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United States Mint 801 9th Street NW Washington DC 20220 Minutes of CCAC Public Meeting (Videoconference) Tuesday, June 15, 2021 (DAY1) (12:50 pm–4:44 pm) I. Attendance a. CCAC Members in Attendance: • Mary Lannin (Chair) • Arthur Bernstein • Lawrence Brown • Sam Gill • Dean Kotlowski • Michael Moran • Robin Salmon • Donald Scarinci • Dennis Tucker • Thomas Uram • Peter van Alfen b. Mint Officers and Staff in Attendance: • Betty Birdsong, Deputy Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs • Pam Borer, Design Manager, Office of Design Management • Russell Evans, Design Manager, Office of Design Management • Boneza Hanchock, Design Manager, Office of Design Management • Ron Harrigal, Manager, Design and Engraving • Joe Menna, Chief Engraver • April Stafford, Chief, Office of Design Management • Roger Vasquez, Design Manager, Office of Design Management • Jennifer Warren, Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs; and Liaison to the CCAC • Greg Weinman, Senior Legal Counsel and Counsel to the CCAC • Elizabeth Young, Attorney Advisor and attorney assigned to the Merrill’s Marauders Congressional Gold Medal c. Members of the Media in Attendance: • Brandon Hall, Coin Update and Mint News Blog Paul Gilkes, Coin World • Mike Unser, Coin News d. Liaisons on the call: • Mr. Bob Kendrick, President, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum • Mr. John Passanisi, son of Merrill’s Marauder, Mr. Robert Passanisi • Mr. Robert Howland, son of Merrill’s Marauder, Mr. Gilbert Howland • Mr. Travis James West, President, U.S. Army Ranger Association Established by An Act of Congress, Public Law 108-15 https://www.ccac.gov II. Minutes 1. The public meeting was called to order by Chair Mary Lannin at 12:50 pm. Roll was called with all 11 members in attendance; media attendance was recognized; and the attendance of Mint staff and officers was recognized. 2. The minutes and letters to the Secretary of the Treasury from the Committee’s May 18, 2021, meeting were unanimously approved via a motion made by Art Bernstein and seconded by Peter van Alfen. 3. April Stafford, Chief of the Office of Design Management, provided the Committee with information and descriptions of the 2022 Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program (P.L. 116-209), which requires the United States Mint to issue a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin, and a half-dollar clad coin in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Negro Leagues. The designs are to be emblematic of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and its mission to promote tolerance, adversity issue and inclusion. The year 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Negro National League, a professional baseball league formed in response to African-American players being banned from the major league. 4. Discussion of the designs for the three-coin program followed. The designs for all the coins were submitted to the CCAC as pairs. 5. The Committee discussed the suitability for the designs as applied to planchet. All designs for the gold, silver and clad coins were presented first and discussed. After a fruitful discussion, the Committee ultimately recommended a pair of gold designs for the half-dollar clad coin. The gold designs were scored as follows, with 33 points being the maximum score possible: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • NLB-G-O-01 NLB-G-O-02 NLB-G-O-03 NLB-G-O-04 NLB-G-O-05 NLB-G-O-06 NLB-G-O-07 NLB-G-O-08 NLB-G-O-09 NLB-G-O-09A NLB-G-O-10 NLB-G-O-10A NLB-G-O-11 NLB-G-O-12 NLB-G-R-01 NLB-G-R-02 NLB-G-R-03 NLB-G-R-04 NLB-G-R-05 NLB-G-R-06 NLB-G-R-07 NLB-G-R-07A NLB-G-R-08 21 (recommended design for clad) 2 5 7 24 (recommended design for gold) 5 3 7 3 10 4 3 3 3 24 (recommended design for clad) 5 8 7 18 (recommended design for gold) 2 2 2 4 Established by An Act of Congress, Public Law 108-15 https://www.ccac.gov • • • NLB-G-R-09 6 NLB-G-R-10 7 NLB-G-R-10A 3 6. The $1 silver designs were scored as follows, with 33 points being the maximum score possible: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • NLB-S-O-01 NLB-S-O-02 NLB-S-O-03 NLB-S-O-04 NLB-S-O-05 