Commems Collection Modern: What If? 2006 T Roosevelt & His Nobel Prize Centennial - 109th Congress

Theodore Roosevelt

(Image Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.)

The effort to secure commemorative coins in honor of Theodore Roosevelt and the Centennial of his Nobel Peace Prize took a turn in the 109th Congress, with Representative King introducing a modified version of his previous coin bills and Senator Conrad returning to introduce a revised version of his previous coin bill.

King's new bill (introduced in January 2005) adopted Conrad's two SD model, and thus dropped his call for a Gold Half Eagle and a Copper-Nickel (CuNI) Clad Half Dollar.

He also changed the surcharge distribution model to be employed. Collected funds were to be paid directly to "the Theodore Roosevelt Association to be used exclusively for educational programs at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service, including for the construction and maintenance of a visitors center." The Secretary of the Interior was removed from the distribution chain.

The revised bill, presumably an effort to generate concurrence between the two chambers of Congress, did not fare any better than King's previous coin bills. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology. Though the bill had 126 Co-Sponsors, it did not generate enough interest in Committee to be reported out.

Senator Conrad introduced his new bill in December 2005. It continued to call for two Theodore Roosevelt SDs - "Rough Rider" and "Adventurer" - in the same quantities as before and with the same design references. (See: 108th Congress Post for images.)

Conrad added a new "Finding" to the bill:

(3) President William Harrison appointed Theodore Roosevelt as the United States Civil Service Commissioner in 1889, a post he held until 1895, serving 2 successive Presidents.

Conrad also streamlined the surcharge distribution model. In the new bill, the Theodore Roosevelt Association was to receive 70% of collected surcharges, with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation receving 30% - the surcharge split began from the first surcharge dollar collected - no thresholds needed to be reached before the distribution was split between the organizations.

Upon introduction, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in April 2005 where it languished. Finally, in December 2005, the Committee was discharged from consideration of the bill and it was taken up by the full Senate.

An amendment to the bill was proposed and agreed to by Unanimous Consent. The amendment had nothing to do with the Roosevelt coin bill, as it amended the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and, separately, authorized the US Mint to continue selling 2004/2005 Westward Journey nickels into 2006. The amended bill was passed by the Senate, but Held at the Desk when sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The House never considered the Conrad bill, and when the 109th Congress adjourned in December 2006, the bill died for lack of action (as did the King coin bill). As a result, Theodore Roosevelt's Nobel Peace Prize would not be commemorated on its Centennial.


Next up, will be a look at coin bills that sought to celebrate Theodore Roosevelt and the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other What If? stories, see: Commems Collection.