2016-12-16 Fri

The 225th anniversary of the “Bill of Rights Day” was observed on 15th December. It was introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 to honour the document’s 150th anniversary. After several attempts by other Presidents, from 1962 onwards, it became an annual tradition for the U.S. president to declare December 15 Bill of Rights Day.

14 handwritten copies of the Bill of Rights were produced under George Washington which was ratified on December 15, 1791. All original 13 states and the Congress got a copy. A bill was introduced for minting commemorative coins in 1991; on 13th May 1992, the bill was passed officially.

The coins were released in 1993. The silver half dollars were produced at West Point (Uncirculated) and San Francisco (Proof); the silver dollar, at Denver (Uncirculated) and San Francisco (Proof); and the $5 gold coin at West Point (Proof only).

The Clad Half Dollar features James Madison writing the Bill of Rights. The reverse features the torch of freedom. Almost 9,656 of the Uncirculated version were privately marked on the edge with a serial number and the initials of the Madison Foundation and the American Numismatic Association.