Rosa Parks Commemorative Coin Act
H.R. 916, the Rosa Parks Commemorative Coin Act, would require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative coins in recognition of Rosa Parks. The program would produce three coin types in limited quantities: $5 gold coins (up to 50,000), $1 silver coins (up to 400,000), and half-dollar clad coins (up to 750,000). All coins would be legal tender and issued only in 2029, with designs that honor Parks’ legacy and at least one obverse design featuring her name and likeness. The act also establishes a funding mechanism: surcharges collected from coin sales would be donated to the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development to support youth development and civil rights education, with the program designed to avoid any net cost to the federal government. The design and issuance process involves consultation with Parks’ Institute, the Commission of Fine Arts, and review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
Key Points
- 1Purpose and scope: The Secretary of the Treasury must mint commemorative Rosa Parks coins (gold $5, silver $1, and half-dollar clad) to honor her life and legacy; limited mintages and a one-year issuance window (2029).
- 2Coin specifications and status:
- 3- $5 gold coins: up to 50,000 coins; 8.359 g; 0.850 inch diameter; at least 90% gold.
- 4- $1 silver coins: up to 400,000 coins; 26.73 g; 1.500 inch diameter; at least 90% silver.
- 5- Half-dollar coins: up to 750,000 coins; 11.34 g; 1.205 inch diameter; standard half-dollar specifications.
- 6- All coins are legal tender and considered numismatic items (collectible coins) for certain legal purposes.
- 7Design and approval: Designs must reflect Parks’ legacy; at least one obverse must bear her name and likeness. Designs are to be selected by the Secretary with input from the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development and the Commission of Fine Arts, and reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Each coin must include the value, the year “2029,” and inscriptions: “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” “United States of America,” and “E Pluribus Unum.”
- 8Issuance and quality: Coins will be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities, only during 2029.
- 9Pricing and sales: Prices include face value, a program surcharge, and the cost of designing/issuing. The Secretary may offer bulk discounts and prepaid order discounts.
- 10Surcharges and funding:
- 11- Surcharges: $35 per $5 coin; $10 per $1 coin; $5 per half-dollar coin.
- 12- All surcharges go to the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development to support youth development and civil rights education.
- 13- The Institute is subject to audits to account for the funds received.
- 14- No surcharge can be added if issuing more than two commemorative coin programs in a given year.
- 15Financial safeguards: The act aims to avoid any net cost to the U.S. government. No funds can be disbursed to recipients until the total design/issuance costs are recovered, consistent with other U.S. coin program cost-recovery rules.