One, Two, Three Strikes

The Negro National League, a professional baseball organization formed in 1920 when black players were banned from the sport’s major leagues, celebrated its centennial in 2020. The U.S. Mint recognized this milestone anniversary in 2022 with three commemorative coins: a clad half dollar, silver $1, and gold $5, each with a unique obverse and reverse.

A determined player at bat is prominent on the obverse of the clad half dollar. In the foreground is a tour bus that served as the men’s home on the road when hotels and restaurants refused entry. The reverse illustrates solidarity with a group of five players. The obverse of the silver $1 features a pitcher throwing a ball, while a batter, catcher, and umpire watch the ball approach on the reverse. Negro National League founder Rube Foster is portrayed on the gold $5 obverse, while the reverse depicts a sign of respect—the act of tipping one’s cap.

The U.S. Mint donated a portion of the sales to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, for educational and outreach programs and exhibits. Its mission is to preserve the history of African American baseball and to promote tolerance, diversity, and inclusion. For more information on the program, visit the U.S. Mint’s website.

A version of this article appears in the January 2022 issue of The Numismatist (money.org).