Bill(s) - HR 8019 (Introduced April 16, 2024; Monica De La Cruz (D-TX) + 3 Co-Sponsors)
Short Title - Selena Commemorative Coin Act
Proposed Year of Issue - 2029
Purpose To honor the memory of Selena Quintanilla and support the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History
"Congress finds the following:
(1) Selena Quintanilla, born on April 16, 1971, was a South Texas music artist who greatly contributed to the rise of Tejano music and culture across the United States.
(2) She was an extremely talented young artist who started singing at the age of eight. Her parents took joy in her talent and had her start performing with her family. The band they formed was known as Selena y Los Dinos. Selena was just thirteen years old when she was introduced on the Johnny Canales Show.
(3) Selena first won the Tejano Music Awards' "Female Vocalist of the Year" in 1986 at the age of fifteen. From 1987 to 1996, she won as "Female Entertainer of the Year" every year, along with other awards such as "Song of the Year".
(4) Selena's musical accomplishments are recognized by the Guinness World Record where she holds the most wins of Female Entertainer of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards.
(5) Selena's album
Selena Live! won a Grammy Award in 1994, making her the first Tejano artist to win a Grammy. Also in 1994, Texas Monthly named her one of the twenty most influential Texans.
(6) Selena's fourth album,
Amor Prohibido, became the first Tejano record to peak at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. As of October 2017, it is the fourth best-selling Latin album of all time in the United States with over 1.2 million copies sold.
(7) Selena's final album,
Dreaming of You, was released after her death in 1995 and was the first Tejano album to debut atop the United States Billboard 200.
(8) Aside from her musical contributions, Selena also was passionate about public service. She participated with the Texas Prevention Partnership, sponsored by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Tour to Schools. She was involved with the D.A.R.E. program and worked with the Coastal Bend Aids Foundation. Selena also taped a public service announcement for the Houston Area Women's Center, a shelter for battered women, in 1993.
(9) After her untimely death at the age of 23, she was honored in many ways. Then Texas Governor George W. Bush proclaimed April 16, 1995, "Selena Day".
(10) Selena, a movie about Selena's life, was released in 1997 and starred Jennifer Lopez in the leading role.
(11) The City of Corpus Christi unveiled a life-size bronze statue of Selena, named "Mirador de la Flor", or Overlook of the Flower, in 1997 to honor Selena Quintanilla-Perez and her contributions to music and Corpus Christi.
(12) In 2011, the United States Postal Service honored Selena as a "Latin Legend" with the issuance of a memorial postage stamp.
(13) Selena did not realize all of her dreams, but she remains a beacon for young Tejanas and Latinas in Texas and the United States to follow their dreams."
Coins - Up to 50,000 Gold $5 coins
- Up to 400,000 Silver $1 coins
- Up to 750,000 Clad Copper-Nickel $0.50 coins
Surcharges - $5 coin: $35
- $1 coin: $10
- $0.50 coin: $5
Sponsor/Beneficiary- Friends of the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History "for application to general expenses associated with the fulfillment of the mission of the Friends the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, including costs associated with---
(1) museum operations; and
(2) a Selena exhibit."
CommentsA quick read of Congress' Findings suggest that the late Selena Quintanilla has already received a good number of honors, I don't think a US commemorative coin program is needed in addition to these. I'm not saying she wasn't a talented, impactful and inspirational young performer, but her career, as described above, was more about her success than on the direct benefit she brought to others (not including the enjoyment of her performances).
It also appears to be primarily a cash grab by the "Friends" museum via use of a popular pop culture figure - a Selena tribute appears to be a secondary motivation to the museum's general operations.
Likelihood of Passage?The House bill currently has 3 co-sponsors.
- Per GovTrack: 9% (as of date of this post)
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Possible? commemorative coin stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 05/06/2024 6:31 pm
