2009 Coin Legislation for Consideration

Coin legislation in 2009 has progressed extremely slow, which is exceedingly normal considering the congressional process each bill must suffer through to pass.

10 bills related to coinage have been introduced thus far. Not a single one has been given an up or down vote. Each is awaiting some action in a particular committee — either the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, or the House Committee on Financial Services.

Again, this is the norm. After all, only two commemorative series are authorized per year, placing coin legislation on relatively low priority. As a measure of sorts, it took until July for the first coin bill in 2008 to become law.

As Congress returns from a two-week recess this week, here are the active 2009 coin related bills they will consider:

• S. 758, known as the Original Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Ultra-High Relief Bullion Coin Act of 2009, calls for production of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle ultra-high relief bullion coins in palladium to provide affordable opportunities for investments in precious metals, and for other purposes.

  If passed, palladium coins in bullion, uncirculated and proof would be struck based on the Saint-Gaudens 1907 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle design.

  Fore more on this bill, read: Palladium Ultra High Relief Coins Come Back.

• H.R. 255, known as the NASA 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, would authorize $50 gold and $1 silver coins emblematic of the 50 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of NASA. The coins would be struck in 2011.

  Fore more on this bill, read: NASA Gold and Silver Coin Legislation Introduced Again.

• H.R. 1209, known as the Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009, seeks 500,000 silver dollars and 100,000 $5 gold coins in proof and uncirculated for 2011 in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the Medal of Honor in 1861.

  Fore more on this bill, read: H.R. 1209: Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009.

• H.R. 621 and S. 451, known in both houses as the Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, would have the US Mint in 2011 strike up to 350,000 $1 silver dollars in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

  Fore more on this bill, read: Girl Scouts Commemorative Coin Legislation, Round 2.

• S. 653, known as the Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act, would authorize 500,000 silver $1s and 100,000 $5 gold coins in proof and uncirculated for 2012 to celebrate the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner.

  Fore more on this bill, read: Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins Reintroduced, S. 653.

• H.R. 1195 and S.483, known in both houses as the Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act, would have the US Mint issue 500,000 silver dollars; 100,000 $5 gold coins in proof and uncirculated for 2013 to commemorate Mark Twain.

  Fore more on this bill, read: Mark Twain Commemorative Coins Reintroduced, H.R. 1195.

• S. 455 and H.R. 1177, known as the Five-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act or 5 Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act, seeks 750,000 half-dollar clad, 500,000 silver dollars, and 100,000 $5 gold coins in proof and uncirculated for 2013.

  These coins would be struck in recognition of 5 United States Army Five-Star Generals, George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Henry "Hap" Arnold, and Omar Bradley, alumni of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

  Fore more on this bill, read: Five-Star Generals Commemorative Coins Reintroduced.

None of these bills are new. They were introduced in the previous 110th Congress, but failed to pass in one or both houses. Each had to be reintroduced for the current 111th Congress.

For a bill to become law, it must pass in the House and Senate, and get signed by the President.

A reference for current and past year legislation is available at Coin legislation, Coin Acts and Coin Laws.