On October 5, 2012, President Obama signed a bill into law which will authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative silver dollars to mark the centennial of the Lions Clubs International.
The organization, which was founded in 1917, seeks to meet the needs of local communities around the world. There are 1.35 million members across 207 countries and geographic areas making it the world’s largest service club organization.
H.R. 2139 Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act was introduced more than a year ago on June 3, 2011 by Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois where the organization has its headquarters. The bill was passed by the House on September 10, 2012 and passed by the Senate on September 22, 2012.
The commemorative coin program calls for the minting and issuance of up to 400,000 silver dollars featuring a design emblematic of the centennial of the Lions Clubs International. The coins would carry required inscriptions of the date “2017”, “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “United States of America”, and “E Pluribus Unum”. Designs will be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury after consultation with Lions Clubs International Special Centennial Planning Committee, the Commission of Fine Arts, and review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
Both proof and uncirculated versions of the coins would be produced. The coins may only be issued during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2017.
A surcharge of $10 will be added to the price of each coin. These surcharges will be distributed to the Secretary of the Lions Clubs International Foundation for the purposes of (1) furthering its programs for the blind and visually impaired in the United States and abroad; (2) investing in adaptive technologies for the disabled; and (3) investing in youth and those affected by a major disaster.
The image pictured above is a privately minted medallion issued for the Golden Anniversary of the Lions Clubs International in 1967.
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