2001 Capitol Visitor Center Silver Dollar Commemorative Coins

The 2001 Capitol Visitor Center Silver Dollar was issued by the US Mint along with a $5 gold coin and a half dollar clad coin to commemorate Congress convening in the Capitol Building in 1800. The silver coin, along with the two others, were available from February 28, 2001, to March 1, 2002.

2001-P Proof Capitol Visitor Center Silver Dollar Commemorative Coin

President George Washington laid the cornerstone of the United States Capitol Building on September 18, 1793. Seven years later, on November 17, 1800, Congress convened its first session in the building despite the fact that construction on it was not yet complete.

Since then, the building has stood as a symbol of American democracy and today draws millions of annual visitors. A new visitor center was needed to facilitate the visitors and construction on the new visitor center was initiated on June 20, 2000.

Silver Dollar Information

The United States Capitol Visitor Center Commemorative Coin Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-126) authorized the Capitol Visitor Center Silver Dollar and dictated a maximum mintage of 500,000. Their specifications are identical to similar modern commemorative coins, including a 90% silver content.

Surcharges collected on the sale of each strike were to be forwarded to the Capitol Preservation Fund to be made available to the Commission for the purpose of aiding in the construction, maintenance, and preservation of the site. The surcharge on the silver dollar was $10.

2001-P Uncirculated Capitol Visitor Center Silver Dollar Commemorative Coin

Design requirements of the authorizing legislation dictated that the commemorative coins be "emblematic of the first meeting of the United States Congress in the United States Capitol Building." As such, the obverse of the silver dollar contains an image of the original Capitol Building superimposed over the present-day Capitol Building. It was the work of Marika Somogyi of the Beaux Arts College in Budapest and contains the inscriptions U.S. CAPITOL, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, 1800 and 2001.

The silver dollar reverse was designed by US Mint sculptor/engraver John Mercanti and shows an eagle cloaked in a banner that is inscribed with U.S. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER. Also shown are the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, ONE DOLLAR and the mintmark of the US Mint’s facility in Philadelphia "P".

Also issued in 2001 by the US Mint were the 2001 American Buffalo Commemorative Silver Dollar.

2001 Capitol Visitor Center Silver Dollar Coin Specifications