S. 2952 — $2.50 for America’s 250th Act

This section states congressional findings recognizing the historical significance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the precedent of commemorative coins issued by the 68th Congress for the 150th anniversary (a half dollar and a $2.50 gold piece), and the value of issuing a $2.50 coin to commemorate the semiquincentennial.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 circulating coins upon determining that minting such coins is technically feasible, economically feasible, and not cost prohibitive. The coins must (1) have features making the denomination readily discernible from other coins and (2) be made from an alloy prescribed by the Secretary. For the five-year period beginning on the date of issuance, the obverse must bear the image of allegorical liberty wielding the Declaration of Independence from the 1926 gold $2.50 Sesquicentennial Coin, the reverse must bear the image of Independence Hall from that coin, and each coin must bear the inscriptions “Semiquincentennial of the United States” and “1776–2026”; beginning five years after issuance and every five years thereafter, the Secretary may select new designs celebrating the founding of the United States. It is the sense of Congress that the coins should be minted and issued no later than July 4, 2026, or as soon as technically and economically feasible.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins in silver, clad, and other alloys (including gold), as determined by the Secretary. For the two-year period beginning on the date of first issuance, such coins must bear (1) an obverse design depicting allegorical liberty wielding the Declaration of Independence from the 1926 gold $2.50 Sesquicentennial Coin; (2) a reverse design depicting Independence Hall from the same coin; and (3) inscriptions reading “Semiquincentennial of the United States” and “1776–2026”. Beginning two years after first issuance, and every two years thereafter, the Secretary may select new designs celebrating the founding of the United States. It is the sense of Congress that these coins should be minted and issued not later than July 4, 2026, or as soon as technically and economically feasible.