HR 1993: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act

HR 1993 in plain English: This bill directs the U.S. Treasury to mint commemorative coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. It authorizes up to 50,000 gold $5 coins and up to 400,000 silver $1 coins, with surcharges from sales going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

Stated purpose

This bill directs the U.S. Treasury to mint and issue commemorative coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, with a portion of sales going to support the museum's operations and maintenance.

Key points

• Authorizes up to 50,000 gold $5 coins and up to 400,000 silver $1 coins commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
• Each gold coin sale includes a $35 surcharge; each silver coin sale includes a $10 surcharge.
• Surcharge proceeds go to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum for operations and maintenance.
• No surcharge may be included if coin issuance exceeds certain annual limits.

Arguments supporters make

• Honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed and the hundreds of first responders who gave their lives is a fitting use of the commemorative coin program on such a significant anniversary.
• The surcharge from coin sales provides the Memorial and Museum with private-style funding through voluntary purchases, rather than requiring a direct taxpayer appropriation.
• Keeping the story of 9/11 alive through widely circulated commemorative items helps educate future generations who were not alive when the attacks occurred.

Arguments opponents make

• Commemorative coin programs primarily benefit coin collectors and generate modest revenue, raising questions about whether this is the most effective way to support the museum's financial needs.
• The surcharge provision is voided if annual commemorative coin limits are exceeded, meaning the museum could receive nothing if the program runs alongside other coin programs — making funding unreliable.
• Congress has authorized many commemorative coin programs over the years, and critics argue these bills consume legislative time and mint resources for what amounts to a niche collector product with limited public benefit.

Tradeoffs

The bill generates funding for the museum at no direct cost to taxpayers, but the amount raised depends entirely on voluntary purchases and could be reduced to zero if annual mint limits are hit, creating uncertainty for the museum compared to a direct appropriation.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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