[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22006-22007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08930]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

United States Mint


Agency Information Collection Activity; Proposed Collection; U.S. 
Coinage Practices

AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice and comment.

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SUMMARY: The United States Mint, a bureau of the Department of the 
Treasury, is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the 
proposed collection of certain information regarding the public's use 
of U.S. coins with special emphasis on low denomination coins. Under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), agencies are required to 
publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed 
collection of information and to allow 60 days for

[[Page 22007]]

public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments 
on a proposed information collection concerning U.S. coinage practices 
as required to determine the public's interest according to the Coin 
Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-302).

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection 
of information by 60 days after the notice is published.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
[email protected]. Submit all written comments to 
U.S. Coinage Practices; Office of Coin Studies; United States Mint; 801 
9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yvonne Pollard; Compliance Branch; 
United States Mint; 801 9th Street NW., 6th Floor; Washington, DC 
20220; 202-354-8400 (this is not a toll-free number); 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice of the proposed 
collection of information before submitting the proposed collection of 
information to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we 
are publishing notice of the proposed collection of information 
described in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, the United 
States Mint invites comments on--(1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the United 
States Mint's functions, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the United States Mint's 
estimate of the burden of the proposed collection, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information 
technology.

U.S. Coinage Practices Survey

    The Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010, 
Public Law 111-302, section 2(b)(3), authorizes the Secretary of the 
Treasury to consider such factors he deems appropriate and in the 
public interest when preparing a report and recommendations to Congress 
with respect to the nation's circulating coins.
    Understanding the public's use and perception of United States 
circulating coins and coin usage is necessary for the United States 
Mint to carry out its mission to mint and issue circulating coins in 
amounts that the Secretary of the Treasury determines are necessary to 
meet the needs of the United States and to prepare recommendations to 
Congress as authorized by Public Law 111-302. The information collected 
will cover the following topics, with special emphasis on low 
denomination coins:
1. Use of coins as payment,
2. general payment preferences,
3. general awareness concerning low denomination coins,
4. attitudes regarding potential changes in coinage,
4. the use of rounding retail transactions, and
6. demographic characteristics.
    The data will be used to understand the public's use and perception 
of specific U.S. circulating coinage for the purpose of analyzing 
options and proposing recommendations for possible changes to the 
nation's circulating coins.
    To obtain this information, the United States Mint will conduct a 
nationally representative random-digit-dial (RDD) survey of 1,000 U.S. 
adults. The proposed survey will include both landline (700 interviews) 
and cellular (300 interviews) telephones. Interviewing will be 
conducted in both English and Spanish. The questionnaire should take 12 
minutes to complete, including two minutes to screen for eligible 
participants (adults in the cellular telephone sample, the adult with 
the most recent birthday in the household in the landline telephone 
survey). The United States Mint estimates the burden of this collection 
of information will be as described in the table below.

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                                                                  Estimated time
                        Survey component                            to complete     Population     Total burden
                                                                     (minutes)                        (hours)
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Screener........................................................       2 minutes            1250           41.67
Main survey.....................................................      10 minutes            1000          166.67
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Comments

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval.

    Authority: 31 U.S.C. 5112(p)(3)(A); Pub. L. 111-302, section 
2(b)(3).

    Dated: April 11, 2014.
Richard A. Peterson,
Deputy Director, United States Mint.
[FR Doc. 2014-08930 Filed 4-17-14; 8:45 am]
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