Re: Coin Denominations

From: Peter A. Chapman (peter@bankrupt.com)
Date: 02/02/95


On Wed, 1 Feb 1995, worley wrote:
> Does anyone know if there are any U.S. Coin denominations other than 1
> cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 25 cent, 50 cent and $1. I'm trying to find out if
> there are any uncommon denominations of coins that I don't know about.

I thought this was interesting enough to share with everyone. Sorry for
posting if you're not really interested . . . . The Secretary of the
Treasury, according to the Code, is authorized to issue, in addition to
our pocket coinage, $50, $25, $10 and $5 gold coins and a 1 oz. silver coin.

CITE 31 USC Sec. 5112 01/24/94
EXPCITE TITLE 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
           SUBTITLE IV - MONEY
           CHAPTER 51 - COINS AND CURRENCY
           SUBCHAPTER II - GENERAL AUTHORITY
HEAD Sec. 5112. Denominations, specifications, and design of coins
STATUTE (a) The Secretary of the Treasury may mint and issue only the
           following coins:
               (1) a dollar coin that is 1.043 inches in diameter and weighs
             8.1 grams.
               (2) a half dollar coin that is 1.205 inches in diameter and
             weighs 11.34 grams.
               (3) a quarter dollar coin that is 0.955 inch in diameter and
             weighs 5.67 grams.
               (4) a dime coin that is 0.705 inch in diameter and weighs 2.268
             grams.
               (5) a 5-cent coin that is 0.835 inch in diameter and weighs 5
             grams.
               (6) except as provided under subsection (c) of this section, a
             one-cent coin that is 0.75 inch in diameter and weighs 3.11
             grams.
               (7) A fifty dollar gold coin that is 32.7 millimeters in
             diameter, weighs 33.931 grams, and contains one troy ounce of
             fine gold.
               (8) A twenty-five dollar gold coin that is 27.0 millimeters in
             diameter, weighs 16.966 grams, and contains one-half troy ounce
             of fine gold.
               (9) A ten dollar gold coin that is 22.0 millimeters in
             diameter, weighs 8.483 grams, and contains one-fourth troy ounce
             of fine gold.
               (10) A five dollar gold coin that is 16.5 millimeters in
             diameter, weighs 3.393 grams, and contains one-tenth troy ounce
             of fine gold.
             (b) The dollar, half dollar, quarter dollar, and dime coins are
           clad coins with 3 layers of metal. The 2 identical outer layers
           are an alloy of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel. The inner
           layer is copper. The outer layers are metallurgically bonded to
           the inner layer and weigh at least 30 percent of the weight of the
           coin. The 5-cent coin is an alloy of 75 percent copper and 25
           percent nickel. In minting 5-cent coins, the Secretary shall use
           bars that vary not more than 2.5 percent from the percent of nickel
           required. Except as provided under subsection (c) of this section,
           the one-cent coin is an alloy of 95 percent copper and 5 percent
           zinc. In minting gold coins, the Secretary shall use alloys that
           vary not more than 0.1 percent from the percent of gold required.
           The specifications for alloys are by weight.
             (c) The Secretary may prescribe the weight and the composition of
           copper and zinc in the alloy of the one-cent coin that the
           Secretary decides are appropriate when the Secretary decides that a
           different weight and alloy of copper and zinc are necessary to
           ensure an adequate supply of one-cent coins to meet the needs of
           the United States.
             (d)(1) United States coins shall have the inscription ''In God We
           Trust''. The obverse side of each coin shall have the inscription
           ''Liberty''. The reverse side of each coin shall have the
           inscriptions ''United States of America'' and ''E Pluribus Unum''
           and a designation of the value of the coin. The design on the
           reverse side of the dollar, half dollar, and quarter dollar is an
           eagle. The eagle on the reverse side of the dollar is the symbolic
           eagle of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The obverse side of the
           dollar has the likeness of Susan B. Anthony. The coins have an
           inscription of the year of minting or issuance. However, to
           prevent or alleviate a shortage of a denomination, the Secretary
           may inscribe coins of the denomination with the year that was last
           inscribed on coins of the denomination.
             (2) The Secretary shall prepare the devices, models, hubs, and
           dies for coins, emblems, devices, inscriptions, and designs
           authorized under this chapter. The Secretary may adopt and prepare
           new designs or models of emblems or devices that are authorized in
           the same way as when new coins or devices are authorized. The
           Secretary may change the design or die of a coin only once within
           25 years of the first adoption of the design, model, hub, or die
           for that coin. The Secretary may procure services under section
           3109 of title 5 in carrying out this paragraph.
             (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary
           shall mint and issue, in quantities sufficient to meet public
           demand, coins which -
               (1) are 40.6 millimeters in diameter and weigh 31.103 grams;
