Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coins

This 2022, the U.S Mint has released a new set of Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program. The 2022 Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program celebrates the establishment of the Negro National League, the first successful, organized, professional African American baseball league in the United States. Public Law 116-209 directs the U.S. Mint to produce $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half a dollar clad coins as part of the program. All of them celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment.

The History

On February 13, 1920, Andrew "Rube" Foster arranged a meeting of eight independent African American baseball team owners in Kansas City, Missouri, to address the problem of African American players being banned from the major leagues. The team owners formed the Negro National League, the first successful, organized professional African American baseball league in the United States. Additional leagues were formed in eastern and southern states. The Negro Leagues operated until 1960. They changed not only the game of baseball, but also the United States.

The creation of the Negro Leagues provided a playing field for more than 2,600 African American and Hispanic baseball players to showcase their world-class baseball abilities. Their fast, aggressive style of play attracted black and white fans who sat together to watch those games. The Negro Leagues introduced game-changing innovations like shin guards and the batting helmet. In 1930, they were the first to pioneer "Night Baseball."

The Negro Leagues also helped make baseball a global sport by introducing professional baseball to Japan in 1927. Players from the Negro Leagues were the first people from the United States to play in many Spanish-speaking countries. Jackie Robinson, a player for the Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs, broke Major League Baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947, when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Negro League Commemorative Coin Designs And Specifications

Negro League $5 Gold Coin

This design is the work of Donna Weaver, sculpted by Eric David Custer. The obverse (heads) design features a portrait of Negro National League founder Rube Foster with his signature. The coin's reverse (tail side) showcases the gesture of tipping one's cap. This is said to be a vital sign of respect for the players. The coin's finish is proof and uncirculated, holding a composition of 90% gold, 6% silver, and 4% copper. The coin's weight is 8.359 grams, and the edges are reeded. Inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "THEIR LEGACY PLAYS ON," "$5," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM." West Point - W is their mint and mintmark.

Negro League Silver Dollar

The obverse shows a pitcher in mid-throw with the baseball in the foreground and baseball stitching as a border. Inscriptions are "IN GOD WE TRUST," "2022," and "LIBERTY." Matt Swaim designed the obverse, and Eric David Custer sculpted it. A special privy mark silver dollar is available in the proof finish only. The obverse of these coins includes a mark commemorating the 100th anniversary of Negro Leagues Baseball in 2020. The privy mark appears below the pitcher's knee. All Negro League silver dollars have a reverse design that showcases a player's eye view of a pitch being delivered to the catcher at the plate along with the inscriptions of "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "$1," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM." Don Everhart designed the reverse image, and Craig A. Campbell sculpted it. The coin's finish is proof and uncirculated, holding a composition of 99.9% silver. The coin's weight is 26.73 grams, and the edges are reeded. Philadelphia - P is their mint and mintmark.

Negro League Half Dollar

Each half-dollar obverse shows a Negro Leagues tour bus that served as their home on the road when players were refused entry to hotels and restaurants. Above the bus, you can see a batter meant to exemplify the determination to play the game he loves, regardless of the challenging circumstances. Inscriptions include "IN GOD WE TRUST," "LIBERTY," "2022," and "NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL." The coin was designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by John P. McGraw. The reverse design includes a group of five Negro Leagues Baseball players. Inscriptions are "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "HALF DOLLAR," and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." The image was created by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The coin's finish is proof and uncirculated, holding a composition of 8.33% nickel and a balance with copper. The coin's weight is 11.34 grams, and the edges are reeded. The mint and mintmark for proof coins are San Francisco - S and for the uncirculated coins is Denver - D.

Silver Medal

One of the set's includes a Jackie Robinson silver medal. It bears the same design as the Jackie Robinson Congressional Gold Medal produced by the United States Mint in 2003 to honor Robinson as a baseball great, civil rights leader, and political activist. The obverse shows a portrait of Jackie Robinson. The inscription "JACKIE ROBINSON" appears to the left of the portrait, followed by "A LIFETIME OF ADVOCACY FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE & HUMAN DIGNITY." Near the rim is "ACT OF CONGRESS 2003." The medal's reverse features laurel branches surrounding a plaque containing the inscriptions "A LIFE IS NOT IMPORTANT EXCEPT IN THE IMPACT IT HAS ON OTHER LIVES" and "JACKIE ROBINSON." The medal finish is proof, holding a composition of 99.9% silver. The medal's weight is 26.73 grams, and the edges are plain. Philadelphia is their mint and has no mintmark.

Surcharges Support Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Authorized by the Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, product prices includes surcharges of $35 for each $5 gold coin, $10 for each silver dollar, and $5 for each half-dollar. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum paid the surcharges for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.