Washington, D.C., July 11, 2000 - U.S. Mint Director Jay W. Johnson today announced that a select group of artists has accepted invitations to submit designs for the United States Capitol Visitor Center Commemorative Coins scheduled to be released in January 2001.

Public Law 106-126 calls for the striking of not more than 100,000 gold or 200,000 bimetallic coins; not more than 500,000 silver dollar coins, and not more than 750,000 clad half-dollar coins, commemorating the first convening of the Congress in the Capitol building. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the coins will go toward the construction, maintenance and preservation of a Capitol Visitor Center.

The artists invited were chosen by the Mint in consultation with the United States Capitol Preservation Commission in recognition of their previous work in the field of medallic art and coin design. The artists that have accepted the Mint's invitation and will submit design concepts are: and Mr. Daniel Carr; Mr. Eugene Daub; Ms. Virginia Janssen; Ms. Elizabeth Jones; Mr. Marcel Jovine; Mr. Brice Marden; Mashiko; Mr. Dean McMullen; Mr. Jim Peed; Mr. Alexander Shagin; Mr. Robert Sokol; Ms. Marika Somogyi; and Mr. Shirl Winter. The Mint's staff of sculptor/engravers at the Philadelphia Mint also will submit designs (William Cousins; T. James Ferrell; Al Maletsky; John Mercanti; Thomas Rogers, Sr., and Edgar Steever).

The artists have been asked to submit design concepts emblematic of the first convening of the Congress in the Capitol building, and will be paid for their submissions according to set guidelines established by the Mint. Design concepts are due to the Mint by July 21.

The Mint will convene a design selection committee that will review all of the submitted designs. The final designs will be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury after consultation with the United States Capitol Preservation Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, and reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee.