$2.50 for America’s 250th Act

This bill proposes to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by requiring the issuance of new $2.50 coins. Congress emphasizes that this significant milestone warrants national recognition and that introducing a $2.50 coin continues a historical numismatic tradition, linking Americans to their national heritage. The legislation aims to provide a tangible and lasting tribute to the nation's founding principles and ideals. The bill mandates the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a $2.50 circulating coin , contingent on its technical and economic feasibility and cost-effectiveness. For the initial five-year period, these coins would prominently display the allegorical liberty and Independence Hall designs from the 1926 Sesquicentennial Coin. They would also bear the inscriptions "Semiquincentennial of the United States" and "1776-2026." Following this initial period, the Secretary is authorized to select new designs celebrating the founding of the United States every five years. Furthermore, the legislation authorizes the Secretary to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins , which can be made from various alloys, including silver, clad, and gold, for collectors. These numismatic coins would feature the same 1926 Sesquicentennial Coin designs for an initial two-year period, with new designs permitted every two years thereafter. Congress expresses a strong sense that both the circulating and numismatic coins should be issued by July 4, 2026 , or as soon as practically feasible, to mark this significant national milestone.