Q. David Bowers
Mint Director Pope Tells of the Coins
In an interview with the author;' Mint Director Donna Pope told of the 1989 commemorative coins: "In the design stage the Senate wanted the gold coin to be theirs. Dante Fascell was the prime mover of the legislation in the House. He was a nice fellow to work with. After hearing that the Senate wanted the gold coin, he agreed the House would be happy with the silver dollar and even went so far as to reassure us by saying that more so than gold, silver better represents the average person-which is what the House is supposed to represent.
"Senator Byrd and his staff went over all of the designs very carefully. The secretary of the Treasury had indicated his preferences but had not made a final selection. We had to remind them [the Senate] that the gold coin was the smallest coin and they couldn't stretch the image of the Capitol out to show all of it on the design. They decided to use just the dome. John Mercanti sketched the eagle and shield for the reverse from a picture of the original in the Old Senate Chamber. They wanted to be sure it was completely right, so they asked that Mercanti come to Washington to see the eagle and work with the Capitol historian.
"Congress chose the designs, and the secretary of the Treasury went along with those choices. The secretary had made the preliminary selections but asked what Congress felt. The coin sales program didn't go off like gangbusters, but it was better than we thought it would be. It was a big disappointment that the Congress was reluctant to help us sell it. Many senators and congressmen didn't mention the coins in their newsletters, for instance.
"We had the first-strike ceremony on the Hill Congress insisted on it and passed special legislation at the last minute. We struck the silver dollar and gold five-dollar piece at the Capitol but not the half dollar. We had to do a lot of work to get the presses and hydraulic pumps to the Capitol, but it turned out to be fun."
Minting and Distribution
The first striking of Congress Bicentennial $5 pieces occurred on June 14, 1989, in a special ceremony at the east front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., utilizing seven-ton presses recently moved from the Philadelphia Mint (one press plus three extras in case of problems; one of the extras had to be used). Secretary of the Treasury Nicholas F. Brady struck the first coin. (Annual Report of the Director of the United States Mint, fiscal year 1989, p.10.) Production coinage for general sales was later accomplished at West Point.
Minting and Distribution
The first striking of Congress Bicentennial $5 pieces occurred on June 14, 1989, in a special ceremony at the east front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., utilizing seven-ton presses recently moved from the Philadelphia Mint (one press plus three extras in case of problems; one of the extras had to be used). Secretary of the Treasury Nicholas F. Brady struck the first coin. (Annual Report of the Director of the United States Mint, fiscal year 1989, p.10.) Production coinage for general sales was later accomplished at West Point.
Gold $5 pieces were offered under five purchase options as enumerated in the present text under the listing for 1989 Congress Bicentennial half dollars (main-taining the same numbering system):
(4) Proof 1989-W $5 gold coin. Pre-issue price (through July 17, 1989) $195, regular price $ 215. Each coin was mounted in a plastic capsule placed on a brown felt tray within a brown velvet presentation case with hinged lid on which was mounted a plaque of a heraldic eagle. The case was in a brown cardboard box imprinted with the Great Seal and "United States Congressional Coins." A brown slipcover, similarly imprinted, protected the box. Sales amounted to 28,927 coins through this option.
(5) Three-coin Proof set containing the 1989-S half dollar, 1989-S silver dollar, and 1989-W $5 gold. Pre-issue price (through July 17, 1989) $220, regular price $245. Coins in plastic capsules were housed in a brown velvet presentation case with a hinged lid and a plaque of the Great Seal on the lid. The case was enclosed in a brown cardboard box imprinted on the lid with the Great Seal and "United States Congressional Coins." The box was placed within a brown slipcover similarly imprinted. Sales amounted to 110,796 sets through this option.
(9) Uncirculated 1989-W $5 gold coin. Pre-issue price (through July 17, 1989) $185, regular price $200. Coins were packaged in a velvet-lined box. Sales amounted to 5,992 coins through this option.
(10) Three-coin Uncirculated set containing the 1989-D half dollar, 1989-D silver dollar, and 1989-W $5 gold. Pre-issue price (through July 17, 1989) $205, regular price $225. Sets were packaged in a velvet-lined box. Sales amounted to 15,940 sets through this option.
(11) Six-coin Proof and Uncirculated set containing the 1989-D Uncirculated half dollar, 1989-S Proof half dollar, 1989-D Uncirculated silver dollar, 1989-S Proof silver dollar, and Uncirculated and Proof examples of the 1989-W $5 gold. Pre-issue price (through July 17, 1989) $435, regular price $480. Sets were packaged in a cherry wood box. Sales amounted to 24,967 sets through this option.
Final distribution figures for the 1989-W $5 amounted to 46,899 Uncirculated coins and 164,690 Proof pieces.
Collecting 1989-W Congress Bicentennial $5 Gold Coins
1989-W Congress Bicentennial gold coins are readily available today in condition as issued.