108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1914
To provide for the issuance of a coin to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of the Jamestown settlement.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 1, 2003
Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia (for herself, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia,
Mr. FORBES, Mr. GOODE, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr.
BOUCHER, Mr. WOLF, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, and Mr. FARR)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial
Services
A BILL
To provide for the issuance of a coin to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of the Jamestown settlement.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Jamestown 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin
Act of 2003'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The founding of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, the first
permanent English colony in America, and the capital of Virginia for 92
years, has major significance in the history of the United States.
(2) The Jamestown Settlement brought people from throughout the Atlantic
Basin together to form a society that drew upon the strengths and characteristics
of English, European, African, and Native American cultures.
(3) The economic, political, religious, and social institutions that developed
during the first 9 decades of the existence of Jamestown continue to have
profound effects on the United States, particularly in English common law
and language, cross cultural relationships, manufacturing, and economic
structure and status.
(4) The National Park Service, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia
Antiquities, and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of
Virginia collectively own and operate significant resources related to the
early history of Jamestown.
(5) In 2000, Congress established the Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission
to ensure a suitable national observance of the Jamestown 2007 anniversary
and to support and facilitate marketing efforts for a commemorative coin,
stamp, and related activities for the Jamestown 2007 observances.
(6) A commemorative coin will bring national and international attention
to the lasting legacy of Jamestown, Virginia.
(7) The proceeds from a surcharge on the sale of such commemorative coin
will assist the financing of a suitable national observance in 2007 of the
400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia.
SEC. 2. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) DENOMINATIONS- The Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred
to as the `Secretary) shall mint and issue the following coins:
(1) $5 GOLD COINS- Not more than 100,000 5 dollar coins, which shall--
(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
(2) $1 SILVER COINS- Not more than 500,000 1 dollar coins, which shall--
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(b) LEGAL TENDER- The coins minted under this Act shall be legal tender, as
provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) 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.
SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION.
The Secretary shall obtain gold and silver for minting coins under this Act
pursuant to the authority of the Secretary under other provisions of law.
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(1) IN GENERAL- The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic
of the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement
in America.
(2) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS- On each coin minted under this Act there
shall be--
(A) a designation of the value of the coin;
(B) an inscription of the year `2007'; and
(C) inscriptions of the words `Liberty', `In God We Trust', `United States
of America', and `E Pluribus Unum'.
(b) SELECTION- The design for the coins minted under this Act shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with--
(A) the Jamestown 2007 Steering Committee, created by the Jamestown-Yorktown
Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia;
(B) the National Park Service; and
(C) the Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the citizens advisory committee established under section
5135 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) QUALITY OF COINS- Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated
and proof qualities.
(b) MINT FACILITY- Only 1 facility of the United States Mint may be used to
strike any particular combination of denomination and quality of the coins
minted under this Act.
(c) PERIOD FOR ISSUANCE- The Secretary may issue coins minted under this Act
only during the period
beginning on January 1, 2007, and ending on December 31, 2007.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) SALE PRICE- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the coins issued
under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the face
value, plus the cost of designing and issuing such coins (including labor,
materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, and marketing).
(b) BULK SALES- The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under
this Act at a reasonable discount.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders for the coins
minted under this Act before the issuance of such coins.
(2) DISCOUNT- Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders under paragraph
(1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) SURCHARGE REQUIRED- All sales shall include a surcharge of $35 per coin
for the $5 coins and $10 per coin for the $1 coins.
(b) DISTRIBUTION- Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code,
all surcharges which are received by the Secretary from the sale of coins
issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary as follows:
(1) PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEGACIES OF JAMESTOWN- 1/2
of the surcharges shall be used to support programs to promote the understanding
of the legacies of Jamestown and for such purpose shall be paid to the Jamestown-Yorktown
Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
(2) OTHER PURPOSES FOR SURCHARGES-
(A) IN GENERAL- 1/2 of the surcharges shall be used for the following
purposes:
(i) To sustain the ongoing mission of preserving Jamestown.
(ii) To enhance national and international educational programs relating
to Jamestown, Virginia.
(iii) To improve infrastructure and archaeological research activities
relating to Jamestown, Virginia.
(iv) To conduct other programs to support the commemoration of the 400th
anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia.
(B) RECIPIENTS OF SURCHARGES FOR SUCH OTHER PURPOSES- The surcharges referred
to in subparagraph (A) shall be distributed by the Secretary in equal
shares to the following organizations for the purposes described in such
subparagraph:
(i) The Secretary of the Interior.
(ii) The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.
(iii) The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia
(c) AUDITS- The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
the Secretary of the Interior, and the Association for the Preservation of
Virginia Antiquities shall each be subject to the audit requirements of section
5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code.
END