Commems Collection Modern: What If? 1990 Bicentennial Of The Death Of Franklin - Expanded Objectives

I've previously posted about the effort of Representative William H. Gray III, (D-PA) to secure a US commemorative coin program to honor Benjamin Franklin on the 200th Anniversary of his death. (You can read it here: What If? 1990 Bicentennial of the Death of Benjamin Frabklin.)

Benjamin Franklin Portrait by Joseph Siffred Duplessis

(Image Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Public Domain.)

I also mentioned that while Representative Gray's effort was unsuccessful, the story did not end with his bill's demise. Here's the next part of the "Franklin" story...

New life was breathed into the effort to gain approval for a Benjamin Franklin commemorative coin program in the Fall of 1989. In November 1989, companion bills were introduced in the House of Representatives (Curt Weldon (R-PA)) and Senate (John Heinz (R-PA)) of the 101st Congress. The House bill was simultaneously referred to the House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The Science Committee made a further referral to its Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology. The Senate bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, with a further referral to its Consumer Subcommittee.

Note: The potentially "odd" Committee referrals were due to the full scope of the bills - they were more than just coin bills (as discussed below).

The new bills preserved the three-coin commemorative program - Gold Half Eagle, Silver Dollar and Copper-Nickel (CuNi) Clad Half Dollar - of Representative Gray's bill, but made changes to the mintage specifications of the Gold and Clad coins. The Gold Half Eagle maximum mintage was increased from 500,000 to 1 million, the Silver Dollar mintage remained at 10 million and the Clad Half Dollar mintage was reduced to 10 million from the previous 25 million. The proposed program thus remained massive!

The bills also extended the period of issue for the coins, specifying a full two years for their sales period - January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1991. The previous bill specified a 15-month period (October 1, 1989 to December 31, 1990.) The timing of the introduction of the new bills (November 1989) necessitated a change to the original issue period, but the extension to a two-year issue period was designed to maximize potential sales and, therefore, the amount of surcharges collected. The January 1, 1990 start date was also a problem, one that would be addressed via amendment. (See below.)

A major change incorporated in the bills was the addition of a new Title (i.e., a new/distinct authorization proposal) that called for the creation of a Fire Service Bill of Rights, the establishment of a National Fire Center and Museum, establishment of a National Hero Scholarship, establishment of a Tuition Assistance program designed to support the study of Fire Protection and Science and a grant to a to-be-determined national burn research foundation to support research into the reduction of burn injuries among firefighters.

Each of these new provisions required funding, of course, and thus the provisions related to coin surcharge distribution were thoroughly reworked.

In the first year of coin issuance, the amount of surcharges to be paid to the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial were reduced from 100% of the funds collected to 25%. The remaining 75% was re-allocated as follows:

"(i) 25 percent to the National Fire Center and Museum Account of the
Firefighters Assistance Trust Fund;

"(ii) 7 percent to the National Hero Scholarship Account of that Trust Fund;

"(iii) 3 percent to the Firefighter's Tuition Assistance Account of that Trust Fund;

"(iv) 30 percent to the Hazardous Materials Response Computer Account of that Trust Fund;

"(v) 8 percent to the In Search of Excellence Research and Education Account of that Trust Fund; and

"(vi) 2 percent to the Burn Research Grant Account of that Trust Fund."

In the Second year (and potentially succeeding years) of sales, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial surcharges percent would continue, with the remaining funds distributed as follows:

"(i) 25 percent to the National Fire Center and Museum Account of the Firefighters Assistance Trust Fund;

"(ii) 39 percent to the National Hero Scholarship Account of that Trust Fund;

"(iii) 3 percent to the Firefighter's Tuition Assistance Account of that Trust Fund; and

"(iv) 8 percent to the In Search of Excellence Research and Education Account of that Trust Fund."

Note: Though the bill specified "Succeeding years" for collected surcharges, the included authorization expiration date would appear to eliminate such "future" surcharges, save a minimal amount of possible carryover from end-of-year second year sales.

Both bills were subject to a Hearing, and each emerged with a favorable report. The Senate bill moved forward first, being brought up for consideration soon after it was reported. During consideration, Senator John Hubbard Chafee (R-RI) proposed an amendment that updated the coinage authorization start date to January 1, 1991 and the expiration date to December 31, 1992 - a much more realistic timeframe for the Mint and other parties involved. The amendment was agreed to without objection as was the overall bill.

The House did not move forward with its version of the bill nor with the Senate-approved version. Representative Weldon did, however, introduce another Franklin coinage bill in February 1990, but that's a story for next time...


For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including the first part of this 1990 Franklin Death Bicentennial story, see: Commems Collection.