State Quarters program extended to 2009

[senorpepr]

After several attempts by Del. Eleanor Norton [D-DC] to pass the District of Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program Act, Rep. José Serrano [D-NY], a native Puerto Rican representing the south Bronx and chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services, inserted the measure into Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008, which was signed by the President on December 26th.

Here's the text from the law:

SEC. 622. Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(r) Redesign and Issuance of Circulating Quarter Dollar Honoring the District of Columbia and Each of the Territories-

`(1) Redesign in 2009-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding the fourth sentence of subsection (d)(1) and subsection (d)(2) and subject to paragraph (6)(B), quarter dollar coins issued during 2009, shall have designs on the reverse side selected in accordance with this subsection which are emblematic of the District of Columbia and the territories.

`(B) FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO PLACEMENT OF INSCRIPTIONS- Notwithstanding subsection (d)(1), the Secretary may select a design for quarter dollars issued during 2009 in which--

`(i) the inscription described in the second sentence of subsection (d)(1) appears on the reverse side of any such quarter dollars; and

`(ii) any inscription described in the third sentence of subsection (d)(1) or the designation of the value of the coin appears on the obverse side of any such quarter dollars.

`(2) SINGLE DISTRICT OR TERRITORY DESIGN- The design on the reverse side of each quarter dollar issued during 2009 shall be emblematic of one of the following: The District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

`(3) SELECTION OF DESIGN-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Each of the 6 designs required under this subsection for quarter dollars shall be--

`(i) selected by the Secretary after consultation with--

`(I) the chief executive of the District of Columbia or the territory being honored, or such other officials or group as the chief executive officer of the District of Columbia or the territory may designate for such purpose; and

`(II) the Commission of Fine Arts; and

`(ii) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

`(B) SELECTION AND APPROVAL PROCESS- Designs for quarter dollars may be submitted in accordance with the design selection and approval process developed by the Secretary in the sole discretion of the Secretary.

`(C) PARTICIPATION- The Secretary may include participation by District or territorial officials, artists from the District of Columbia or the territory, engravers of the United States Mint, and members of the general public.

`(D) STANDARDS- Because it is important that the Nation's coinage and currency bear dignified designs of which the citizens of the United States can be proud, the Secretary shall not select any frivolous or inappropriate design for any quarter dollar minted under this subsection.

`(E) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS- No head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design of any quarter dollar under this subsection.

`(4) TREATMENT AS NUMISMATIC ITEMS- For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136, all coins minted under this subsection shall be considered to be numismatic items.

`(5) ISSUANCE-

`(A) QUALITY OF COINS- The Secretary may mint and issue such number of quarter dollars of each design selected under paragraph (4) in uncirculated and proof qualities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

`(B) SILVER COINS- Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Secretary may mint and issue such number of quarter dollars of each design selected under paragraph (4) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, with a content of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.

`(C) TIMING AND ORDER OF ISSUANCE- Coins minted under this subsection honoring the District of Columbia and each of the territories shall be issued in equal sequential intervals during 2009 in the following order: the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

`(6) OTHER PROVISIONS-

`(A) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF ADMISSION AS A STATE- If the District of Columbia or any territory becomes a State before the end of the 10-year period referred to in subsection (l)(1), subsection (l)(7) shall apply, and this subsection shall not apply, with respect to such State.

`(B) APPLICATION IN EVENT OF INDEPENDENCE- If any territory becomes independent or otherwise ceases to be a territory or possession of the United States before quarter dollars bearing designs which are emblematic of such territory are minted pursuant to this subsection, this subsection shall cease to apply with respect to such territory.

`(7) TERRITORY DEFINED- For purposes of this subsection, the term `territory' means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.'.

In short, the year 2009 will see a quarter issued for DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.


Also, in the same bill, there will be a slight change to the Presidential dollars. I'm not exactly positive who brought this change...

SEC. 623. (a) In General- Section 5112(n)(2) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (C)(i)--

(A) by striking `inscriptions' and inserting `inscription'; and

(B) by striking `and `In God We Trust'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(F) INSCRIPTION OF `IN GOD WE TRUST'- The design on the obverse or the reverse shall bear the inscription `In God We Trust'.'.

