (Liberty’, ‘In God We Trust’, ‘United States of America’, and ‘E Pluribus Unum’), weight (26.73 grams) and dimensions (diameter of 1.5 inches).
The coin would be made from 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, and issued in proof and uncirculated versions with a limit of 350,000.
The final coin design would evolve through collaborative efforts of the United States Mint, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
A surcharge for each coin sold
A $10 surcharge is included for each coin sale that would be paid to:
"the Girl Scouts of the United States of America for efforts involved in marking the Centennial which may include preservation efforts of the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low."
Girl Scouts commemorative coin has competition
Coin law, unless amended or a specific provision is made, dictates a limit of two commemorative coins per year. There are two additional coin bills targeted for 2011 that have seen congressional action this year:
In the sense of the limit, H.R. 6404 will compete with these bills.
Current status of H.R. 6404
H.R. 6404 has been sent to the House Committee on Financial Services, which is normal for recently introduced coin bills. For a U.S. bill to become law, it must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then get signed by the President.
Similar to the Girl Scouts legislation is H.R. 5872: Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. The Boy Scouts bill has already passed the House, has strong support in the Senate, and would result in coins issued in 2010. Its passage would likely strengthen support for H.R. 6404.
According to Girl Scouts of the USA site, membership has grown from 18 members in Savannah, Georgia, to 3.7 million members throughout the United States, including U.S. territories, and in more than 90 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas.
How do I purchase one of the new girl scout coins? I am leader of 2 troops and have 3 girls in scouts.
thank you
Cherly, the final version of the legislation which became law moved their release into 2013. When they are issued, anyone can buy them directly from the U.S. Mint (http://www.usmint.gov).