[112th Congress Public Law 152]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[[Page 126 STAT. 1155]]
Public Law 112-152
112th Congress
An Act
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition
and celebration of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. <<NOTE: Aug. 3,
2012 - [H.R. 2527]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: National
Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act. 31 USC 5112 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Baseball Hall of Fame
Commemorative Coin Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) On June 12, 1939, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and
Museum opened in Cooperstown, New York. Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson,
Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner comprised the
inaugural class of inductees. This class set the standard for
all future inductees. Since 1939, just one percent of all Major
League Baseball players have earned induction into the National
Baseball Hall of Fame.
(2) The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is
dedicated to preserving history, honoring excellence, and
connecting generations through the rich history of our national
pastime. Baseball has mirrored our Nation's history since the
Civil War, and is now an integral part of our Nation's heritage.
(3) The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum chronicles
the history of our national pastime and houses the world's
largest collection of baseball artifacts, including more than
38,000 three dimensional artifacts, 3,000,000 documents, 500,000
photographs, and 12,000 hours of recorded media. This collection
ensures that baseball history and its unique connection to
American history will be preserved and recounted for future
generations.
(4) Since its opening in 1939, more than 14,000,000 baseball
fans have visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
to learn about the history of our national pastime and the
game's connection to the American experience.
(5) The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an
educational institution, reaching 10,000,000 Americans annually.
Utilizing video conference technology, students and teachers
participate in interactive lessons led by educators from the
National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. These award-winning
educational programs draw upon the wonders of baseball to reach
students in classrooms nationwide. Each educational program uses
baseball as a lens for teaching young Americans important
lessons on an array of topics, including
[[Page 126 STAT. 1156]]
mathematics, geography, civil rights, women's history,
economics, industrial technology, arts, and communication.
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.
(a) Denominations.--In recognition and celebration of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this
Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the following
coins:
(1) $5 gold coins.--Not more than 50,000 $5 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 8.359 grams;
(B) have diameter of 0.850 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
(2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 400,000 $1 coins, which
shall--
(A) weigh 26.73 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
(C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
(3) Half-dollar clad coins.--Not more than 750,000 half-
dollar coins which shall--
(A) weigh 11.34 grams;
(B) have a diameter of 1.205 inches; and
(C) be minted to the specifications for half-dollar
coins contained in section 5112(b) of title 31, United
States Code.
(b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be legal
tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.
(c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
(d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, to the
extent possible without significantly adding to the purchase price of
the coins, the $1 coins and $5 coins minted under this Act should be
produced in a fashion similar to the 2009 International Year of
Astronomy coins issued by Monnaie de Paris, the French Mint, so that the
reverse of the coin is convex to more closely resemble a baseball and
the obverse concave, providing a more dramatic display of the obverse
design chosen pursuant to section 4(c).
SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.
(a) In General.--The design for the coins minted under this Act
shall be--
(1) selected by the Secretary after consultation with--
(A) the National Baseball Hall of Fame;
(B) the Commission of Fine Arts; and
(2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory
Committee.
(b) Designations and Inscriptions.--On each coin minted under this
Act there shall be--
(1) a designation of the value of the coin;
(2) an inscription of the year ``2014''; and
(3) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We
Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus Unum''.
(c) Selection and Approval Process for Obverse Design.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall hold a competition to
determine the design of the common obverse of the coins
[[Page 126 STAT. 1157]]
minted under this Act, with such design being emblematic of the
game of baseball.
(2) Selection and approval.--Proposals for the design of
coins minted under this Act may be submitted in accordance with
the design selection and approval process developed by the
Secretary in the sole discretion of the Secretary. The Secretary
shall encourage 3-dimensional models to be submitted as part of
the design proposals.
(3) Proposals.--As part of the competition described in this
subsection, the Secretary may accept proposals from artists,
engravers of the United States Mint, and members of the general
public.
(4) Compensation.--The Secretary shall determine
compensation for the winning design under this subsection, which
shall be not less than $5,000. The Secretary shall take into
account this compensation amount when determining the sale price
described in section 6(a).
(d) Reverse Design.--The design on the common reverse of the coins
minted under this Act shall depict a baseball similar to those used by
Major League Baseball.
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.
(a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be issued
in uncirculated and proof qualities.
(b) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins minted under
this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2014.
SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.
(a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by
the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
(1) the face value of the coins;
(2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to
such coins; and
(3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including
labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, winning design
compensation, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).
(b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins
issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
(c) Prepaid Orders.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders
for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of such
coins.
(2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders
under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.
(a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act shall
include a surcharge as follows:
(1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
(2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
(3) A surcharge of $5 per coin for the half-dollar coin.
(b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United
States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of
coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to
the National Baseball Hall of Fame to help finance its operations.
[[Page 126 STAT. 1158]]
(c) Audits.--The National Baseball Hall of Fame shall be subject to
the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States
Code, with regard to the amounts received under subsection (b).
(d) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge may be
included with respect to the issuance under this Act of any coin during
a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, the issuance of
such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs
issued during such year to exceed the annual commemorative coin program
issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States
Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The
Secretary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out this
subsection.
SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.
The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure
that--
(1) minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result
in any net cost to the United States Government; and
(2) no funds, including applicable surcharges, are disbursed
to any recipient designated in section 7 until the total cost of
designing and issuing all of the coins authorized by this Act
(including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, winning
design compensation, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping)
is recovered by the United States Treasury, consistent with
sections 5112(m) and 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 9. BUDGET COMPLIANCE.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with
the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the House of
Representatives, provided that such statement has been submitted prior
to the vote on passage.
Approved August 3, 2012.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2527:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 157 (2011):
Oct. 25, 26, considered and passed
House.
Vol. 158 (2012):
July 12, considered and passed
Senate, amended.
July 19, House concurred in Senate
amendment.
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