A bill recently introduced by Rep. Melvin Watt [D-NC] proposes a 40-coin, eight-year series of circulating quarters to commemorate and be emblematic of "prominent civil rights leaders and important events that have advanced civil rights in America."
H.R. 6701, "Civil Rights Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008," was introduced July 31, and has an already large cosponsor list of 99 representatives.
Most collectors are now familiar with the H.R. 6184, "America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008," which the House passed July 9 and would continue circulating quarters commemorating national parks and sites for at least 11 years. Like it, H.R. 6701 would authorize a large silver version of the coin measuring 3 inches in diameter and weighing a 5 ounces.
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The latest congressional National Parks Quarter proposal calls for a massive three-inch, eight ounce silver collector coin.
An amazing size that would quite easily dwarf current US bullion coinage — as a comparison, the popular American Eagle silver coin is an already large 1.598 inches with a single ounce of silver.
The House of Representatives introduced the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act, which proposes a minimum 11 year series of circulating quarter dollar coins to feature one national park or site in each state, the District of Columbia, and each U.S. Territory starting in 2010. It would also mandate silver coins for collectors.
The House-introduced legislation passed easily on July 9, 2008. That bill, however, had provisions only for a three-inch, five ounce silver collector coin. "Only" is perhaps the wrong word to use. A coin that size and issued by the US Mint would be history making.
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Legislation for circulated, uncirculated, proof and silver dollar coins commemorating national parks and sites flew through the House of Representatives in five weeks and ended with a unanimous "yes" vote July 9.
The House has been ablaze with coin talk this year, handling nearly 20 coin bills. Is their coin fervor resulting from the will/desires of people? And, will it carry over to the slower Senate?
For America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act at least, it would appear so.
When the national park quarter legislation (H.R. 6184) was introduced in the House on June 4, 2008, the Senate didn’t wait for it to pass the House like it could have. Instead, Senator John Barrasso [R-WY] introduced an identical version of the bill (S. 3214) on June 26.
It’s not completely uncharacteristic to introduce similar bills in both houses and so close together, but it does hint at something stronger in play.
The day after H.R. 6184 passed the House, Senator Barrasso released a statement saying,
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The call for national park quarters grew louder with progress in the House and introduction in the Senate.
The joint quarter-dollar legislation seeks to:
"provide for a program for circulating quarter dollar coins that are emblematic of a national park or other national site in each State, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the United States."
Senate bill, S. 3214, is nearly identical to House version, H.R. 6184. They both, in fact, bear the same name: America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008.
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