U.S. Treasury and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Team-Up to Launch Commemorative Coin in 2020

POSTED: January 21, 2019 -- 10:27 a.m. CST

Located in the Birth City of Basketball, Springfield, Mass., the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage. Since the Basketball Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1959, it has operated as a 501 c 3 not for profit organization relying on the generosity of others to preserve the legacy of the game. Today, the famed museum announced a significant fundraising platform with the recently passed Naismith Memorial Commemorative Coin Bill.

On the birthday of basketball, December 21, 2018, President Trump signed into law The Naismith Memorial Commemorative Coin Bill. This milestone concludes a 3-year effort by Congressman Richard Neal, Congressman Andy Barr, and Senators Elizabeth Warren and the late John McCain, along with countless Hall of Fame members, to make this coin a reality. With the tremendous support and guidance of the aforementioned elected officials, the Bill was passed unanimously by both the U.S. House and Senate.

"In celebration of the Hall of Fame’s sixtieth anniversary, we are very excited to be launching a commemorative coin with the U.S. Mint next year,” said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The funds generated will allow us to bolster our educational programs and ever-growing portfolio of events nationwide. We sincerely appreciate the work of our Hall of Famers and elected officials who have supported this endeavor."

At today’s celebratory announcement, the Hall took time to recognize its Hall of Famers who campaigned for the bill by making visits to Washington D.C., writing letters to officeholders and spreading the word on social media. These celebrated Hall of Famers are Jim Calhoun (Class of 2005), Satch Sanders (Class of 2011), Bernard King (Class of 2013), Spencer Haywood (Class of 2015) and Sheryl Swoopes (Class of 2016).

Coins will be available for sale beginning of 2020, with proceeds supporting the Hall of Fame’s education programs and preservation of historical artifacts and documents. Through the U.S. Mint, there will be a national contest for artists to create the design of the coin. Details of the contest will be announced at a later date.

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