On May 20, 2010, H.R. 1177: 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act passed in the House of Representatives. The bill seeks to authorize $5 gold coins, silver dollars, and half dollars to recognize the five United States Army 5 Star Generals: George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Henry Arnold, and Omar Bradley. The coins would be issued to coincide with the 132nd anniversary of the United States Army Command and General Staff College.
H.R. 1177 was originally introduced on February 25, 2009 by Rep. Dennis Moore of Kansas and currently has 300 cosponsors. A similar bill S. 455 was introduced in the Senate on February 23, 2009 by Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas.
If one of the bills becomes law, the coins would be issued during the one year period beginning January 1, 2013. The designs would include portraits of the Generals George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Arnold, and Omar N. Bradley. Required inscriptions include the value of each coin, the year of issue, and the words "Liberty", "In God We Trust", "United States of America", and "E Pluribus Unum".
The maximum authorized production levels included in the bill provide for up to 100,000 of the $5 gold coins, up to 500,000 of the $1 silver coins, and up to 750,000 of the clad half dollars. Coins would be produced in both proof and uncirculated versions. For each of the three coins, at least one US Mint facility will be used to strike proof coins, while at least one other will be used to strike uncirculated coins.
The offering price of each coin would be equal to the face value of the coin, the cost of designing and issuing the coin, and a surcharge of $35 for each gold coin, $10 for each silver coin, and $5 for each half dollar. These surcharges would be distributed to the Command and General Staff College Foundation to help support the Command and General Staff College.
Late last year, a bill authorizing 2013 Girl Scouts Commemorative Coins was signed into law. Since only two commemorative coin programs can be approved for each year, only one more program may be approved for 2013. Other programs proposed for 2013 include coins commemorating Mark Twain, Ronald Reagan, and the Gettysburg Campaign and Gettysburg Address.
