H.R. 1787 — Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act

This section states congressional findings on the life, baseball career, civil rights advocacy, military service, philanthropy, death, and legacy of Roberto Clemente Walker.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue (1) up to 50,000 $5 gold coins weighing 8.359 grams, with a 0.850-inch diameter, and containing at least 90% gold; (2) up to 400,000 $1 silver coins weighing 26.73 grams, with a 1.500-inch diameter, and containing at least 90% silver; and (3) up to 750,000 half-dollar clad coins weighing 11.34 grams, with a 1.205-inch diameter, and minted to the specifications in 31 U.S.C. 5112(b). The section declares such coins to be legal tender, as provided in 31 U.S.C. 5103 (i.e., acceptable for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues at face value), and deems them numismatic items for purposes of 31 U.S.C. 5134 (sale of numismatic items) and 5136 (numismatic surcharges).

This section establishes design requirements for coins minted under this Act, requiring designs emblematic of Roberto Clemente's life—including his human rights activism and baseball stardom legacy—with at least one obverse design bearing his image. It mandates inscriptions on each coin of "Roberto Clemente," the coin's denomination, the year "2027," "Liberty," "In God We Trust," "United States of America," and "E Pluribus Unum." It further directs the Secretary to select the designs after consultation with the Roberto Clemente Foundation, Roberto Clemente's living family members, and the Commission of Fine Arts, with review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

This section requires coins minted under this Act to be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities and authorizes the Secretary to issue such coins only during calendar year 2027.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury to sell coins issued under the Act at a price equal to their face value, the surcharge under section 7(a), and design and issuance costs (including labor, materials, dies, machinery, overhead, marketing, and shipping); make bulk sales at a reasonable discount; and accept prepaid orders before issuance at a reasonable discount.

This section establishes surcharges on sales of coins issued under this Act—$35 per $5 coin, $10 per $1 coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin—with all proceeds paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation for general expenses, including educational, youth sports, disaster relief, and historic preservation efforts, subject to audit requirements under 31 U.S.C. 5134(f)(2). It prohibits surcharges if coin issuance would cause the number of commemorative coin programs in that calendar year to exceed the annual limit of two under 31 U.S.C. 5112(m)(1).

This section requires the Secretary to ensure that (1) minting and issuing coins under this Act results in no net cost to the U.S. government; and (2) no funds, including surcharges, are disbursed to recipients designated in section 7 until the Treasury recovers all costs of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, machinery, overhead, marketing, and shipping), consistent with 31 U.S.C. §§5112(m) and 5134(f).