8 July 2015: Legislative bills have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate (House Bill 2890 and Senate Bill 1715) to produce commemorative gold and silver coins. Titled the "Mayflower Commemorative Coin Act", the bill requires the U.S Mint to produce not more than 50,000 gold $5 coins (90% gold, 10% alloy) and not more than 100,000 silver coins (more than 90% silver). Designs selected must be "emblematic of the arrival of the Pilgrims", and contain the date 2020 and 1620, in addition to the usual "Liberty", "In God We Trust", "E Pluribus Unim", and "United States of America". The design will be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, and the Citizen Coinage Advisory Committee. $35 of each gold coin and $10 of each silver coin sold would be turned over to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants to be used for educational programs. Coins will be legal tender, but are considered numismatic items since the value of the gold (8.359 grams) and silver (26.73 grams) will far exceed the $5 and $1 face value.
