CODIFICATION Section is from R. S. § 3558 which, prior to its incorporation into the Code, read as follows: "The business of the mint of the United States at Denver, while conducted as an assay-office, that of the United States assayoffice at Boise City, and that of any other assay-offices hereafter established, shall be confined to the receipt of gold and silver bullion, for melting and assaying, to be returned to depositors of the same, in bars, with the weight and fineness stamped thereon." By act Feb. 20, 1895, ch. 105, § 1, provision for the coinage of gold and silver at the Denver mint was made, and by section 2, R. S. §§ 3558-3561 were repealed so far as they related to that mint. Act June 8, 1878, ch. 170, 20 Stat. 102, incorporated in section 430 of this title, authorized assayers of assayoffices to be constituted assistant treasurers to receive gold coin and bullion on deposit for the purposes provided for in R. S. § 254, section 429 of this title, and may be regarded as constituting an exception to the application of this section. Words "to be returned to depositors of the same, in bars, with the weight and fineness stamped thereon," at the end of R. S. § 3558, were omitted as not in harmony with the present practice, and, in a sense, obsolete. AMENDMENTS 1965-Pub. L. 89-81 authorized the use of the facilities of the San Francisco assay office for the production of coins until such time as the Secretary of the Treasury determined that the mints of the United States were adequate for the production of ample supplies of coins, and eliminated provisions which prohibited refining of gold or silver at the San Francisco office. 1962-Pub. L. 87-534 substituted provisions respecting scope of business and its limitation at the San Francisco assay office and wastage for provisions limiting the business of assay offices, other than the New York assay office, to receipt of gold and silver bullion for melting and assaying. REPEALS Section 3 (m) of Pub. L. 87-534 repealed act Feb. 20, 1895, ch. 105 §§ 1, 2, 28 Stat. 673, formerly credited to the section, which provided for the coinage of gold and silver at the Denver mint. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS All functions of all officers of the Department of the Treasury, and all functions of all agencies and employees of that Department, were transferred, with certain exceptions, to the Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or the performance of any of his functions, by any of those officers, agencies, and employees, by 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 26, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F. R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. CROSS REFERENCES Receipt of deposits of gold bullion by assay offices, see section 430 of this title. §§ 284 to 286. Repealed. Pub. L. 87-534, § 3(j)—(1), July 11, 1962, 76 Stat. 156. Section 284, R.S. § 3559; acts Feb. 20, 1895, ch. 105, § 2, 28 Stat. 673; Jan. 22, 1925, ch. 87, 43 Stat. 764; Mar. 5, 1928, ch. 126, § 2, 45 Stat. 193, related to appointment of officers at assay offices. Section 285, R.S. § 3560; act Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350, § 1, 37 Stat. 384, related to powers and duties of assayers at assay offices. Section 286, R.S. § 3561; acts Feb. 18, 1875, ch. 80, § 1, 18 Stat. 319; Feb. 27, 1877, ch. 69, § 1, 19 Stat. 249, related to bond and oath of officers and clerks. § 287. Laws relating to mints extended to assay offices. All provisions of law for the regulation of mints, the government of officers and persons employed therein, and for the punishment of all offenses con nected with mints or coinage, shall extend to all assay offices, as far as applicable. (R. S. § 3562.) DERIVATION Act Feb. 12, 1873, ch. 131, § 60, 17 Stat. 434. CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF BUILDINGS § 291. Design, construction and equipment of buildings; acquisition of sites. The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized, acting through the Administrator of General Services, (1) to design and construct such buildings as may be required in connection with the operations of the Bureau of the Mint; (2) to furnish and equip such buildings with all necessary building equipment, facilities, and utilities; and (3) to acquire suitable sites for such buildings by purchase, condemnation, donation, exchange, or otherwise. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to furnish and equip such buildings with all necessary coinage and other special equipment and facilities. (Pub. L. 88-102, § 1, Aug. 20, 1963, 77 Stat. 129.) SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 292, 293, 294 of this title. § 292. Functions of Secretary of the Treasury and Administrator of General Services. All functions with respect to the operation, maintenance, and custody of any building constructed pursuant to sections 291 to 294 of this title are hereby vested in the Secretary of the Treasury, and all functions with respect to the repair and improvement of any such building are hereby vested in the Administrator of General Services. (Pub. L. 88-102, § 2, Aug. 20, 1963, 77 Stat. 129.) SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 293, 294 of this title. § 293. Public building construction unauthorized. Nothing contained in sections 291 to 294 of this title shall be construed as authorizing the construction of any public building as defined in the Public Buildings Act of 1959. (Pub. L. 88-102, § 3, Aug. 20, 1963, 77 Stat. 129.