A year after its introduction, a bill to create a commemorative coin for the National World War II Memorial passed the U.S. Senate and is sent to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The measure, S. 1596, was introduced May 12, 2021, by Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as the “Greatest Generation Memorial Act,” then seeking a 2023 commemorative coin program. The bill was revised to change the short title and applicable dates. The approved measure is now known as the “Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin Act.” The coin program, if approved, would begin in 2024 under the amended measure.

A similar measure, H.R. 1057, introduced in the house by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, on Feb. 15, 2021, under the title National World War II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act, remains in the House Committee on Financial Services.

The Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin Act would provide a three-coin program offering Proof and Uncirculated versions of 50,000 gold $5 coins, 400,000 silver dollars and 750,000 copper nickel clad half dollars.

Each gold coin would carry a surcharge of $35, while silver dollars would bear a $10 surcharge per coin, and copper-nickel clad half dollar pricing would include a $5 per coin surcharge. Net surcharge money would be distributed to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial, to support the National Park Service in its work maintaining and repairing the memorial as well as educational and commemorative programs for the Washington, D.C., landmark.

The coins bearing the date of 2024 would be issued for a one-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

The National World War II Memorial was dedicated in 2004, honoring the 16 million people who served in the armed forces of the United States during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died and the millions who supported the war effort from home. The opening of the memorial to the public in conjunction with a Memorial Day celebration that year marked the culmination of a 17-year effort for recognition of service. The National World War II Memorial was authorized by an act of Congress signed into law on May 25, 1993, by President Bill Clinton. After several years of fundraising, construction began on Sept. 4, 2001. The memorial is located west of the Washington Monument, at the east end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The unique configuration of the World War II memorial’s reflecting pool provided the shape of the cartouche for the privy mark used on Proof 2020-W American Eagle, End of World War II 75th Anniversary gold and silver coins.

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