Football, Baseball and March of Dimes Commemorative Coins

Coin legislation has evidently been a topic on the minds of many in Washington. Since the start of August, one commemorative coin bill was signed into law by the President while two passed in the House.

The newest bill to become law requires the United States Mint to strike National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins in 2014. If the two bills that recently passed the House become law, those baseball coins will be followed in 2015 by March of Dimes commemorative coins and then by Pro Football Hall of Fame commemorative coins in 2016.

2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins

President Obama signed the National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act on Friday, August 3, 2012. As Public Law No: 112-152, the Act requires the U.S. Mint to produce up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in both proof and uncirculated qualities for release in 2014.

The Baseball coins are to be struck with an obverse emblematic of the game with the reverse depicting a baseball. While not specifically required by the legislation, the text of the law expresses the desire of Congress that the reverse of the $5 and $1 coins be convex "to more closely resemble a baseball and the obverse concave, providing a more dramatic display of the obverse design."

Surcharges on the sale of each coin will help fund the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. The facility will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2014.

Read more about the coins in this Silver Coins Today article.

2015 March of Dimes Commemorative Coins

The March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act passed in the House on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. If it passes the Senate and is signed into law by the President, it will authorize 500,000 silver dollars in collector proof and uncirculated qualities to be minted and released in 2015.

Designs showcased on the silver dollars would be emblematic of the "past, present, and future of the March of Dimes and its role as champion for all babies," according to the terms of the legislation. These coins would be struck to the standard specifications of modern silver dollars to include a composition of 90% silver and a diameter of 1.5 inches.

The $10 surcharge collected on sales of each coin would be forwarded to the March of Dimes to help its operations for improving the health of women, infants, and children. The March of Dimes Foundation was originally established on January 3, 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP).

Read more about the coins in this Silver Coins Today article.

2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins

Also on Wednesday, August 1, 2012, the House passed H.R. 4104, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act. If this proposed legislation passes the Senate and is signed by the President, it will require up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 silver dollars and 750,000 clad half dollars that are "emblematic of the game of professional football."

The 2016-dated gold, silver and clad coins would feature the same specifications as similar modern commemorative coins. This includes a gold coin composition of 90% gold and a silver coin composition of 90% silver.

Surcharges of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver dollar and $5 per clad coin would be collected and sent to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio to help finance the construction of a new building and renovate existing facilities. The Hall of Fame opened on September 7, 1963.

Read more about the coins in this Silver Coins Today article.

Already Authorized Commemoratives

Under current law, two commemoratives may get issued in one calendar year. Of the aforementioned years, only one other commemorative has been authorized by Congress and signed into law. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemorative Coin Act became Public Law No: 110-451 on December 2, 2008. It authorizes the U.S. Mint to strike silver dollars in calendar year 2014 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

Check this site’s section about silver commemorative coins for information on modern issues.