What is the Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Design Competition?
The authorizing law, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act, requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a 3-coin series in recognition of the 60th Anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Act also requires a competition be held to select a winning obverse coin design emblematic of the game of basketball.
A single winner’s design will be selected for the common obverse (heads side) of the coin.
The competition will be operated in two phases, described below.
Who may participate in the coin design competition?
The competition is open to United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who are 18 years of age and older.
No submissions will be accepted from United States Mint or Treasury Department employees, members of the expert panel, or family members of these individuals.
Is this like the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Design Competition?
Like the recent Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Coin Design Competition, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act requires a competition for only the obverse design of the coin (which will be depicted on all three coins in the program).
Like the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Competition, artists are to submit designs via two-dimensional sample and are not required to submit physical models (nor will physical models be accepted). Considering the amount of work required from the artists, the Mint has structured this competition in two phases, with financial consideration provided to artists participating in Phase Two.
Like the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, the legislation for this program requires that the coins be domed in a fashion similar to the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin. The common obverse of the coins, the design of which is subject to this competition, will be concave.
What about the reverse (tails side) of the coin?
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act requires that the design for the common reverse of the coins depict a basketball. The reverse design is not part of this competition, and will be developed by the United States Mint and selected by the Secretary of the Treasury. The reverse of the coin will be convex.
What are the phases of the competition?
The Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Design Competition will proceed in two phases.
In Phase One, artists will submit three to five samples of their artwork along with general contact information using an online entry form at www.usmint.gov/news/design-competitions/basketball. These portfolios will be evaluated by an expert panel. From the pool of applicants, up to 25 artists will be selected to participate in Phase Two.
In Phase Two, artists will be required to submit a design for the common obverse of the coin. These designs will be reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the United States Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) who will make recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury will select the winning obverse design for this competition.
Each artist invited to participate in Phase Two of this competition will be paid $1,000 for his or her valid submission.
Why is this competition divided into two phases?
By utilizing a two-phase program, the Mint allows artists to demonstrate their interest in the competition without expending significant time and effort. During Phase One, artists will submit three to five original work samples from their existing portfolio. From this pool of artists, up to 25 artists will be selected to participate in Phase Two of the competition. In Phase Two, these artists will create a design for the obverse of the coin. Applicants who submit designs in Phase Two will receive a stipend of $1,000 for their work, which serves as compensation for time and supplies, and as legal consideration for the transfer of rights to the design.
What types of work samples should go into the Phase One portfolio submission?
Artists should submit original works that display their suitability for this competition. Work samples will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Overall quality and creativity of submitted portfolio
- Ability to render figures, portraits and/or animals
- Demonstration of the use of perspective
- Demonstration of good design sense
Work samples should reflect work created solely by the artist applying to the competition.
Who will be judging the competition?
Entries from Phase One will be evaluated by an expert panel composed of the United States Mint Chief Engraver, two members of the CCAC, and two members of the CFA.
The Mint will conduct one round of coin-ability reviews of all designs in Phase Two and ask designers to modify designs as necessary. The Mint will also work with Subject Matter Experts at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to verify appropriateness and technical and historical accuracy and ask designers to modify designs as necessary before they are reviewed by the CCAC and CFA in public meetings.
All eligible designs submitted in Phase Two will be reviewed by the CCAC and CFA in public meetings.
The final obverse design of the coin will be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury after recommendations of the CCAC and the CFA, as well as any input from Subject Matter Experts at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
What are the specific guidelines for Phase One of the competition?
Artists must upload three to five original work samples via www.usmint.gov/news/design-competitions/basketball.
These may be digital designs or photographs of prior original work.
Work samples should reflect work created solely by the artist applying to the competition.
No physical artwork will be accepted in Phase One, but photographs of physical artwork are acceptable.
Artists must certify that they are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents and are 18 years of age or older.
For a complete listing of the rules and requirements for Phase One of the competition and the competition in its entirety, please see the Official Rules.
What are the specific guidelines for the designs submitted in Phase Two of the competition?
Artists invited to participate in Phase Two must submit a two-dimensional digital design for the common obverse of the coin.
The design must be emblematic of the game of basketball.
The design must contain the inscriptions “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “2020.”
Designs may not include the name or depiction of any living person, even with permission.
Designs may not include names, emblems, logos, trademarks, or other intellectual property associated with any specific government, commercial, or private organization.
Designs must be the artist’s own original artwork and not include the artist’s name, initials, logo, mark, or other identifier anywhere on the design.
For a complete listing of the rules and requirements for Phase Two of the competition and the competition in its entirety, please see the Official Rules.
Are plasters required for Phase Two?
No, plasters or any other physical model are not required, nor will they be accepted, for the Phase Two entry. Entries must consist of designs submitted digitally.
How do I enter the competition?
Visit www.usmint.gov/news/design-competitions/basketball for rules, FAQs, and the entry form.
Where do I find the rules for the competition?
Official rules for the competition are available on www.usmint.gov//news/design-competitions/basketball/rules.
How long will the competition run?
The United States Mint will begin accepting submissions for Phase One of the competition at noon ET on March 19, 2019. The competition will remain open through noon ET on April 15, 2019, though the Mint reserves the right to end the acceptance of submissions early if 1,000 entries are received.
Artists selected to participate in Phase Two will be notified in early May 2019. All Phase Two submissions must be received by the United States Mint by early June 2019.
What will winners receive?
The winner of the design competition will receive $5,000, which is in addition to the stipend paid to artists who submit valid designs in Phase Two.
The winner’s initials will appear on the minted coins.
The winner may be invited to attend a ceremony where the winning design will be unveiled and the winning design will be showcased on www.usmint.gov.
Where can the public find more information about the competition?
When can we see the winning design?
A final decision has not yet been made.
How much will the coin cost?
The price has not yet been set for the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins.
Why are these coins being minted?
Congress authorized and President Trump signed into law the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act (Public Law 115-343), “in recognition of the 60th Anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.”
The recipient organization, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is authorized to receive surcharges from the sale of the coins ($35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per clad coin), which will fund an endowment that will enable increased operations and educational programming.
Who in Congress sponsored the law?
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act was introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA).
Who is paying for this program?
As with all commemorative coin programs, which by law must be self-sustaining, the United States Mint will operate the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program, including the design competition, at no cost to taxpayers.
Who decides what commemorative coins are minted?
Congress authorizes commemorative coins that celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. Although these coins are legal tender, they are not minted for general circulation. Each commemorative coin is produced by the United States Mint in limited quantity and is available only for a limited time.
As well as commemorating important aspects of American history and culture, commemorative coins help raise money for important causes identified in the authorizing legislation.
Since the modern commemorative coin program began in 1982, the United States Mint has raised more than a half billion dollars in surcharges to help build new museums, maintain national monuments like the Vietnam War Memorial, preserve historical sites like George Washington’s home, support various Olympic programs, support organizations such as the National Baseball Hall of Fame and many more.
Part of the price of commemorative coins is a surcharge that is authorized by law for organizations and projects that benefit the community.
The organization designated to receive surcharges on the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The surcharges are authorized to fund an endowment that will enable increased operations and educational programming.