Attendees can have COAs signed April 4 in Atlanta by the United States Mint Director, the coins’ designers, and NBA Hall of Famers
Sports enthusiasts who buy the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (NMBHOF) commemorative coins on their launch day, April 4, 2020, at the Final Four Fan Fest in Atlanta, Georgia, will have the opportunity of receiving onsite-autographed Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) signed by HOF members, the United States Mint Director, and the coin’s designers.
“Professional Coin Grading Service will offer exclusive labels with the NMBHOF logo and special designations for the coins bought at the Final Four Fan Fest and submitted to PCGS,” said PCGS President Brett Charville. The Fan Fest, held in conjunction with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Basketball Final Four games, will be the only physical location to purchase the coins on their release day, April 4.
“This exceptional partnership of PCGS and NMBHOF allows collectors of coins and sports memorabilia alike to get their COAs hand autographed by United States Mint Director David J. Ryder and members of the Basketball Hall of Fame as well as the coin’s designers, including Justin Kunz, who is signing these COAs exclusively for PCGS,” explained Charville.
“PCGS is excited about this opportunity for collectors from different hobby communities to intermingle and network at this historic event,” he added. “It’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors to buy these coins and have their certificates of authenticity hand-signed in-person by some of the biggest names in numismatics and basketball.”
“The only way to obtain the autographed COAs and encapsulation by PCGS is by submitting them onsite directly to the PCGS Submission Center at the Final Four Fan Fest in Atlanta,” explained PCGS Business Development Manager Joseph Pielago. The PCGS coin-and-COA-encapsulation process was unveiled last year with the launch of the 2019-S Enhanced Reverse Proof American Silver Eagle and its COA. These encapsulated coin-and-COA offerings have been extremely popular in the marketplace.
The legal-tender Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coins were authorized by Public Law 115-343 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. A total of six curved or dome-shaped coins are being issued as part of this commemorative coin program, including uncirculated and proof finish clad half dollars, silver dollars, and gold $5 coins. There will be purchasing limits at the 2020 Final Four Fan Fest of one of each coin per person, meaning one individual could purchase one each of all six different coins.
The United States Mint’s program calls for the production of up to 50,000 gold coins, 400,000 silver coins, and 750,000 clad coins. The Hall of Fame is authorized to receive surcharges from the sale of the coins in the amount of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver dollar, and $5 per clad half dollar. In addition to the surcharges, the NMBHOF receives a portion of the proceeds for each basketball coin submitted to PCGS for encapsulation with the special labels, with the funds used to further support the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
For more information on Final Four Fan Fest and to purchase tickets, visit www.ncaa.com/final-four/fan-fest/overview.
**The Final Four Fan Fest and the PCGS appearance at this event is still scheduled, pending any announcement(s) from the NCAA about cancellation of the event due to the COVID-19 virus. PCGS is in close communication with the Hall of Fame and is dedicated to doing what is best for the health of our customers Please check with PCGS for any further news or updates on possible schedule changes for this upcoming event.