               (2) contain .999 fine silver;
               (3) have a design -
                 (A) symbolic of Liberty on the obverse side; and
                 (B) of an eagle on the reverse side;
               (4) have inscriptions of the year of minting or issuance, and
             the words ''Liberty'', ''In God We Trust'', ''United States of
             America'', ''1 Oz. Fine Silver'', ''E Pluribus Unum'', and ''One
             Dollar''; and
               (5) have reeded edges.
             (f) Silver Coins. -
               (1) Sale price. - The Secretary shall sell the coins minted
             under subsection (e) to the public at a price equal to the market
             value of the bullion at the time of sale, plus the cost of
             minting, marketing, and distributing such coins (including labor,
             materials, dies, use of machinery, and promotional and overhead
             expenses).
               (2) Bulk sales. - The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the
             coins minted under subsection (e) at a reasonable discount.
               (3) Numismatic items. - For purposes of section 5132(a)(1) of
             this title, all coins minted under subsection (e) shall be
             considered to be numismatic items.
             (g) For purposes of section 5132(a)(1) of this title, all coins
           minted under subsection (e) of this section shall be considered to
           be numismatic items.
             (h) The coins issued under this title shall be legal tender as
           provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code. (FOOTNOTE
           1)
              (FOOTNOTE 1) So in original. Probably should be ''section 5103
           of this title.''
             (i)(1) Notwithstanding section 5111(a)(1) of this title, the
           Secretary shall mint and issue the gold coins described in
           paragraphs (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subsection (a) of this
           section, in quantities sufficient to meet public demand, and such
           gold coins shall -
               (A) have a design determined by the Secretary, except that the
             fifty dollar gold coin shall have -
                 (i) on the obverse side, a design symbolic of Liberty; and
                 (ii) on the reverse side, a design representing a family of
               eagles, with the male carrying an olive branch and flying above
               a nest containing a female eagle and hatchlings;
               (B) have inscriptions of the denomination, the weight of the
             fine gold content, the year of minting or issuance, and the words
             ''Liberty'', ''In God We Trust'', ''United States of America'',
             and ''E Pluribus Unum''; and
               (C) have reeded edges.
             (2)(A) The Secretary shall sell the coins minted under this
           subsection to the public at a price equal to the market value of
           the bullion at the time of sale, plus the cost of minting,
           marketing, and distributing such coins (including labor, materials,
           dies, use of machinery, and promotional and overhead expenses).
             (B) The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins minted under
           this subsection at a reasonable discount.
             (3) For purposes of section 5132(a)(1) of this title, all coins
           minted under this subsection shall be considered to be numismatic
           items.
             (4)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to
           subparagraph (B), the Secretary of the Treasury may change the
           diameter, weight, or design of any coin minted under this
           subsection or the fineness of the gold in the alloy of any such
           coin if the Secretary determines that the specific diameter,
           weight, design, or fineness of gold which differs from that
           otherwise required by law is appropriate for such coin.
             (B) The Secretary may not mint any coin with respect to which a
           determination has been made by the Secretary under subparagraph (A)
           before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date a notice
           of such determination is published in the Federal Register.
             (j) General Waiver of Procurement Regulations. -
               (1) In general. - Except as provided in paragraph (2), no
             provision of law governing procurement or public contracts shall
             be applicable to the procurement of goods or services necessary
             for minting, marketing, or issuing any coin authorized under
             paragraph (7), (8), (9), or (10) of subsection (a) or subsection
             (e), including any proof version of any such coin.
               (2) Equal employment opportunity. - Paragraph (1) shall not
             relieve any person entering into a contract with respect to any
             coin referred to in such paragraph from complying with any law
             relating to equal employment opportunity.
SOURCE (Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 981; Pub. L. 97-452, Sec.
           1(20), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2477; Pub. L. 99-61, title II, Sec.
           202, July 9, 1985, 99 Stat. 115; Pub. L. 99-185, Sec. 2(a), (b),
           Dec. 17, 1985, 99 Stat. 1177; Pub. L. 100-274, Sec. 4(a), 6, Mar.
           31, 1988, 102 Stat. 50; Pub. L. 102-390, title II, Sec. 226(a),
           227, 228, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1630.)



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