$2.50 for America’s 250th Act

Summary

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a circulating $2.50 semiquincentennial coin and separate numismatic $2.50 coins in various alloys (including silver and gold) if minting is technically and economically feasible. The bill prescribes the initial designs and inscriptions (drawn from the 1926 gold $2.50 Sesquicentennial Coin) for set periods, allows the Treasury to choose new designs after those periods, and expresses Congress’ preference that the coins be issued by July 4, 2026 if feasible. The circulating coin must be produced in an alloy determined by the Secretary, include denomination-discernible features, and use the specified obverse/reverse images and inscriptions for the first five years; numismatic issues follow a similar two-year initial design rule and may be issued in multiple metals and varieties with details set by the Secretary.

• Authorizes a new $2.50 circulating coin for the U.S. semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) if minting is technically and economically feasible.
• Requires initial circulating coin designs to use imagery from the 1926 $2.50 Sesquicentennial gold coin and include inscriptions “Semiquincentennial of the United States” and “1776–2026” for five years.
• Permits the Treasury to produce numismatic $2.50 coins in silver, clad, gold, and other alloys with initial designs from the 1926 coin for two years and redesign authority every two years thereafter.
• Gives the Secretary of the Treasury broad discretion over alloys, production methods, quantities, and program procedures for numismatic coin sales.
• Includes a nonbinding congressional preference that the coins be issued by July 4, 2026, but does not create a firm statutory deadline.
• Requires denomination-discernible features for the circulating coin and allows redesigns on a recurring schedule (5-year intervals for circulating; 2-year intervals for numismatic).
• Amends the federal coin statute to add a $2.50 denomination and related issuance rules but does not appropriate specific funds.
• Applies to the U.S. Mint and Treasury operations; impact on taxpayers depends on whether minting is cost-effective and how costs are recovered through sales or seigniorage.