The United States Mint unveiled the official designs for the dome-shaped Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins.
In 2020, the U.S. Mint will produce and sell up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 silver dollars and 750,000 clad half dollars in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (www.hoophall.com). The coins will share common obverse (heads) and reverse (tails) designs.
Those designs were revealed Sept. 6 during the 2019 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Springfield Symphony Hall.
Obverse Basketball Coin Design
The concave obverse design was selected from a public competition as directed by Public Law No: 115-343. Created by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso, it depicts three players reaching for a basketball, and reflects, as described by the Mint, "how the sport of basketball has brought together diverse people around the world through a simple, universal, and unifying athletic experience."
Background elements include the rim and net, along with inscriptions of "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and "2020."
The design was recommended by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) after reviewing dozens of Basketball-themed designs.
Reverse Basketball Coin Design
The authorizing law for the commemorative coins mandated a common reverse that depicted a basketball. Convex in shape, the selected design which shows a basketball about to pass through the net was created by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
Surrounding the image are inscriptions of "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," and "FIVE DOLLARS" on the gold coin, "ONE DOLLAR" on the silver dollar, and "HALF DOLLAR" on the clad half dollar.
This CFA preferred this design. It ranked second highest among voting members of the CCAC.
Release Date and Surcharges
A release date and pricing details will become available for the Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program prior to its launch in 2020.
Under the terms of Public Law No: 115-343, a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver dollar and $5 per clad half-dollar will be added to each coin sale. Collected surcharges will fund an endowment to enable increased operations and educational programming for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Disappointing.
“We don’t need no stinking colorized coins!” – just say NO! Crapy kitsch trinkets…I will just buy the $5 gold coins.
NumisdudeTX
I think it’s going to be a harder sell than the baseball. Basketball isn’t baseball, and it’s become intensely politicized, which will turn some people off to buying. And the 60th anniversary? I mean, so what? Not to mention the colors, and following a year after the Apollo 11 curveballs …
Agreed. Speaking of the Apollo 11 $5 gold proof. I’m surprised they haven’t been doing well. I have one NGC 70 proof $5 gold Apollo 11, Gorgeous coin, But hasn’t done well.
Really don’t like the coin and I have no interest in basketball, also don’t like what the coin’s message is trying to convey. So that makes three strikes, you’re out.
Poor design – does anybody really care about this series? I agree- DON’T BUY!!!!!
I think the mint is going after a very small market with this release. Looks to me like it may be the beginning of the end for modern commemoratives like what happened to the early commems – oversaturation
You realize that with the different races / genders / abilities depicted this coin can LITERALLY be titled “White Men Can’t Jump”?!? LMAO
The Basketball Hall of Fame 2020 Kids Set is from SF might be a limited edition. Might be worth checking out