Commems Collection Modern: 1992 White House Bicentennial / In Congress

The bill that became the Act that authorized the 1992 White House Bicentennial Silver Dollar was introduced by Richard H. Baker (R-LA) in the House of Representatives ("House") in September 1991 (102nd Congress). It originally called only for a commemorative Silver Dollar to mark the 200th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the White House. This would change, however.

Baker's bill called for the striking of up to 500,000 Silver Dollars, in Proof and Uncirculated, for the benefit of the White House Endowment Fund (The Fund) "to assist The Fund's efforts to raise an endowment to be a permanent source of support for the White House Collection of fine art and historic furnishings, and for the maintenance of the historic public rooms of the White House." The Endowment Fund was to receive the $10 surcharge attached to the Issue Price of each coin sold.

Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage. In November 1991, however, before the Committee reported on the bill, Representative Esteban Edward Torres (D-CA) motioned to suspend the rules and pass the bill with amendments. The amendments dramatically changed the bill.

The amendments included provisions for a 1994 Wirld Cup USA commemorative coin program (Gold Half Eagle, Silver Dollar and Copper-Nickel ("CuNi") Clad Half Dollar), a 1992 Christopher Columbus Quincentennary three-coin program (Gold Half Eagle, Silver Dollar and Copper-Nickel ("CuNi") Clad Half Dollar) and Silver Medals for Persian Gulf Conflict veterans. The bill went from a single program proposal, to a three-coin/one medal proposal!

The House considered the amended bill in November 1991, Representative Baker offered the following in support of his bill:

"Of course, it [the bill] accomplishes a number of important purposes, but the primary concern to me is the White House Commemorative Coin which accomplishes two very important aims: the first being to recognize the laying of the cornerstone of the White House some 200 yea.rs ago, an important historical achievement for the City of Washington. And secondarily, to recognize an important responsibility of proceeds from the sale of this coin, and as.it is to provide the resources to perform an important refurbishment and remodeling of the White House which has not been done for many years. For these two reasons I think the issuance of this coin is a very important purpose."

After considering the amended bill (and its expanded scope), the House passed it and sent it to the Senate for its consideration.

Senator George John Mitchell (D-ME) (for Alan Cranston (D-CA)) quickly introduced an amendment (November 1991) that called upon the Secretary of the Treasury to "modernize United States circulating coin designs, of which one reverse will have a theme of the Bicentennial of the Bill of Rights." (It was very similar to the amendment proposed by Senator Alan K. Simpson (R-WY) in October 1988 which included a provision that also called for new designs on US circulating coinage, with the first coin to be redesigned to feature a commemorative reverse design honoring the 200th Anniversary of the US Constitution.) (See: 1989-Ish US Constitution Bicentennial - Circulating Coin.)

The Senate quickly passed the House coin bill, with the Cranston amendment, and sent it back to the House for concurrence. The House did not agree with the Senate's coinage redesign amendment, however, and a Conference was called between the two chambers to determine if a compromise/solution could be agreed upon.

Ultimately, the Conference members did not support the redesign amendment and referenced such in its Report. As a result, the Senate backed off its proposed amendment and the bill proceeded as amended/expanded by the House. US President George HW Bush signed the bill into Public Law on May 13, 1992.

In October 1991, EJ "Jake" Garn (R-UT) introduced a similar, though not identical, White House coin bill to the original Baker bill in the House. It included the same coin provisions - i.e., 500,000 Silver Dollars, $10 per coin surcharge and White House Endowment Fund as beneficiary - but had several text revisions that did not change the bill's objectives.

With the House bill moving forward, Garn's bill did not progress past its referral to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

In February 1992, just weeks before the White House coin/World Cup USA coin/Christopher Columbus coin/Persian Gulf Conflict medal bill was to be signed into Public Law, Esteban Edward Torres introduced a bill that added a fourth commemorative coin program to the list. The additional program was to be in honor of James Madison and the Bill of Rights. The late-to-the-party bill did not progress beyond its referral to the House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs and its Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage. (The James Madison/Bill of Rights coin initiative would see another day: check out 1993 James Madison-Bill Of Rights - Part I - Success In Congress!.)

And thus, the 1992 White House Bicentennial Silver Dollar was born!


To take a look at the 1992 White House Bicentennial Silver Dollar, see Part II / The Coin of this story.


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more about modern US commemorative coins, see: Commems Collection