Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program

The game of Basketball has come a long way from the days of two peach baskets stuck to the railing of a gallery, to a game that’s universally loved and played. Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian American physical education instructor came up with a novel indoor game to make sure his football team doesn’t lack for exercise during the cold winters of New England. He never expected it to become one of the most popular games to be played across the world.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was established in 1959 to honor basketball’s greatest players, coaches, teams and contributors. To celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the ‘Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame’ this year, the U.S. mint is releasing commemorative coins in the $5 Gold, Silver dollar and Clad Half dollar versions.

Check out the Basketball Hall of Fame coins @Shopcsntv

Dr. James Naismith – Inventor of Basketball

Originally from Canada, Naismith moved to the United States in 1890 and took up a job as a physical education teacher in YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. Luther Gulick, head of physical education, gave him the task of inventing a new game in 14 days to keep the football team indoors, fit and not too roughed up during the off-season.

Naismith studied different games that were popular then and decided to use the soft soccer ball in his game. The soft ball wouldn’t wound players seriously and will only be passed from one player to another until it is dropped in the opposing team’s basket to score a ‘goal’. There was no dribbling then! The team wasn’t super enthusiastic and just followed Naismith’s instructions in this first 1891 game. But by 1892, the game became popular in campus and got featured in the local newspaper. YMCA made basketball famous internationally by 1893.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in 1959 by Lee Williams, a basketball coach at Colby College and executive director at the hall of fame later. For 17 years, the Basketball Hall of Fame was in Springfield college. With huge number of visitors every year, the Hall of Fame was shifted in 1985 near the scenic Connecticut river, Springfield.

In 2002, the Basketball Hall of Fame was shifted yet again to a $47 million facility near the Second Hall of Fame building. The Hall’s architecture features a metallic silver, basketball-shaped sphere flanked by two similarly symmetrical rhombuses. The dome is illuminated at night and features 80,000 square foot, including numerous restaurants and an extensive gift shop.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the game and its creator. The Basketball Hall of Fame is a great institution entrusted with recording and spreading the history of the game of basketball. It recognizes and honors the achievements of its greatest players, coaches, and contributors.

2020 Basketball Hall of Fame coins - Design

The obverse design features three players reaching for the ball in unison, reflecting how the sport of basketball has brought together diverse people around the world through a simple, universal, and unifying athletic experience. Their arms are slightly elongated to emphasize the full exertion of physical and mental energy required to excel in this sport. The rim and net are subtle background design elements complementing the three players. The reverse design depicts a basketball about to pass through the net.