Largest cupped silver coin?
Would you like to see the U.S. Mint strike a cupped three-inch, five-ounce silver coin, which has never been done before? If yes, you might be interested to know that…
Would you like to see the U.S. Mint strike a cupped three-inch, five-ounce silver coin, which has never been done before?
If yes, you might be interested to know that time is running out for Congress to authorize commemorative coins marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 2019, according to its supporters.
Legislation calling for up to 50,000 gold $5 coins, 400,000 silver dollars and 750,000 clad half dollars has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
These would be struck in both uncirculated and proof finishes as is standard in modern commemorative programs.
The coins also would have the same cupped shape that proved so popular with collectors in 2014 for the Baseball Hall of Fame coinage.
What is ground-breaking in this legislation is that it also calls for up to 100,000 proof-only dollar coins made of five ounces of silver like the modern America the Beautiful series coins that have a diameter of three inches.
This would be the first cupped U.S. coin struck in such a large size.
Surcharges of $35 for the gold, $10 for the silver dollar, $5 for the clad half and $50 for the new cupped three-inch dollar coin would be charged.
Both Congressional chambers must pass identical legislation before it can be sent to the President’s desk for his signature.
There are 297 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives for H.R. 2726. This is enough for it to be brought to the floor for a vote.
However, the companion bill with identical provisions, S.2957, languishes in the Senate with just four co-sponsors: Senators Cory Gardner, D-Colo; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo.
The other 96 have not acted to become co-sponsors.
Give your senators a nudge. Every state has two.
Unless you live in Colorado, whose two senators are co-sponsors, you have work to do.
Contact your senators and tell them to sign on as co-sponsors.
Helpfully, the Library of Congress has a website that not only identifies your senators but also tells you how to contact their offices electronically.
Finding your member of the Senate and contacting him or her can by done by following this link:
Get going. Such an important event deserves to be commemorated.
The Mint needs time to study the technical challenges of striking such a large cupped coin.
Time is running out because if the legislation is not passed this year, the legislative process has to begin again next year with the introduction of new bills in the new Congress that will be chosen in the November election.
Buzz blogger Dave Harper has twice won the Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."
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