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1 [1] (February 4, 2026)

handle is hein.crs/govethi0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Commemorative Coins: An Overview Commemorative coins are produced by the U.S. Mint pursuant to an act of Congress. These coins celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. Although they are considered legal tender, they are not minted for general circulation. Instead, they are designed to be collected and to help designated groups raise money. Since 1892, Congress has authorized more than 150 commemorative coins. The first commemorative coin was authorized in 1892 for the Columbia Exposition in Chicago. Between 1954 and 1981, Congress did not authorize any new commemorative coins. In 1982, Congress restarted the commemorative coin program when it authorized a commemorative half dollar to recognize George Washington's 250th Birthday. Between 1982 and 1996- when Congress limited the Mint to issuing two coins per year, for coins minted after January 1, 1999, in an effort to restrict the number of coins minted each year-the number of commemorative coins minted was as high as six per year (1994). Beginning January 1, 1999, the Secretary may mint and issue commemorative coins under this section during any calendar year with respect to not more than 2 commemorative coin programs. - 31 U.S.C. §5 1 12(m)(1) J~~ ~ ~ v Authorizing Commemorative Coins An act of Congress is required to authorize a commemorative coin. This legislation typically includes several features. These include * findings that summarize the commemorative subject's history and importance; * specifications for denominations, weight, and metallic makeup; * design requirements, including required dates, words, and/or images; * start and end date for minting coins and any other limitations; * requirements for selling coins; * coin surcharge and distribution to designated groups; and * assurances that costs of the coin program are recouped by the U.S. Mint. Table 1 lists authorized commemorative coins between 2022 and 2027. No coins were authorized for 2023. One coin was authorized for 2025; as of this writing, one coin has been authorized for 2026, and one coin has been authorized for 2027. No coins have yet been authorized for 2028 or beyond. Updated February 4, 2026 Table I. Authorized Commemorative Coins 2022-2027 Year Commemorative Coin 2022 Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Purple Heart Hall of Honor 2023 No Commemorative Coins Authorized 2024 Greatest Generation Harriet Tubman Bicentennial 2025 United States Marine Corps 250th Anniversary 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026 2027 Working Dogs [Open] Source: CRS examination of public laws. Congress onal Consideration In some past Congresses, the House Committee on Financial Services has adopted a committee rule to prohibit (1) the scheduling of a subcommittee hearing on commemorative coin legislation unless two-thirds of the House cosponsored the measure, or (2) reporting a bill that did not meet minting regulations under 31 U.S.C. §5112. This requirement has not been included in the committee rules adopted for recent Congresses. Floor protocols issued by the House majority leader in the 119th Congress limit the scheduling of commemorative coin bills. The protocols state, in part, that [t]he Majority Leader shall only consider commemorative coin bills that receive at least 290 cosponsors and are submitted to the Committee on Financial Services to be scheduled for the Floor. In recent Congresses, the Senate, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Rule 8 has required that at least 67 Senators must cosponsor any ... commemorative coin bill or resolution before consideration by the Committee. Des n ng Commemorative Coins After Congress has authorized a commemorative coin, the U.S. Treasury begins the process of designing the coin. This process involves consultation with the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and a design recommendation by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Established by P.L. 108-15, the CCAC advises the Secretary of the Treasury on theme and design of all U.S. coins and medals. For commemorative coins, the CCAC advises the Secretary with regard to events, persons, or places to be commemorated; the mintage level of coins; and commemorative coin designs.