Public Law 115–343: To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition of the 60th Anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act

On December 21, 1891, a young physical education instructor named James Naismith, introduced the game of “basket ball” to his physical education class, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In 1959, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was founded and dedicated to the game’s creator Dr. James Naismith, in Springfield, MA, “The Birthplace of Basketball” and became the first and only museum to honor the game at all levels around the world.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors players who have achieved greatness, exemplary coaches, referees and other major contributors to the sport of basketball. The Inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 1959 had seventeen honorees who were inducted, including Dr. James Naismith, George Mikan, Forrest C. Allen, Angelo Luisetti, Original Celtics and First Team.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is recognized throughout the world as the premier institution entrusted with recording and disseminating the history of the game of basketball and recognizing and honoring the achievements of its greatest players, coaches, and contributors.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame provides an entertaining, enriching experience and is known for its educational outreach programs and celebrates and promotes positive core values demonstrated by basketball’s hallowed heroes and its founder.

Basketball is one of America’s national treasures, with its fast pace which reflects the freedom of expression and the modern experience of life in the 21st century.

Since its opening in 1959, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is home to the largest collection of basketball memorabilia in the world, including more than 132 STAT. 5044 30,000 three-dimensional objects, 800,000 photographs, and 1.5 million documents.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame welcomes more than 6 million visitors interested in discovering the rich history of the game through its stories, its personalities, and its most celebrated moments.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame reaches over 7 million Americans through its educational programs, events, exhibits, social media, and its interactive website.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s customized educational programs use basketball to teach young students around the world the important lessons on a variety of topics including: financial literacy, mathematics, civil rights, leadership of character, women’s and men’s history, and geography.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will lead the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Basketball and will partner with a select group of constituents including the National Basketball Association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and USA Basketball in commemorating the game throughout the 2019–2020 basketball season.

In recognition and celebration of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Secretary”) shall mint and issue the following coins:

(1)

$5 gold coins.—

(2)

$1 silver coins.—

(3)

Half-dollar clad coins.—

The coins minted under this Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United States Code.

For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

The coins minted under this Act shall be in the shape of a dome.132 STAT. 5045

The design for the coins minted under this Act shall be—

On each coin minted under this Act there shall be—

The design on the common reverse of the coins minted under this Act shall depict a basketball.

Coins minted under this Act shall be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.

The Secretary may issue coins minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2020.

The coins issued under this Act shall be sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of—

The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.

All sales of coins minted under this Act shall include a surcharge as follows:

Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to fund an endowment that will enable increased operations and educational programming of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard to the amounts received under subsection (b).

Notwithstanding subsection (a), no surcharge may be included with respect to the issuance under this Act of any coin during a calendar year if, as of the time of such issuance, the issuance of such coin would result in the number of commemorative coin programs issued during such year to exceed the annual commemorative coin program issuance limitation under section 5112(m)(1) of title 31, United States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act). The Secretary of the Treasury may issue guidance to carry out this subsection.