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The Public Buildings Act of 1959, referred to in the text, is classified to chapter 12 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 292, 294 of this title. § 294. Appropriations; termination date; limitation on amount; transfer of funds from Department of the Treasury to Administrator of General Services. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for each fiscal year which begins after June 30, 1963, and ends before July 1, 1973, such sums as may be necessary to carry out sections 291 to 294 of this title, except that the aggregate of sums appropriated under this section shall not exceed $45,000,000. Sums appropriated to the Department of the Treasury for the purposes of sections 291 to 294 The President is hereby authorized to establish a Joint Commission on the Coinage to be composed of the Secretary of the Treasury as Chairman; the Secretary of Commerce; the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; the Director of the Mint; the chairman and ranking minority member of the Senate Banking and Currency Committee, and four Members of the Senate, not members of such committee, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; the chairman and ranking minority member of the House Banking and Currency Committee, and four Members of the House of Representatives, not members of such committee, to be appointed by the Speaker; and eight public members to be appointed by the President, none of whom shall be associated or identified with or representative of any industry, group, business, or association directly interested as such in the composition, characteristics, or production of the coinage of the United States. (Pub. L. 89-81, title III, § 301, July 23, 1965, 79 Stat. 258; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 102, eff. July 1, 1970, 35 F.R. 7959, 84 Stat..) CHANGE OF NAME Office of Management and Budget was substituted for Bureau of the Budget pursuant to 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 2 which redesignated the Bureau of the Budget as the Office of Management and Budget and offices of Director of the Bureau of the Budget, Deputy Director of the Bureau of the Budget, and Assistant Directors of the Bureau of the Budget as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Assistant Directors of the Office of Management and Budget, respectively. Records, property, personnel, and funds of the Bureau of the Budget were transferred to the Office of Management and Budget. See Part I of Reorganization Plan 2 of 1970, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 304 of this title. § 302. Termination of membership of public officials and Members of Congress; vacancies. No public official or Member of Congress serving as a member of the Joint Commission shall continue to serve as such after he has ceased to hold the office by virtue of which he became a member of the Joint Commission. Any vacancy on the Joint Commisssion shall be filled by the choosing of a suc cessor member in the same manner as his predecessor. (Pub. L. 89-81, title III, § 302, July 23, 1965, 79 Stat. 258.) SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 304 of this title. § 303. Functions and duties. The Joint Commission shall study the progress made in the implementation of the coinage program established by this Act, and shall review from time to time such matters as the needs of the economy for coins, the standards for the coinage, technological developments in metallurgy and coinselector devices, the availability of various metals, renewed minting of the silver dollar, the time when and circumstances under which the United States should cease to maintain the price of silver, and other considerations relevant to the maintenance of an adequate and stable coinage system. It shall, from time to time, give its advice and recommendations with respect to these matters to the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Congress. (Pub. L. 89-81, title III, § 303, July 23, 1965, 79 Stat. 258.) REFERENCES IN TEXT "This Act", referred to in text, means Pub. L. 89-81. For classification of Pub. L. 89-81, see Short Title note set out under section 391 of this title. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 304 of this title. § 304. Authorization of appropriations. There are authorized to be appropriated to remain available until expended, such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 301 to 304 of this title. (Pub. L. 89-81, title III, § 304, July 23, 1965, 79 Stat. 258.) COINS AND COINAGE CODIFICATION Act Apr. 23, 1918, ch. 63, §§ 1-4, 40 Stat. 535, 536, authorized the Secretary of the Treasury from time to time to melt or break up and sell as bullion not in excess of 350,000,000 standard silver dollars then or thereafter in the Treasury; and made provisions for sales of such bullion, the retirement of outstanding silver certificates, the purchase of silver and coinage of dollars to replace those broken up, etc. Those sections were omitted from the Code as temporary. CROSS REFERENCES Gold Reserve Act of 1934, see sections 213, 411-415, 417, 467, of Title 12, Banks and Banking, and sections 315b, 405b, 408a, 408b, 440-446, 733, 734, 752, 753, 754a, 754b, 767, 771, 821, 822a, 822b, and 824 of this title. § 311. Policy of United States as to bimetallism. It is declared to be the policy of the United States to continue the use of both gold and silver as standard money, and to coin both gold and silver into money of equal intrinsic and exchangeable value, such equality to be secured through international agreement, or by such safeguards of legislation as will insure the maintenance of the parity in value of the coins of the two metals, and the equal power of every dollar at all times in the markets and in the payment of debts. And it is further declared that the efforts of the Government should be steadily directed to the establishment of such a safe system of bimetallism as will maintain at all times the equal power of every dollar coined or issued by the United States, in the markets and in the payment of debts. (Nov. 1, 1893, ch. 8, 28 Stat. 4.) COINAGE OF GOLD DISCONTINUED The coinage of gold was discontinued and existing gold coins were withdrawn from circulation by section 315b of this title and all laws inconsistent therewith were repealed by section 446 of this title. POSSESSION OF GOLD COINS AND BULLION The possession of gold coins and bullion was prohibited except under Government license by Ex. Ord. No. 6260, eff. Aug. 28, 1933, set out in note under section 95a of Title 12, Banks and Banking. § 311a. Repealed. Pub. L. 88-36, title I, § 1, June 4, 1963, 77 Stat. 54. Section, act June 19. 