1997 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Commemorative Gold Five Dollar Proof Obverse
1997 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Commemorative Gold Five Dollar Proof Reverse
Legislation sponsored by Representative Norman Y. Mineta (D-CA) and signed into law on October 20, 1996, by President Clinton as part of Public Law 104–329 authorized the Mint to produce no more than 100,000 of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Commemorative Gold Coin.
To coin was produced to commemorate the public opening of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C., which honored President Roosevelt's leadership and legacy. President Bill Clinton dedicated the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial on May 2, 1997.
A portion of the proceeds from the sales of each coin was paid to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission. Commemorative coin programs are created by acts of Congress to honor a person, place, or event. Surcharges from the sales of these coins help fund a variety of organizations and projects that benefit the public. Commemorative coins are only available from the United States Mint for a limited time, as specified by public law.
Based on one of FDR's favorite photographs taken in 1938, the obverse depicts the commander-in-chief on the bridge of the U.S.S. Houston wearing a boat cloak that became a familiar trademark for many Americans. The reverse design depicts a rendering of the Presidential seal displayed at FDR's 1933 inaugural.
