Ronald Reagan served as the 40th US President from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989 (i.e., two full terms). He was born in Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911 and died in Los Angeles, California on June 5, 2004.
President Ronald Reagan in Oval Office - Circa 1986
(Image Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public Domain.)Between June 2001 and January 2011, no fewer than six commemorative coin programs were proposed in Congress to celebrate the former President's time in office and, in general, his life.
The first bill was introduced in the 107th Congress. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) introduced it in the Senate in June 2001. The bill called for up to 500,000 Silver Dollar plus either 100,000 Gold $5.00 coins or 200,000 Gold/Platinum bi-metallic $10.00 coin (à la 2000 Library of Congress commemorative program). The coins were to be dated "2005."
The coins were to feature a likeness of Reagan on the obverse and "depiction of an American eagle carrying an olive branch, flying above a nest containing another eagle and hatchlings, as depicted on the 2001 American Eagle Gold Proof coins" on the reverse.
The surcharges collected ($10 on the Silver Dollar, $35 on the Gold Half Eagle and $50 on the $10 Gold/Platinum coin) were to be distributed to the US Department of Health and Human Services for its use in supporting Alzeheimer's patients; their families and general Alzheimer's educational outreach. Reagan announced his early stage Alzheimer's diagnosis in November 1994; he died approximately 10 years later after his health had deteriorated in large part as a result.
When he introudced his bill, Senator Campbell noted:
"Ronald Reagan has worn many hats in his life, including endeavors as a sports announcer, actor, governor and President of the United States. He was first elected president in 1980 and served two terms, becoming the first president to serve two full terms since Dwight Eisenhower.
Ronald Reagan's boundless optimism and deep-seated belief in the people of the United States and the American Dream helped restore our Nation's pride in itself and brought about a new "Morning in America." His challenge to Gorbachev to "tear down this wall," his successful revival of our economic power, his determination to rebuild our armed forces in order to contain the spread of communism, and his international summitry skills as seen at Reykjavik, Iceland, combined to help bring an end to the Cold War. Ronald Reagan left our Nation in much better shape than it was when he took office."
The bill was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, but was not reported out.
In the following 108th Congress, Senator Campbell re-introduced his bill in June 2004; it was essentially a duplicate of his previous bill. A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Joel Hefley (R-CO). The Senate bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; the House bill to the House Committee on Financial Services, with a subsequent reffral to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology. Neither bill was reported out of Committee.
Represenative Helfey tried the coin bill again in February 2005, during the 109th Congress. The only difference of note was the date change for the proposed coins to "2006." As with the previous bills, the referred Committee was as far as the bill would progress.
Representative Robert Latta (R-OH) introduced Reagan commemorative coin bills in the 111th and 112th Congresses. Latta's bills dropped the Gold/Platinum bi-metallic option and proposed up to 50,000 Gold $5.00 Half Eagles and up to 300,000 Silver Dollars, both to be dated "2013" (111th Congress bill) or "2017" (112th Congress bill).
Latta also dropped the support for Alzheimer's patients found in the previous bills and directed the surcharges collected to be paid to "the Secretary to the Army Emergency Fund to be used by the Army Emergency Fund for the purposes of providing financial assistance" to active or retired Army soldiers (including Army National Guand and Army Reserve) along with their spouses and/or dependent children. IMO, Latta was attempting to use Reagan's popularity to advance a personal project vs. honor Reagan's memory.
Neither Latta bill advanced past the Committee to which it was referred.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential $1 was released in 2016. This has ended (paused?) commemorative coin bill introductions for Reagan, but who knows what the future holds.
2016 Ronald Reagan Presidential $1 - Obverse
(Image Credit: US Mint. Media Image.)For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? stories about coins from the Classic and Modern Eras of US commemorative coins, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 09/29/2023 12:36 pm
