H.R. 5616

$2.50 for America’s 250th Act

Sponsor: Robert B. Aderholt

61 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

$2.50 for America’s 250th Act

This bill requires the minting of $2.50 coins to commemorate the 250th anniversary, or the semiquincentennial, of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Specifically, the Department of the Treasury must mint and issue a $2.50 circulating coin upon determining that such minting is technically feasible, economically feasible, and not cost prohibitive. The design of such a coin during the first five years of its issuance must be as described by the bill, however, subsequent designs may be selected by Treasury to celebrate the founding of the United States.

Treasury may also mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins (i.e., collectible coins) in silver, clad, and other alloys, including gold.

Text of the bill

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Sec. 4. Study and Report Added Feb 9

Where this section came from

Not in the first version (Introduced in House, Sep 30).

  1. Feb 9, 2026 · Engrossed in House

(a) Study. The Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Director of the United States Mint shall conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the feasibility, practicality, and potential public benefits of minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation in the United States.

(b) Report. The Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Director of the United States Mint shall, not later than September 15, 2026, submit a report to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate about the study carried out under subsection (a) that includes—

(1) an analysis of the historical use of the $2.50 denomination;

(2) projected production costs associated with minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation;

(3) the cost-effectiveness of minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation when compared to the costs associated with minting and issuing other coins;

(4) an evaluation of potential benefits to commerce, coin handling, and transaction efficiency that would be associated with the minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation;

(5) proposed physical characteristics of a $2.50 coin, including—

(A) composition;

(B) weight;

(C) diameter; and

(D) design features to distinguish the $2.50 coin from existing coins;

(6) a description of the ways in which the Secretary consulted with stakeholders, including commercial banks, cash-handling businesses, consumer groups, and vending and transit industries;

(7) an analysis that estimates the potential seigniorage associated with a widely circulated $2.50 coin; and

(8) a plan that could be followed to mint and issue a $2.50 coin that includes—

(A) coordination with the Federal Reserve System and financial institutions;

(B) a test production phase; and

(C) an initial phased circulation.