400th Anniversary Santa Fe Gold and Silver Coins Introduced

New Mexico lawmakers introduced new legislation that would create coins commemorating the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe.

Santa Fe, New Mexico, the site of native occupation centuries before European incursions, was officially elevated from a plaza established in 1608 to a villa and capital city in 1610. It’s also the home to the oldest and continuously inhabited indigenous communities in North America.

Two bills were concurrently introduced into the House and Senate and each has been referred to committee. If a reconciled bill passes and is signed into law, a commemorative $5 gold piece and a $1 silver dollar would be minted for coin collectors in 2010.

Proposed Santa Fe 400th anniversary coin specifications and design

The two introduced bills have the same intent, but are composed slightly different:

• House version: H.R. 4833, named Santa Fe Quadricentennial Commemorative Coin Act
• Senate version: S. 2498, named Santa Fe 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act of 2007

While there’s no sign yet on whether either bill will ever leave its respective committee, it’s worthwhile to glance at what’s proposed.

400th Anniversary Santa Fe gold and silver coinage specifications

(2) $5 GOLD COINS– Not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which shall–

(A) weigh 8.359 grams

(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and

(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.

(2) $1 SILVER COINS– Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which shall–

(A) weigh 26.73 grams;

(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and

(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.

Santa Fe anniversary coinage design requirements

(1) IN GENERAL- The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the settlement of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the oldest capital city in the United States.

(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 ‘2010‘; and

(C) inscriptions of the words ‘Liberty‘, ‘ In God We Trust‘, ‘United States of America‘, and ‘E Pluribus Unum‘ on the obverse or reverse.

Design selection for the 400th Santa Fe anniversary gold and silver coins – what the coins should look like

To date, no specific guidelines or recommendations for either coin’s design – images, portrait(s), etc., for their front and back – has been provided within either bill. Generally, that’s typical for coin legislation and design. The very general, normal provisions are:

(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts; and

(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.