September 11 Commemorative Medal Act Passes House and Senate

A bill requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to strike one ounce silvers medals in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the establishment of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum was recently passed in both the House and Senate.

The bill H.R. 4684 had been introduced in the House of Representatives on February 24, 2010 by Jerrold Nadler of New York. In September 2009, Nadler had introduced a bill seeking one ounce silver commemorative coins for September 11. The newer proposal for medals, as opposed to legal tender silver dollar coins, had been introduced  following the approval of two commemorative coin programs for the year 2011 honoring the United States Army and the Medal of Honor. Under current law, only two commemorative coin programs may be approved by Congress for each year.

The authorizing legislation would provide for up to 2 million of the September 11 Silver Medals to be produced. To the extent possible one half of the medals would be stuck at the mint facility at Philadelphia and one half struck at the West Point facility. The medals could be issued starting on January 1, 2011. An ending date for sales is not specified, but no medals may be produced after December 31, 2012.

The design for the medals would be “emblematic of the courage, sacrifice, and strength of those individuals who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others that day, and the endurance, resilience, and hope of those who survived.” Required inscriptions would include the years “2001-2011” and the words “Always Remember”. The final designs would be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury following consultation with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the Commission of Fine Arts, and review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

The cost of each medal would include a $10 surcharge per medal, paid to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center to support operations and maintenance following completion.

In order for the current proposal for September 11 Commemorative Silver Medals to become a reality, the bill must be signed into law by the President.