U.S. Army and Museum Commemorative Gold and Silver Coins Pass Congress

The Senate and House passed legislation late last week seeking to commemorate in 2011 — with gold, silver and clad coins — the legacy and founding of the United States Army Infantry in 1775 and the establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.

Both chambers passed nearly identical bills, indicating their full support for the overall legislation. Each version would have the U.S. Mint issue the following uncirculated and proof coins:

• $5 gold coin with a limited mintage of 100,000
• $1 silver dollar with limit of 500,000
• 50c clad limited to 750,000

Senate bill S. 2579 was introduced in January by Senator Daniel K. Inouye [D-HI]. It garnered 83 cosponsors and passed Thursday by Unanimous Consent. House bill H.R. 5741 was proposed in April by Rep. Ike Skelton [D-MO]. 348 House members jumped on board for cosponsorship, and it passed Friday without objections. Both versions are entitled ‘United States Army Commemorative Coin Act of 2008‘.

The commemorative coins would have the following surcharges reserved for the Army Historical Foundation to help fund the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia:

(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.

(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.

(3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half dollar coin.

A conference committee made up of both House and Senate members will reconcile the small differences between each bill and both bodies will then approve any changes before the measure can be sent to the President so it may be signed into law. The respective political parties are now focused on elections, which means the legislation will not likely arrive on the President’s desk until late this year or early next.

Not to be confused with these bills, H.R. 3229 was recently passed, and it also honors the U.S. Army (and National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center) with 350,000 silver $1 coins in the year 2012. The legislation was presented to the President and is expected to be signed within days.

For a listing of current coin legislation, visit Coin Legislation, Acts and Laws.