Tuesday 23 June 2020

1403) Basketball Hall of Fame, USA: Dome-shaped $5 Gold, Silver $5 & $1, Clad Half Dollar, Spl. Kid's set, partial colouring features etc: Date of Coin set issued: 04.06.2020:

1403) Basketball Hall of Fame, USA: Dome-shaped $5 Gold, Silver $5 & $1, Clad Half Dollar, Spl. Kid's set, partial colouring features etc: Date of Coin set issued: 04.06.2020:


The US Mint has brought out the much anticipated 2020 edition of the Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins.


The Header/banner showing the Obverse and the Reverse of the Five Dollars Coin placed against a background image of a basketball in play


Another Header/banner showing the Obverses of the Coins against a background image of a basketball court/stadium


This Header/banner shows the Obverse & Reverse of the $5 Gold Coin displayed on its edge


An image of some of the variants issued from different angles

This is only the third time in the US Mint's history that a dome-shaped coin (in this instance it is shaped to resemble the shape of a basketball).

Like the previous coins of this shape - the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame and the 2019 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary coins - the basketball issues too have proved to be highly sought after issues.

The basketball coins also include two US Mint firsts - the first Partially Colorised Coins and the first Enhanced Uncirculated pieces.

The new coins have been issued to recognise the 60th Anniversary of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachussets. Named for Canadian-American physician James Naismith, who is considered to be the "Father of Basketball", the Naismith Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit that promotes, preserves and celebrates basketball at every level within the USA and internationally. Over 300 million people play the game world-wide.


The Obverse and Reverse of the One Dollar Silver coin placed side-by-side


The Obverse & Reverse of the clad half dollar coin shows a basketball on the Reverse

The Obverse of a San Francisco Mint issued Coin bearing the "S" Mint Mark

The Obverse design is concave and features three players of different genders and ethnicities as they reach for the same basketball against a background of a basketball net, which symbolises the way the game brings together people of diverse backgrounds through a simple, universal and unifying athletic experience. 

One of the players reaching out for the basketball is a wheel-chair bound paraplegic, whose enthusiasm for the game is perhaps equal to or more than the other athletes.

Their arms are extended to show the physical exertion the game demands.


The Reverse design is convex and depicts a basketball as it is about to pass through a net.

The peripheral inscriptions on this face are -  "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "E.PLURIBUS UNUM', "FIVE DOLLARS" (on the Gold coin), "Five Dollars" & "ONE DOLLAR" (on the Silver Coin), "HALF DOLLAR" (on the Clad Coin).

The specifications of the Coin are:

Obverse Designer: Justin Kunz, Obverse Sculptor: Michael Gaudioso; Reverse Designer: Donna Weaver, Reverse Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill; Coin Quality: Proof & Uncirculated; 

Mintages: Clad Half Dollar - 750,000 pieces, Silver - 400,000 pieces, $5 Gold - 50,000 pieces including both Uncirculated and Proof Coins; 

This $5 Gold Coin from the West Point Mint ("W" Mint Mark) shows the Concave/Convex feature of the curved coin



The Obverse & Reverse  faces of the Five Dollars Gold Coin placed together



The $5 Gold Coin is placed in its Presentation Case and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA), a description sheet , which are all placed in an elegant cardboard cover.

An Enhanced Half Dollar is available in a special kid's set with a limited mintage of 75,000 units, which also includes a colourful booklet about basketball.
The special kid's set featuring the attractive cover, booklet and the Reverse image of the Half Dollar.

 In addition, 75,000 each of the 2020 "S" Clad Proof halves (San Francisco Mint) and 2020 "P" Proof Silver Dollars (Philadelphia Mint) have been struck with partial colourization are being struck by an outside vendor. The basketball is of a brownish-orange colour and the rim is also colourised.

The Clad Proof halves were struck at the San Francisco Mint ("S" Mint Mark) and the clad Uncirculated halves at the Denver Mint ("D" Mint Mark), the Proof & Uncirculated Silver dollars at the Philadelphia Mint ("P" Mint Mark). All the $5 Gold Coins were struck at the West Point Mint ("W" Mint Mark).

NGC (Numismatic Grading Corporation) and PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Services) -both Coin Grading Services have each produced special grading labels for the basketball coins, with NGC adding the designation "Tip Off Releases" - a reference to the basketball term for a game that starts with a "jump ball".


       NGC certified coins - Obverse & Reverse


PCGS certified $5 Gold Coins - Obverse & Reverse


Donna Weaver - Obverse Designer seen with a NGC Certified Coin, bearing her signature on the Certificate.











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