A Canadian physical educator, physician, sports coach, and innovator, Dr James Naismith, invented Basketball in 1891. It has the pace and tremendous excitement too!
Every player of the team on the court has the opportunity to shine during a game of basketball, but this action-packed sport relies heavily on teamwork. Basketball was adopted as the demonstration sport in the 1904 Olympic and official event at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Today this sport has reached every nook and corner of the world and is one of the most liked games across the globe. It can be played indoors and outdoors.
To celebrate the ‘125th Anniversary of the Invention of Basketball’, the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has minted a coloured convex-shaped silver coin. Canadian artist Glen Green designs the first-ever coloured convex-shaped coin. The coin’s deep convex curvature is designed to recreate the rounded shape of a basketball. In addition to its unusual shape, the precision engraving replicates the actual elements associated with the basketball—specifically the recessed lines and the dimpled surface on the coin. The application of colour reflects its iconic orange appearance. The engraved action shot shows the fast-paced intensity of the game in the foreground – a player on the left leaps towards the net for a dunk shot, while the one on the right moves quickly to defend the shot with his outstretched arm. On the sides, two engraved basketballs overlap the wideband that frames the reverse image, where the word “CANADA” is engraved above the years “1891-2016”, which year mark basketball’s 125th anniversary. As one side of the coin is convex, the other side or obverse or heads side is concave. Susanna Blunt’s effigy of Queen Elizabeth II is embossed on this side and inscribed -“ELIZABETH II,” “DG REGINA”, and the coin’s legal face value of “25 DOLLARS.”
Great attention paid to detailing and minting is proved by the engraved elements so that it should feel like you’re holding a small basketball in the palm.
Coin specifications as published by RCM are:
• Royal Canadian Mint Product No.: 153904
• Mintage: 8500
• Composition: 99.99% pure silver. The coin is GST/HST exempt!
• Finish: proof
• Weight (g): 30.75
• Diameter (mm): 36.07
• Edge: serrated
• Certificate: serialized
• Face value (CAD): 25 Canadian dollars
• Reverse Artist: Glen Green
• Obverse Artist: Susanna Blunt
The Royal Canadian Mint’s first colourized, convex-shaped collectable coin sells for CAD 159.95 or the US $123. Each coin is packed and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with a black beauty box.