Library of Congress silver dollar is a commemorative coin issued by the
United States Mint
The United States Mint is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury, Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce, as well as controlling the movement of bull ...
in 2000. The coin was part of a two-coin series authorized by commemorating the 200th anniversary of the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
.
Design
The obverse of the coin was designed by US Mint engraver
Thomas D. Rogers. It features two books, one closed and one open, superimposed over the
torch of learning. The reverse was designed by
John Mercanti, who had designed many commemorative coins in the past, and features the dome of the Library of Congress'
Thomas Jefferson Building
The Thomas Jefferson Building, also known as the Main Library, is the oldest of the Library of Congress buildings in Washington, D.C. Built between 1890 and 1897, it was initially known as the Library of Congress Building. In 1980, the building ...
.
Production and sales
Public Law 105–268 authorized a total of 500,000 Library of Congress dollars. Sales of the coin began on April 24, 2000, and when sales ended at the end of the year, 53,264 uncirculated and 198,503
proof coins (both produced at the
Philadelphia Mint
The Philadelphia Mint is a branch of the United States Mint in Philadelphia. It was built in 1792 following the Coinage Act of 1792, in order to establish a national identity and the needs of commerce in the United States, and is the first and ...
) were sold.
Although more dollar coins were sold than its companion coin, the
Library of Congress eagle, it was the latter that became more popular on the secondary market due to the fact that it was the first
bi-metallic coin
Bi-metallic coins are coins consisting of two ('' bi-'') metals or alloys, generally arranged with an outer ring around a contrasting center. Common circulating examples include the €1, €2, United Kingdom £1 and £2, Canadian $2, Sout ...
issued by the US Mint.
See also
*
Library of Congress bimetallic eagle
*
List of United States commemorative coins and medals (2000s)
*
United States commemorative coins
References
2000 establishments in the United States
Modern United States commemorative coins
silver dollar
United States dollar coins
United States silver coins
Books in art
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