Here's the story of a potentially good idea being thwarted by its own over-zealous ambitions...BackgroundThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC was opened to the public in November 1982. In 1994, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Silver Dollar was issued by the United States ("US") Mint; the Issue Price of each Silver Dollar included a $10 surcharge. Collected surcharges were paid to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund ("VVMF") to help create a permanent endowment that was to be used for
the repair and maintenance of the Memorial, as well as to pay for the periodic adding of names to the Memorial. (The coin surcharges were not an attempt to raise money to construct the Memorial - it already existed at the time the coin was released!)
The coin had an authorized maximum mintage of 500,000, but sales did not reach this limit. Approximately 285,000 Silver Dollars were sold, which raised ~$2.85 million in surcharge funds.
Education CenterIn 2001, an Education Center for the Memorial was proposed. Originally, the Center was to be a small, simple, above-ground structure of ~2,000 square feet. It was to serve, primarily, as "a gathering place" for organized groups to learn about the Memorial before visiting it.
In the years that followed, the Center experienced dramatic "scope creep," budget inflation and opposition to its above-ground plan. In time, the Center's plan expanded to a below-ground facility with over 40,000 square feet and a budget topping $180 million!
In September 2018, the Memorial Fund's Board, after reviewing the current status of the planned Education Center, decided to cancel the physical Center and direct energies toward "online resources, hand-held technology, education staff, mobile exhibits and partnerships to teach visitors about the Vietnam War and honor those whose names appear on the Memorial."
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
Proposed LegislationAs initial concepts for the Education Center were being considered, John P. Murtha (D-PA) introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives ("House") in February 2001 "to authorize the design and construction of a temporary education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the District of Columbia."
A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Chuck Hagel (R-NE) at the same time.
The bills authorized the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., to "construct a temporary education center for the purpose of educating people about the [Vietnam Veterans] memorial."
"The Center shall be a temporary structure to be erected for a period of 10 years beginning on the date of completion of construction of the Center." (After 10 years, Congress was to assess if the Center should continue.) The bill stipulated that the Center's structure was "not to exceed 1,200 square feet."
The connection to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Silver Dollar comes in the funding provisions for the Education Center, it was noted that "none of the funds made available under...the United States Veterans Commemorative Coin Act of 1993...may be used." Unless...
"Funds described in [the preceding] paragraph may be used to carry out this section only if excess funds are available after the purposes of...the United States Veterans Commemorative Coin Act of 1993...have been met" and...
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund provides formal documentation to Congress that any funds to be used were truly excess funds.
1994 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Silver Dollar
The House bill was referred to the House Committee on Resources, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. The Senate bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources with further referral to its Subcommittee on National Parks. A Hearing was held by the Senate Subcommittee. As a result, an amended bill (via substitution) emerged but it kept the "excess funds" provisions intact.
Neither of the bills were ultimately authorized/approved, however - the expanding facility scope and budget expansion of the project being a factor.
Final ThoughtsIt was good to see an effort was made to protect surcharge funds that Congress had previously authorized for a different purpose - far better than after-the-fact attempts that I've previously discussed (For example,
What If? 1991 Mt. Rushmore Golden Anniversary - Surcharge Amendment).
Financial Reports of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund indicate that over $100,000 is spent annually for maintenance of the Memorial. If would have been interesting to see what, if any, portion of the Fund's endowment would have been considered "excess" for purposes of devoting it to the Education Center.
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? stories about the Vietnam Veterans coin, see:
Commems Collection 
Posted 12/02/2025 4:26 pm
Uncirculated American Silver Eagles 
