American Artists Encouraged to Submit Portfolios Before Monday, April 15
Springfield, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is pleased to announce a coin design competition celebrating the game of basketball. Hosted by the United States Mint, this competition is a call for artists to design the obverse (heads side) of commemorative coins. Public Law 115-343 authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue domed $5 gold coins, domed $1 silver coins, and domed half-dollar clad coins, in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, where the game was first played, the organization is recognized on a global scale as the institution that records and shares the history of basketball, including its greatest players, coaches, and contributors.
“In celebration of the Hall of Fame’s sixtieth anniversary, we are honored to be developing a commemorative coin with the U.S. Mint,” said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “This is an exciting time for American artists and basketball fans alike, to be a part of history. We look forward to reviewing the portfolios submitted by artists from across the nation and working towards a design that signifies what this great game means to so many.”
In accordance with the public law, the gold, clad, and silver coins will all share the same obverse (front) and reverse (back) designs. The design for the common obverse of these commemorative coins will be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury based on the winning design from a public design competition. The obverse design is required to be emblematic of the game of basketball. The winning artist will receive $5,000 and have his or her initials included on the coins. Competition details and entry can be accessed on the United States Mint’s website.
The public competition has two phases. Phase One, which is open now through April 15, 2019, calls for artists age 18 and older to submit a digital portfolio, consisting of three to five examples of their existing work. Following a review of Phase One applications by an expert panel, up to 25 entries will be selected to participate in Phase Two.
During Phase Two, artists will be paid a stipend of $1,000 to submit a two-dimensional digital design for the common obverse of the coin. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) will review the designs at their public committee meetings. After considering input from the subject matter experts at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and recommendations from the CCAC and the CFA, the Secretary of the Treasury will select one artist’s design to serve as the basis for the obverse of the coins. The same design will be used on the gold, silver, and clad coins. The final winner will be announced later this year.
Upon selection of the winning design, the United States Mint will begin production of curved gold, silver, and clad commemorative coins for issue in 2020. Surcharges for this program 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.
About the United States Mint
The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the Nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.