1934, ch. 674, § 2, 48 Stat. 1178, declared it to be United States policy to have silver constitute one-fourth of the monetary value in the proportion of silver to gold. § 312. International monetary conference commissioners. Whenever the President of the United States shall determine that the United States should be represented at any international conference called by the United States or any other country with a view to securing by international agreement a fixity of relative value between gold and silver as money by means of a common ratio between these metals, with free mintage at such ratio, he may appoint five or more commissioners to such international conference; and for compensation of said commissioners, and for all reasonable expenses connected therewith, to be approved by the Secretary of State, including the proportion to be paid by the United States of the joint expenses of any such conference, the sum of $100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated. (Mar. 3, 1897, ch. 376, § 1, 29 Stat. 624.) CODIFICATION Section 2 of the act of Mar. 3, 1897, authorized the President to call an international conference for the purposes specified in section 1, and to appoint special envoys to such of the nations of Europe as he might designate to seek an agreement for said purposes. Section 3 repealed previous provisions for appointment of delegates to such international conference similar to those of that act. These sections were omitted, as temporary. § 313. International bimetallism. The provisions of sections 146, 313, 314, 320, 406, 408, 411, 429, 455, and 751 of this title and sections 51, 101, 178, and 542 of Title 12, are not intended to preclude the accomplishment of international bimetallism whenever conditions shall make it expedient and practicable to secure the same by concurrent action of the leading commercial nations of the world and at a ratio which shall insure permanence of relative value between gold and silver. (Mar. 14, 1900, ch. 41, § 14, 31 Stat. 49.) REFERENCES IN TEXT Section 320 of this title, referred to in the text, was repealed by Pub. L. 89-81, title II, § 203(b), July 23, 1965, 79 Stat. 256. Section 408 of this title, referred to in the text was repealed by Pub. L. 90-269, § 10, Mar. 18, 1968, 82 Stat. 51. Section 542 of Title 12, referred to in the text, related to tax on circulating notes secured by 2 per centum bonds and has been omitted from the Code. CODIFICATION See note to section 314 of this title. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 455 of this title. § 314. Standard unit of value. The dollar of gold nine-tenths fine consisting of the weight determined under the provisions of section 821 of this title shall be the standard unit of value, and all forms of money issued or coined by the United States shall be maintained at a parity of value with this standard, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to maintain such parity. (R. S. § 3511; Mar. 14, 1900, ch. 41, § 1. 31 Stat. 45; May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title III, § 43. 48 Stat. 51; June 5, 1933, ch. 48, § 2, 48 Stat. 113; Jan. 30, 1934, ch. 6, § 12, 48 Stat. 342; Aug. 23, 1935. ch. 614, § 203 (a), 49 Stat. 704; Jan. 23, 1937, 2 p. m., ch. 5, § 2, 50 Stat. 4; July 6, 1939, ch. 260, § 3, 53 Stat. 998.) DERIVATION Act Feb. 12, 1873, ch. 131, § 14, 17 Stat. 426. CODIFICATION Words "consisting of twenty-five and eight tenths grain", appearing in original enactment, have been omitted in view of provisions of section 821 of this title authorizing the President to fix the weight of the gold dollar within certain limitations, and words "consisting of the weight determined under the provisions of section 821 of this title" give effect to this provision. WEIGHT OF GOLD Weight of gold dollar reduced to 1551 grains nine-tenths fine, see Proc. No. 2072, Jan. 31, 1934, 48 Stat. 1750, set out as note to section 821 of this title. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 313, 409, 455 of this title. SS 315, 315a. Omitted. CODIFICATION Section 315, R. S. § 3511; act Sept. 26, 1890, ch. 945, § 1. 