United States Mint coins will be issued in 2020 to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (www.hoophall.com).
The program of $5 gold, $1 silver and 50c clad commemoratives will share designs with reverses depicting a basketball and obverses emblematic of the game of basketball. They will be dome-shaped, and possibly feature some color.
As a part of the process leading up to their release, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) reviewed dozens of Basketball-themed designs which originated from a public competition that generated 19 obverse candidates and from U.S. Mint artists who created 23 reverse candidates.
Obverse Design Recommendation
The pair of panels recommended the same obverse design, BHF-O-19, portraying the intense, hands-on action of the game of basketball. It shows three different figures all reaching for the ball in unison, suggesting how the sport has brought together millions of diverse people around the world. This depiction was among five obverse designs favored by the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Not entirely satisfied with every element of the design, the CFA suggested some refinements to the length of the players arms and recommended that the ball should be placed equally beyond the reach of all three players.
Reverse Design Recommendations
Two designs are competing strongly to appear on coin reverses. The CCAC recommended design BHF-R-01 which depicts a three-quarter profile of a basketball.
The CFA, meanwhile, preferred design BHF-R-17 which shows a basketball about to pass through a net. By vote count, this design ranked second highest among members of the CCAC. It was also amid four reverses favored by the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Optional CCAC Design Recommendations
While the CCAC selected BHF-O-19 and BHF-R-01 as their preferred designs, they also passed a motion to recommend an optional selection of BHF-O-02 with BHF-R-18.
Obverse design BHF-O-02 depicts the action of a slam dunk, one of the most exciting plays in the game. Reverse design BHF-R-18 shows two players jumping for a ball.
Final Design Selections
As directed by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, Public Law No: 115-343, the Secretary of the Treasury will select the final designs upon receiving CCAC and CFA recommendations and after consultation with liaisons of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
It’s been a most enjoyable 13 years of collecting Commemoratives.., as well as retro collecting past Comms from 1982, mostly those depicting Eagles on the reverses for my eagle collection. 2019 has been an awesome Commemorative year with the Apollo Lunar Landing and American Legion (God Bless our Vets!) Comms for which I picked up one or more of each offering.., and a great year to go out with a Bang! With that.., 2019 concludes my Commemorative coin purchases.., I have no enthusiasm for this basketball offering, PC coins, nor any other possible programs in the hopper for years to… Read more »
I’m with you – I have collected all of the uncirculated modern commemorative dollars and half’s – some beautiful coins and great causes – but this year looks to be the last rodeo for me…as Freddy would say “another one bites the dust”
“Equally beyond reach of all three players”?
My gosh, these committees are embarrassing themselves.
If they are colorized, I will not buy them!
NumisdudeTX
Agreed. No colorized coins please!