The United States Mint unveiled 24 images of upcoming uncirculated and proof 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins.
Set to launch April 4, the U.S. commemoratives mark the third round of dome-shaped coins with concave obverses (heads) and convex reverses (tails). The U.S. Mint in 2014 issued curved Baseball coins and in 2019 the bureau offered curved Apollo 11 coins.
Ceremonial Striking Photos
On Feb. 25, U.S. Mint Director David J. Ryder hosted members and supporters of the Basketball Hall of Fame at a ceremonial striking of a regular 2020-P Proof Basketball Silver Dollar.
Event participants included Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame President John Doleva; basketball legends Julius Erving and Sheryl Swoopes; and Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal, sponsor of the legislation authorizing the Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program.
During his remarks, Director Ryder stated that
"every day, across the Nation, the United States Mint connects Americans through coins, and it is our great privilege to connect America to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame."
Limited Edition Colorized Coins
The U.S. Mint’s Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program will offer something unique that the Baseball and Apollo 11 coin programs did not have.
Ryder announced during the aforementioned ceremonial striking event that:
"the most unique feature of these coins is that they will be the first-ever colorized coins produced by the United States Mint. Coins with proof and uncirculated finishes will go on sale April 4th, and the colorized versions of the silver and clad coins will go on sale at a later date."
There will be a proof Basketball half dollar produced at the San Francisco Mint with a colorized obverse and a proof Basketball silver dollar struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a colorized reverse. Images of these coins are yet to be made public. Their release dates are also unknown as of this writing.
An enhanced uncirculated 50-cent piece will also be available, included as part of a special kid’s set for release on April 4. Images of this coin are also unavailable as of this writing.
Coin Designs
In total, 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 share common obverse and reverse designs.
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.”
This design was recommended by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) after reviewing dozens of Basketball-themed designs.
The coins’ authorizing law 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 design was preferred by CFA. It ranked second highest among voting members of the CCAC.
As the following images show, each of the U.S. Mint production facilities have a part in striking the regular commemoratives. The proof and uncirculated $5 gold coins are from the West Point Mint, the proof and uncirculated silver dollars are from the Philadelphia Mint, the proof half-dollar is from the San Francisco Mint and the uncirculated half-dollar is from the Denver Mint.
Below are images of the commemorative coins as provided on the U.S. Mint’s website.
Images of the 2020-W Proof $5 Gold Coins
Images of the 2020-W Uncirculated $5 Gold Coins
| Weight: | 8.359 grams |
| Composition: | 90% gold, 10% alloy |
| Mintage Limit: | 50,000 across all product options |
| Diameter: | 0.850 inches |
Images of the 2020-P Proof Silver Dollars
Images of the 2020-P Uncirculated Silver Dollars
| Weight: | 26.73 grams |
| Composition: | 99.9% silver |
| Mintage Limit: | 400,000 across all product options |
| Diameter: | 1.500 inches |
Images of the 2020-S Proof Clad Half Dollars
Images of the 2020-D Uncirculated Clad Half Dollars
| Weight: | 11.34 grams |
| Composition: | 92% copper, 8% nickel |
| Mintage Limit: | 750,000 across all product options |
| Diameter: | 1.205 inches |
Release Information
Prices of the coins are yet to be announced. When released at 12:00 PM ET on April 4, orders may be placed from the U.S. Mint website at www.usmint.gov/catalog.
Surcharges collected from coin sales — $35 for each gold coin, $10 for each silver coin, and $5 for each half–dollar coin — are authorized to be paid to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to fund an endowment that will enable increased operations and educational programming.
