What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to create special coins to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. Money from selling these coins will go to the Marine Corps Heritage Center to support its educational programs.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of the Treasury, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, the Marine Corps Heritage Center, and Americans who choose to buy these commemorative coins.
Key Provisions
• The Treasury must mint three types of coins: up to 50,000 gold $5 coins, up to 400,000 silver $1 coins, and up to 750,000 clad half-dollar coins (Sec. 3)
• Each coin must display "Liberty," "In God We Trust," "United States of America," "E Pluribus Unum," and the year 2025 (Sec. 4)
• The Treasury can only sell these coins during a one-year period starting January 1, 2025 (Sec. 5)
• Coin sales include a surcharge (an extra fee): $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin (Sec. 7)
• All surcharge money goes directly to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation to support the Marine Corps Heritage Center (Sec. 7)
What Changes
If this becomes law, the Treasury will begin minting these special commemorative coins in 2025 and can sell them through December 31, 2025. Money raised through surcharges will fund Marine Corps Heritage Center programs.
Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 305
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins
in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the
United States Marine Corps, and to support programs
at the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
2
† S 305 ES
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘250th Anniversary of
2
the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin
3
Act’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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The Congress finds the following:
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(1) November 10, 2025, marks the 250th anni-
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versary of the United States Marine Corps.
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(2) The United States Marine Corps has, over
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the course of its illustrious 250-year history, fought
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gallantly in defense of the United States.
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(3) The United States Marine Corps has estab-
12
lished itself as a leading military force, always pre-
13
pared for tomorrow’s challenges and to contend with
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the future character of war.
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(4) The United States Marine Corps continues
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to exemplify the warrior ethos that has made it a
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fighting force of international repute.
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(5) All Americans should commemorate the leg-
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acy of the United States Marine Corps and recog-
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nize the significant contributions the values em-
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bodied in the Corps have made in protecting the
22
United States against its enemies.
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(6) In 2000, Congress authorized the construc-
24
tion of the Marine Corps Heritage Center as a mul-
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tipurpose facility for historical displays for the pub-
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3
† S 305 ES
lic viewing, curation and storage of artifacts, re-
1
search facilities, classrooms, offices and associated
2
activities consistent with the mission of the Marine
3
Corps.
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(7) On November 10, 2006, the Marine Corps
5
Heritage Center opened to the public, with exhibits
6
that share the history of the Marine Corps from
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1775 until 1975, and with planned future exhibits
8
on modern day Marine Corps history from the end
9
of the Vietnam War through the wars in Iraq and
10
Afghanistan.
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(8) The United States should pay tribute to the
12
250th anniversary of the United States Marine
13
Corps by minting and issuing a commemorative coin.
14
(9) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a
15
commemorative coin, which would have no net costs
16
to the taxpayers, would raise valuable funding for
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the continuation of educational programs of the Ma-
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rine Corps Heritage Center.
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SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
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(a) DENOMINATIONS.—In commemoration of the
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250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps, the
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Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred
23
to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall mint and issue the following
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coins:
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4
† S 305 ES
(1) $5 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 50,000 $5
1
coins, which shall—
2
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
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(B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
4
(C) contain not less than 90 percent gold.
5
(2) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 400,000
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$1 coins, which shall—
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(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
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(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
9
(C) contain not less than 90 percent silver.
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(3) HALF-DOLLAR
CLAD
COINS.—Not more
11
than 750,000 half-dollar coins which shall—
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(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
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(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
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(C) be minted to the specifications for half-
15
dollar coins contained in section 5112(b) of title
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31, United States Code.
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(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this
18
Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of
19
title 31, United States Code.
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(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections
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5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins
22
minted under this Act shall be considered to be numis-
23
matic items.
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5
† S 305 ES
SEC. 4. DESIGNS OF COINS.
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(a) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.—The designs of the
2
coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the
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250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
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(b) DESIGNATION AND INSCRIPTIONS.—On each coin
5
minted under this Act there shall be—
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(1) a designation of the value of the coin;
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(2) an inscription of the year ‘‘2025’’; and
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(3) inscriptions of the words ‘‘Liberty’’, ‘‘In
9
God We Trust’’, ‘‘United States of America’’, and
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‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’.
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(c) SELECTION.—The designs for the coin minted
12
under this Act shall be—
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(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation
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with the Commission of Fine Arts, the Commandant
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of the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps Heritage
16
Foundation; and
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(2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory
18
Committee.
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SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
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(a) QUALITY OF COINS.—Coins minted under this
21
Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
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(b) PERIOD
FOR ISSUANCE.—The Secretary may
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issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year
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period beginning on January 1, 2025.
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6
† S 305 ES
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
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(a) SALE PRICE.—The coins issued under this Act
2
shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum
3
of—
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(1) the face value of the coins;
5
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with
6
respect to such coins; and
7
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins
8
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,
9
overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
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(b) BULK SALES.—The Secretary shall make bulk
11
sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable
12
discount.
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(c) PREPAID ORDERS.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall accept
15
prepaid orders for the coins minted under this Act
16
before the issuance of such coins.
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(2) DISCOUNT.—Sale prices with respect to pre-
18
paid orders under paragraph (1) shall be at a rea-
19
sonable discount.
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SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—All sales of coins issued under this
22
Act shall include—
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(1) a surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin;
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(2) a surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin;
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and
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† S 305 ES
(3) a surcharge of $5 per coin for the half dol-
1
lar coin.
2
(b) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to section 5134(f)(1) of
3
title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by
4
the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act
5
shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Marine
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Corps Heritage Foundation and shall only be used for the
7
purposes of supporting the mission of the Marine Corps
8
Heritage Center.
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(c) AUDITS.—The Marine Corps Heritage Founda-
10
tion, shall be subject to the audit requirements of section
11
5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard
12
to the amounts received under subsection (b).
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(d) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a),
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no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance
15
under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as
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of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin
17
would result in the number of commemorative coin pro-
18
grams issued during such year to exceed the annual 2
19
commemorative coin program issuance limitation under
20
section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in
21
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Sec-
22
retary may issue guidance to carry out this subsection.
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† S 305 ES
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
1
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be nec-
2
essary to ensure that—
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(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act
4
will not result in any net cost to the United States
5
Government; and
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(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges,
7
are disbursed to the Marine Corps Heritage Founda-
8
tion until the total cost of designing and issuing all
9
of the coins authorized by this Act (including labor,
10
materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses,
11
marketing, and shipping) is recovered by the United
12
States Treasury, consistent with sections 5112(m)
13
and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
14
Passed the Senate June 13, 2023.
Attest:
Secretary.
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 305
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint
coins in commemoration of the 250th anniversary
of the United States Marine Corps, and to sup-
port programs at the Marine Corps Heritage
Center.