Up to 350,000 Girl Scout commemorative silver dollars will be struck in 2013 under terms of the USA Commemorative Coin Act signed into law Oct. 29 by President Barack Obama.
A group of Girl Scouts from the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital visited the White House Oval Office for the signing ceremony.
“This is a wonderful honor for Girl Scouts,” said Kathy Cloninger, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the USA.
“We are grateful to the President, the House and the Senate for their support,” Cloninger added.
First lady Michelle Obama was present not only in her role as wife of the President but also as National Honorary President of the Girl Scouts of the USA, a position to which she recently was elected.
Also at the ceremony were Connie L. Lindsey, GSUSA national board chair, and Laurie Westley, senior vice president, Public Policy, Advocacy and the Research Institute.
“The Girl Scouts have a tremendous history, which should be celebrated and remembered. The character, volunteerism, and leadership skills that Girl Scouts build contribute greatly to our society, and this commemorative coin will honor that tradition,” said Sen. Susan Collins, who sponsored the Senate version of the bill and was present for the ceremony.
A $10 surcharge from the sale of each coin will go to the GSUSA to help fund renovations at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah, Ga. She founded the organization March 12, 1912, with the establishment of two troops of 18 members in Savannah, according to GSUSA.
Also becoming law as part of what is now Public Law 111-86 is a “technical amendment” that says that the “Secretary of the Treasury may continue to issue numismatic items that contain 1-cent coins minted in 2009 after Dec. 31, 2009, until not later than June 30, 2010.”
Cents in collector sets are struck in an alloy of 95 percent copper, 3 percent zinc and 2 percent tin.
Cents struck for use in circulation are made of zinc coated with copper.
