H.R. 951 — 250 Years of Service and Sacrifice Commemorative Coin Act

This section states congressional findings recognizing (1) the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026; (2) the tradition of minting commemorative coins for significant milestones in American history; and (3) the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation's support for Gold Star families, first responders, and veterans, including through proceeds from coin surcharges.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint three types of coins in recognition of the Nation’s semiquincentennial: (1) up to 100,000 $5 gold coins weighing 8.359 grams with a 0.850-inch diameter and at least 90% gold; (2) up to 500,000 $1 silver coins weighing 26.73 grams with a 1.500-inch diameter and at least 90% silver; and (3) up to 750,000 half-dollar clad coins weighing 11.34 grams with a 1.205-inch diameter and minted to specifications in 31 U.S.C. 5112(b). The section declares such coins legal tender under 31 U.S.C. 5103 (i.e., acceptable for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues); treats them as numismatic items under 31 U.S.C. 5134 and 5136 (i.e., eligible for sale at a premium above face value); and authorizes the Secretary to exceed mintage limits based on market research by the designated recipient organization if public demand requires.

This section requires designs for coins minted under the Act to be emblematic of over 250 years of American service and sacrifice and mandates inscriptions on each coin of its value, the year 2028, and the words “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” “United States of America,” and “E Pluribus Unum.” The section further directs the Secretary to select the designs after consultation with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Commission of Fine Arts, with review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

This section requires coins minted under this Act to be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities and limits their issuance to the one-year period beginning January 1, 2028, and ending December 31, 2028.

This section requires the Secretary of the Treasury to sell coins issued under the Act at a price equal to their face value, the surcharge under section 7(a), and the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, machinery, overhead, marketing, and shipping); make bulk sales at a reasonable discount; and accept prepaid orders before issuance at a reasonable discount.

This section establishes surcharges on sales of coins issued under this Act—$35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin—with all proceeds allocated to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to provide mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families and families of first responders killed in the line of duty, scholarships for their children, resources for disaster response teams, and memorial projects. The section subjects the foundation to audit requirements under 31 U.S.C. 5134(f)(2) and prohibits surcharges on these coins if their issuance would cause the number of commemorative coin programs in a calendar year to exceed the annual limit of two under 31 U.S.C. 5112(m)(1), with the Secretary of the Treasury authorized to issue related guidance.

This section requires the Secretary to ensure that minting and issuing coins authorized by the Act results in no net cost to the U.S. government and that no funds, including surcharges, are disbursed to recipients designated in section 7(b) until the Treasury recovers all costs of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, machinery use, overhead, marketing, and shipping).