By David L. Ganz for Numismatic News

It seemed like it was raining coinage legislation on Capitol Hill in May as the House of Representatives passed bill after bill that sets up new coin programs. If the Senate concurs, and the President signs the measures into law, the face of coin collecting will likely not be the same. Replacing it will be a quilt work of new programs and directions.

First and foremost on the scene was the double eagle ultra-high relief in gold, and a second version in palladium. See separate story on Page 4.
Other legislation makes for one of the busiest numismatic Congresses in recent memory:

Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act (Under House consideration May 13 when squabbles broke out among the Democrats and Republicans, but passed under unanimous consent May 15. Referred to Senate Banking Committee May 19 after being Received from House) [H.R. 2894.]

• It authorizes 350,000 silver dollars in 2012 and instructs the secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812. It requires a coin design emblematic of the War of 1812, particularly the battle for Fort McHenry that formed the basis for the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

Read the Full Article by Mr. Ganz Here 

 By Scott Wong for The Arizona Republic

Thousands of Arizonans, from schoolchildren to grandparents to state dignitaries, packed the Capitol lawn Monday for the roll out of the state commemorative quarter. The celebration, replete with an old-fashioned red stagecoach, mariachi band and free mint ice-cream drumsticks, marked the culmination of a public process that began three years ago with more than 4,000 quarter designs.

It also offered coin collectors their first chance to get their hands on the much-anticipated Arizona quarter.

Featuring a saguaro cactus against the backdrop of the Grand Canyon, the coin is the 48th in the U.S. Mint’s decade-old 50 State Quarters Program. The Mint plans to release Alaska and Hawaii coins later this year.

“When I bought the (collectable coin) folders, I didn’t know if I’d still be alive when it was done,” Scottsdale resident Charles Clark, 69, said before picking up a pair of quarter rolls for coin sets he plans to present to his granddaughters. “It’s gonna wrap up this year, and I think I’m gonna make it.”

State Capitol police estimated that more than 5,000 people were on hand.

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Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho yesterday released two designs for the Guam quarter prepared by artists of the U.S. Mint as part of the District of Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program.

Each design can be voted on and the design with the highest amount of votes will be recommended to the U.S. Mint. Votes will be collected until June 14, 2008.

“I encourage all residents to take part in the selection process,” Camacho said. “The Guam quarter will be a lasting symbol of our heritage and our people.”

Camacho submitted the two design narratives selected from 59 submissions from the people of Guam.

The U.S. Mint has spent the past two months working closely with the Guam Quarter Dollar Program Design Evaluation and Selection Process Task Force in developing the designs that are emblematic of Guam. Final designs for the Guam quarter are expected to be completed by July.

A provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (Section 622 Section 5112 of Title 31 United States Code), signed by President Bush on Dec. 26, 2007, authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a series of circulating commemorative quarter-dollar coins in 2009 with reverse designs emblematic of the U.S. Territories.

The image of George Washington as seen on the obverse of the 50 State Quarters coins will remain unchanged. The reverse of each quarter will be distinctly different with images emblematic of the District of Columbia and each of the U.S. territories. (PR)

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ON THE NET: http://guamgovernor.net/content/view/118/1/