26 Stat. 485, provided for the types of gold coins of the United States and the respective weight of each. The coinage of gold was discontinued and existing gold coins were withdrawn from circulation by section 315b of this title and all laws inconsistent therewith were repealed by section 446 of this title. Section 315a, act Apr. 11, 1930, ch. 131, 46 Stat. 154, discontinued coinage of quarter-eagles. All gold coinage was discontinued and existing gold coins were withdrawn from circulation by section 315b of this title and all laws inconsistent therewith were repealed by section 446 of this title. § 315b. Gold coinage discontinued; existing gold coins withdrawn from circulation; coins and gold to be formed into bars. No gold shall after January 30, 1934, be coined, and no gold coin shall after January 30, 1934, be paid out or delivered by the United States: Provided, however, That coinage may continue to be executed by the mints of the United States for foreign countries in accordance with section 367 of this title. All gold coin of the United States shall be withdrawn from circulation, and, together with all other gold owned by the United States, shall be formed into bars of such weights and degrees of fineness as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct. (Jan. 30, 1934, ch. 6, § 5, 48 Stat. 340.) REPEALS All laws inconsistent with the provisions of this section were repealed by section 446 of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS All functions of all officers of the Department of the Treasury, and all functions of all agencies and employees of that Department, were transferred, with certain exceptions, to the Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or the performance of any of his functions, by any of those officers, agencies, and employees, by 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 26, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F. R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in sections 440, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446 of this title. § 316. Repealed. Pub. L. 91-607, title II, § 208, Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1769. Section R.S. § 3513; acts Feb. 28, 1878, ch. 20, § 1, 20 Stat. 25; May 12, 1933, ch. 25, title III, § 43, 48 Stat. 51; June 5, 1933, ch. 48, § 2, 48 Stat. 113; Jan. 30, 1934, ch. 6, § 12, 48 Stat. 342; Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, § 203 (a), 49 Stat. 704; Jan. 23, 1937, ch. 5, § 2, 50 Stat. 4; July 6, 1939, ch. 260, § 3, 53 Stat. 998, enumerated the silver coins of the United States: the dollar, half-dollar, quarterdollar, and dime, and provided for executive determination of weight of the coins under section 821 of this title. SS316a to 316d. Repealed. Pub. L. 88-36, title I, § 1, June 4, 1963, 77 Stat. 54. Section 316a, act June 19, 1934, ch. 674, § 7, 48 Stat. 1179, provided for acquisition and use of silver, payment therefor, expenses, forfeitures and penalties. Section 316b, act June 19, 1934, ch. 674, § 6, 48 Stat. 1178, authorized the regulation of acquisition and use of silver and prescribed penalties for violations. Section 316c, act July 6, 1939, ch. 260, § 4, 53 Stat. 998, related to coinage of silver mined after July 1, 1939, seigniorage and regulations. Section 316d, act July 31, 1946, ch. 718, 60 Stat. 750, provided for industrial use of silver held or owned by United States and acceptance for coinage and seigniorage of silver mined after July 1, 1946. § 317. Minor coins; weight and alloy. The minor coins of the United States shall be a five-cent piece, and a one-cent piece. The alloy 47-500 0-71-vol. 7—60 for the five-cent pieces shall be of copper and nickel, Act Feb. 12, 1873, ch. 131, § 16, 17 Stat. 427. R. S. § 3515, contained provisions for a three-cent piece, but such provisions were superseded by act Sept. 26, 1890, ch. 945, 26 Stat. 485, prohibiting the coinage of the three cent nickel piece. AMENDMENTS 1962-Pub. L. 87-643 eliminated tin from the 5 per centum portion of the one-cent piece alloy. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS All functions of all officers of the Department of the Treasury, and all functions of all agencies and employees of that Department, were transferred, with certain exceptions, to the Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or the performance of any of his functions, by any of those officers, agencies, and employees, by 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 26, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F. R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. CONTENTS OF ONE-CENT PIECE Treasury Department order of Dec. 23, 1942, 7 F. R. 10837, suspending the provisions of this section insofar as they affect the contents of one-cent pieces and setting out the physical properties thereof, expired on Dec. 31, 1946. CROSS REFERENCES Power of President to fix weight of subsidiary coins, see section 821 of this title. §317a. Same; conservation of strategic war metals; 1- and 3-cent pieces; period of coinage; composition; silver content; application of other laws. (a) There shall be included among the coins of the United States one or more special series of coins: Provided, That the coinage, issuance, and circulation of the coins provided for by this section shall be subject in all respects to the conditions, terms, provisions, limitations, and exceptions specified in subsections (b)—(j) of this section. (b) No denomination or series of coins provided for by this section shall be coined unless and until the Secretary of the Treasury shall have issued an order that shall (1) prescribe the particular denomination or series, stating the pertinent physical properties, including content, weight, dimensions, shape, and design: Provided, That in determining such physical properties the Secretary shall take into consideration the use of such coins in coinoperated devices; and (2) state that he has determined, after consultation with the appropriate officials charged with the production of war material, that the coinage and circulation of the particular series will operate to conserve strategic metals in furtherance of the war effort. (c) There shall be no coinage pursuant to the provisions of this section after December 31, 1946. (d) The coinage provided for by this section shall not be of other denominations than 1 cent piece and 3 cent piece, and the amount of coinage of each |