NLB-S-O-06 NLB-S-O-07 NLB-S-O-08 NLB-S-O-08A NLB-S-O-09 NLB-S-O-10 NLB-S-O-10A NLB-S-O-11 NLB-S-O-12 NLB-S-R-01 NLB-S-R-02 NLB-S-R-03 NLB-S-R-04 NLB-S-R-05 NLB-S-R-06 NLB-S-R-06A NLB-S-R-06B NLB-S-R-08 33 (perfect score and recommended design) 5 8 9 4 5 3 3 8 6 2 2 2 3 33 (perfect score and recommended design) 6 4 3 4 8 6 4 5 7. The clad half-dollars were scored as follows, with 30 points being the maximum score possible: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • NLB-C-O-01 NLB-C-O-02 NLB-C-O-03 NLB-C-O-03A NLB-C-O-04 NLB-C-O-04A NLB-C-O-06 NLB-C-O-06A NLB-C-O-09 NLB-C-R-01 NLB-C-R-02 NLB-C-R-03 NLB-C-R-04 NLB-C-R-05 NLB-C-R-05A NLB-C-R-06 11 15 17 6 2 2 3 1 1 9 15 17 1 2 2 5 Established by An Act of Congress, Public Law 108-15 https://www.ccac.gov • • NLB-C-R-07 NLB-C-R-08 1 1 8. Committee member, Michael Moran, made a three-part motion, seconded by Thomas Uram, to accept the CCAC’s recommendation of pair NLB-S-O-01/NLB-S-R-01 for the silver $1 coin; to accept the recommendation of NLB-G-O-05/NLB-G-R-05 for the $5 gold coin; to accept the recommendation of NLB-G-O-01/NLB-G-R-01 for the half-dollar clad coin. The motion passed unanimously. 9. April Stafford, Chief of the Office of Design Management, spoke about Public Law 116-170, which directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a single gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to honor soldiers of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), also known as Merrill's Marauders, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma during World War II. They saw more uninterrupted jungle fighting than any World War II military unit except the 1st Marine division at Guadalcanal. They were kept alive by C-47 airdrops of ammunition, food, medical supplies and grain for the mules used in transport. During their campaign, the Marauders never lost a battle or engagement against the Japanese. For their bravery, every member of the Merrill’s Marauders was awarded a Bronze Star and the Presidential Unit Citation. 10. The Committee was joined by, Mr. John Passanisi, son of Merrill’s Marauders, Mr. Robert Passanisi; Mr. Robert Howland, son of Merrill’s Marauders, Mr. Gilbert Howland; and Mr. Travis James West, President, U.S. Army Ranger Association. A discussion with the liaisons revealed the importance of adding a C-47 Skytrain supply plane with parachutes to the final selected design. 11. After taking the liaisons wishes into consideration, the Committee discussed the designs then recommended obverse design MM-O-05C, with a score of 23 points out of a possible 30 points and reverse design MM-R-11, with a score of 16 out of 30 points. The scores of the full portfolio are as follows: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • MM-O-01 MM-O-02A MM-O-02B MM-O-02C MM-O-03 MM-O-04 MM-O-05A MM-O-05B MM-O-05C MM-O-06 MM-O-07 MM-O-08 MM-R-01 MM-R-02 MM-R-03 MM-R-04 MM-R-05 MM-R-06 9 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 23 (recommended as the reverse design) 3 13 1 10 14 1 2 1 2 Established by An Act of Congress, Public Law 108-15 https://www.ccac.gov • • • • • • • • MM-R-07 MM-R-08 MM-R-09A MM-R-09B MM-R-09C MM-R-09D MM-R-10 MM-R-11 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 16 (recommended as the obverse design) 12. After scoring the designs, a motion was made by Michael Moran which was seconded by Peter van Alfen, to switch the obverse and reverse designs recommendation. The motion passed unanimously to recommend MM-R-11 as the obverse design and MM-O-5C as the reverse. 13. A second motion was made by Peter van Alfen, seconded by Chair Mary Lannin, to add the inscription “5307th Composite Unit” in an arc underneath the inscription “Merrill’s Marauders”. The motion passed unanimously. 14. Dennis Tucker then made a friendly amendment to Peter van Alfen’s initial motion, to have Joseph Menna, Chief Engraver, add a C-47 and parachute to the reverse of the medal. The amendment passed unanimously. The Mint will show the adapted designs to the liaisons at a future date. 15. At 4:44 pm, Chair Lannin recessed the meeting until at 10:00 am, Wednesday, June 16, 2021. Established by An Act of Congress, Public Law 108-15 https://www.ccac.gov