HARRIET TUBMAN COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT

 

Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., has two years to prepare for what could be a sizable windfall.

The passage of the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act would be reason enough for the Auburn landmark's leaders to celebrate. The legislation gives them one more: Half of the surcharges paid for the coins will be given to the Harriet Tubman Home.

When the Tubman coins go on sale in 2024, up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins will be available. The surcharges would be $35 for the $5 coins, $10 for the $1 coins and $5 for the half-dollars. If all the coins are sold, the total surcharges paid will be $9.5 million. The Harriet Tubman Home would receive $4.75 million.

It would be a welcome influx of cash for the organization, which owns and operates the South Street property that's now part of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn. While there are park rangers on site, the Tubman Home maintains a presence. When park rangers aren't giving tours, Tubman Home staffers lead the tours.

When asked what they could do with the money, Karen Hill, who is the president and CEO of the Harriet Tubman Home, responded, What couldn't we do with it?

We have needs everywhere, she said.

If the initial version of the bill had passed, the Harriet Tubman Home would not have benefited from the sale of the coins.

In 2020, the measure was first introduced with the goal of releasing the coins in 2022 — Tubman's 200th birthday. However, the organization that would've received the surcharges was Brooklyn-based Project Legacy.

Hill credited U.S. Rep. John Katko, who co-authored the Tubman coin bill, for securing the change and ensuring that the Tubman Home would benefit from the sale.

He was the real driver in terms of putting the Harriet Tubman Home into the legislation, she said.

Katko, who spoke on the House floor before the final passage of the bill on Tuesday, called the vote one of the most significant steps forward in strengthening federal recognition of the Harriet Tubman Home since its designation as a national park in 2017.

Specifically, I am pleased that the coins issued under this legislation, bearing (Tubman's) likeness and symbolizing her legacy, will directly benefit preservation and education efforts at the Tubman Home in Auburn, he said.

The bill now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his review. He is expected to sign the legislation.

To read the complete article, see:
Upstate New York historic site could benefit from Harriet Tubman coins (https://romesentinel.com/stories/upstate-new-york-historic-site-could-benefit-from-harriet-tubman-coins,138976)

To read the additional articles, see:
House passes Harriet Tubman coin bill benefiting Auburn historic site (https://www.syracuse.com/politics/2022/07/house-passes-harriet-tubman-coin-bill-benefiting-auburn-historic-site.html)
Biden signs bill for 2024 Tubman commemorative coins (https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/biden-signs-bill-for-2024-tubman-commemorative-coins)

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