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Senate approves new dollar coin, quarters
November 10, 1997
Web posted at: 11:36 p.m. EST (0436 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A flood of new money is expected to pour into the pockets of Americans at the onset of the next century.
The Senate on Sunday night approved, by voice vote, legislation to create a gold-colored dollar coin and quarters honoring the 50 states. The measure is expected to be approved in the House by Thursday.
Approving the bill in a voice vote allowed the Senate to sidestep a controversial issue: who or what should replace suffragist Susan B. Anthony on the face of the dollar coin.
A contingency led by Senate Banking Committee chairman Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-New York, pushed for the Statue of Liberty. But another camp wanted to see Anthony replaced by another woman, or by women of historic importance.
The legislation leaves the design up to the secretary of the treasury, specifying only that the coin be gold-colored and have a different edge than the quarter. The public rejected the Anthony dollar because it looked and felt too much like a quarter. The paper dollar won't be removed from circulation.
George Washington won't be wiped off the face of the quarter either.
The quarter legislation calls for the American eagle on the tail side to be replaced with designs commemorating each of the 50 states. The new quarters will be released five designs at a time, beginning in 1999.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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