National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Coin Act

Commemorative firefighter coins and surcharges

If enacted, this bill would let the Treasury mint special coins honoring the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. It would authorize up to 50,000 $5 gold coins (8.359 g, 0.850 in, ≥90% gold), up to 400,000 $1 silver coins (26.73 g, 1.500 in, ≥90% silver), and up to 750,000 half-dollar clad coins (11.34 g, 1.205 in). Coins would be issued only in uncirculated and proof qualities during the one-year period starting January 1, 2029. Each coin would have the value designation, the year "2029," and the inscriptions "Liberty," "In God We Trust," "United States of America," and "E Pluribus Unum." The Secretary would pick designs after consulting the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, with review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The sale price would equal face value plus a required surcharge and the full cost of designing and issuing the coins (including labor, materials, dies, machinery, overhead, marketing, and shipping). Surcharges would be $35 for each $5 coin, $10 for each $1 coin, and $5 for each half-dollar coin; bulk and prepaid orders may get reasonable discounts. Surcharges would be paid to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to support its mission, but no funds would be sent to the Foundation until the Treasury first recovers all issuance costs and the Secretary ensures no net cost to the government. The coins would be legal tender and treated as numismatic items, and the Foundation would be subject to federal audit rules for amounts it receives.