1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “United States Coast Guard Commemorative Coin Act”.
United States Coast Guard Commemorative Coin Act
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the United States Coast Guard.
2. Findings
The Congress finds the following:
The United States Coast Guard was founded on August 4, 1790, as the Revenue Cutter Service under the United States Department of the Treasury.
Congress created the Coast Guard on January 28, 1915, by merging the Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Lifesaving Service, was moved to the Department of Transportation in 1967, and on February 25, 2003, became part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Although the smallest of the uniformed services, today the United States Coast Guard conducts a wide variety of missions to protect the public, the environment, and the United States economic and security interests in any maritime region, including international waters and America’s coasts, ports, and inland waterways.
Every day, the United States Coast Guard plays a broad and important role in homeland security, law enforcement, search and rescue, marine environmental pollution response, and the maintenance of river, intra-coastal and offshore aids to navigation (ATON).
The United States Coast Guard is our Nation’s oldest seasoning military service, staying true to their motto, Semper Paratus or “Always Ready,” for 223 years.
The United States Coast Guard has an estimated 42,300 men and women on active duty, who in 2012 responded to nearly 20,000 search and rescue incidents saving over 3,500 lives and protecting $77 million in property, removed 107 metric tons of cocaine and 56 metric tons of marijuana headed to the United States, and interdicted nearly 3,000 undocumented migrants on the high seas attempting to illegally enter the United States.
Section 213 of Public Law 108–293 states that “The Commandant may establish a National Coast Guard Museum, on lands which will be federally owned and administered by the Coast Guard, and are located in New London, Connecticut, at, or in close proximity to, the Coast Guard Academy”.
The National Coast Guard Museum Association, a nonprofit association dedicated to improve public understanding of the history, service and missions of the Coast Guard, is working with the United States Coast Guard, the City of New London, the State of Connecticut, and a range of local, regional, and national stakeholders to develop, plan and raise capital for the National Coast Guard Museum, to be located in New London, Connecticut.
The United States Coast Guard is the only military service without a national museum through which to share its history and legacy with the American public.
3. Coin Specifications
Denominations— The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Secretary”) shall mint and issue the following coins:
$5 gold coins— Not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which shall—
weigh 8.359 grams;
have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
$1 silver coins— Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which shall—
weigh 26.73 grams;
have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
Half dollar clad coins— Not more than 750,000 half dollar coins, which shall—
weigh 11.34 grams;
have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
be minted to the specifications for half dollar coins, contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United States Code.
Legal tender— The coins minted under this Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
Numismatic items— For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
4. Design of Coin
Design requirements—
In general— The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the traditions, history, and heritage of the United States Coast Guard, and its role in securing our nation since 1790.
Designations and inscriptions— On each coin minted under this Act, there shall be—
a designation of the value of the coin;
an inscription of the year “2017”; and
inscriptions of the words “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “United States of America”, and “E Pluribus Unum”.
Selection— The design for the coins minted under this Act shall—
contain motifs that specifically honor the American Coast Guardsman of both today and yesterday, in wartime and in peace, such designs to be consistent with the traditions and heritage of the United States Coast Guard, the mission and goals of the National Coast Guard Museum, and the missions and goals of the National Coast Guard Museum Foundation;
be selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the National Coast Guard Museum Foundation, and the Commission of Fine Arts; and
be reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
5. Issuance of coins
Quality of coins— Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
Mint facilities— For each of the 3 coins minted under this Act, at least 1 facility of the United States Mint shall be used to strike proof quality coins, while at least 1 other such facility shall be used to strike the uncirculated quality coins.
Period for issuance— The Secretary may issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2017.
6. Sale of coins
Sale price— The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of—
the face value of the coins;
the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to such coins; and
the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
Bulk sales— The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
Prepaid orders—
In general— The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of such coins.
Discount— Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
7. Surcharges
In general— All sales of coins minted under this Act shall include a surcharge as follows:
A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half dollar coin.
Distribution— Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the National Coast Guard Museum Foundation to help finance the design, construction, operations, and maintenance of the National Coast Guard Museum.
Audits— The National Coast Guard Museum Foundation shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard to the amounts received under subsection (b).