(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 5112(r)(2) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (C)(i)--

(A) by striking `inscriptions' and inserting `inscription'; and

(B) by striking `and `In God We Trust'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(E) INSCRIPTION OF `IN GOD WE TRUST'- The design on the obverse or the reverse shall bear the inscription `In God We Trust'.'.

(c) Effective Date- The change required by the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall be put into effect by the Secretary of the Treasury as soon as is practicable after the date of enactment of this Act.

In short, this part forces the mint to remove "In God We Trust" from the edge of the coin (where 'e pluribus unum', the mint year and mint mark reside) and place it on the obverse or reverse--the most likely location.

[lurkey]

SEC. 623. (a) In General- Section 5112(n)(2) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (C)(i)--

(A) by striking `inscriptions' and inserting `inscription'; and

(B) by striking `and `In God We Trust'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(F) INSCRIPTION OF `IN GOD WE TRUST'- The design on the obverse or the reverse shall bear the inscription `In God We Trust'.'.

(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 5112(r)(2) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (C)(i)--

(A) by striking `inscriptions' and inserting `inscription'; and

(B) by striking `and `In God We Trust'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(E) INSCRIPTION OF `IN GOD WE TRUST'- The design on the obverse or the reverse shall bear the inscription `In God We Trust'.'.

(c) Effective Date- The change required by the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall be put into effect by the Secretary of the Treasury as soon as is practicable after the date of enactment of this Act.

In short, this part forces the mint to remove "In God We Trust" from the edge of the coin (where 'e pluribus unum', the mint year and mint mark reside) and place it on the obverse or reverse--the most likely location.

Will this end the constant spam I receive at work about the placement of "In God We Trust" on the quarters? Not that I don't care about the subject, I just prefer the jokes that are sent around work.

[senorpepr]

Personally, I'd rather keep "In God We Trust" on the edge. As a collector, it looks really silly moving it midway through a program like the Presidential Dollars.

[HURAKAN]

I collect the state quarters. That means there is more to collect!!!

[Dionne]

Moving In God We Trust to the obverse side will spark a proof collectors frenzy.

[Stephanie]

I collect the State Quarters too. That means a new book needed to collect them all. I like the idea.

[senorpepr]

Moving In God We Trust to the obverse side will spark a proof collectors frenzy.

Personally, I think "In God We Trust" will go on the reverse (where Liberty resides) on the Presidential Dollars. With the bill giving the option of both sides... and since collectors usually are more concerned with the "action" side of the coin (in this case, the obverse where the President's face is)... I see the Mint opting to have more room for art on the obverse.


Oh... in case you all don't know... when the Presidential Dollars program started, the law stated that so many of the coins (I believe 20%) had to be Sacajawea coins. Well, with Public Law 110-82 (http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/nativeAmerican/Legislation.pdf), "The United States Mint will prepare a timeline of events and personal contributions of Native Americans for the program until at least 2016. This timeline will be used to create candidate designs for consideration."

Basically, the Sacajawea's will have a different reverse every year throughout the Presidential Dollar program (at least 2016).

[gtalum]

It's too bad the bill doesn't have wordage to eliminate paper $1 bills. Until they do that the $1 coins will never catch on for everyday use.

[senorpepr]

It's too bad the bill doesn't have wordage to eliminate paper $1 bills. Until they do that the $1 coins will never catch on for everyday use.

I agree. Unfortunately, there are too many folks in Congress that have connections to the $1 note's production (paper, ink, etc.) I'm all for canning the $1 note in favor of the coin... and bring the $2 note to common usage. (Hey... you still need some sort of small note for the strip clubs)

[HURAKAN]

$1 dollar coins will be too cold for that part of the body!!!

[gtalum]

:uarrow: $1 dollar coins will be too cold for that part of the body!!!

Two words: coin slot.

[Dionne]

ROTFLMAO.......