U. S. Capitol Bicentennial – 1994

The 200^th Anniversary of the United States Capital Building

The Bicentennial of the building of the United States Capitol was about to occur in 1994, so Congress responded with a single coin – a Silver Dollar. Some complained that the Capitol building had appeared on the 1989 Congressional Bicentennial Half Dollar and Five Dollar Gold Coins, but their complaints fell on deaf ears. Congress authorized a maximum of 500,000 coins to be struck.

The obverse of the coin was designed by William C. Cousins. He created a view of the Capitol rotunda primarily, rather than the adjoining buildings.  The Statue of Freedom which sits atop the Capitol was surrounded by 13 five-pointed stars. To the left of the rotunda are the words “BICENTENNIAL OF UNITED STATES CAPITOL” with “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “LIBERTY” above them and near the rim. To the right is the date “1994.”

The reverse depicts a grand motif that has an American shield, branches, and four American flags, with an eagle atop all of it. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” graces the upper periphery while “ONE DOLLAR” is on the bottom periphery. Inside the grand motif is the phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM” on a banner just below the eagle. This was designed by John Mercanti, based on the stained glass window near the grand staircases between the House and Senate Chambers.

The Uncirculated version was struck at the Denver Mint and bears a “D” Mintmark, with only 68,332 coins struck, while the Proof version was struck in San Francisco and bears an “S” mintmark and with 279,579 struck.

The coins were sold individually, as a two-coin set and the Proof coin was also sold in a special Architectural History Edition that also included a 12-page booklet offering the history of the US Capitol Building.

Experience the excitement of collecting today and shop our rare coin selection.