The Congress of the United States authorized, in Public Law 116-290, a series of three coins to honor the Negro Leagues of Major League Baseball that were established in 1920. Congress authorized a Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar, and a Five Dollar Gold coin to honor the Negro Baseball League players.
Rube Foster was instrumental in establishing the Negro Leagues. During that early period of Major League Baseball, African American players were not allowed to play in the major leagues and the owners of these teams formed the Negro National League in order to play against other teams of Black and Hispanic players across the country.
The Clad Half Dollar was designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Joseph McGraw. The central vignette depicts a ballplayer at bat, awaiting the pitch heading towards him. Below the batter is a team bus, which typically also served as shelter for the Negro Leagues team when they were refused accommodations at hotels, motels, and restaurants. On the side of the bus is “NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL.” On the upper periphery is “IN GOD WE TRUST,” the word, “LIBERTY,” and the date “2022.-
The reverse of this Negro Leagues Baseball coin depicts a group of five baseball players in uniform and holding bats and a catcher’s mitt. Above the players is the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Below the players are the phrases “HALF DOLLAR,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” The reverse was designed by Justin Kunz.
(A 2022-D Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Half Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
The Denver Mint struck the Uncirculated version, and this coin bears a “D” mintmark on the obverse of this coin.
The San Francisco Mint struck all the Proof Clad Half Dollars of this issue. These coins bear an “S” mintmark on the obverse.
Congress had authorized a maximum issue of 400,000 of these coins and to date, 8,789 of the Uncirculated coins and 18,558 of the Proof coins have been sold. Both issues are still on sale from the United States Mint.
(A 2022-D Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Half Dollar, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].
The Silver Dollar commemorative coin was the next coin in that 3-coin series. Again, all the designs on each coin differed from one another.
The obverse of the Silver Dollar was designed by Matt Swaim. It depicts a pitcher having thrown the ball as the ball looms larger as it gets closer to the rim of the coin (and the viewer). The baseball stitching provides an outer rim, and the upper periphery has “IN GOD WE TRUST,” inscribed on it, on the right periphery is the date of issue “2022,” and on the lower periphery has “LIBERTY,” on it.
The reverse of the Silver Dollar depicts a batter ready to swing, a catcher attempting to catch the pitched ball, with an umpire standing behind them both. Around the periphery are the phrases, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The denomination is also on the reverse and was expressed as “$1.” The reverse was designed by Don Everhard.
Both the Uncirculated version as well as the Proof coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, and both bear a “P” mintmark.
Legislation has authorized that the Mint could strike up to 400,000 coins, of all types.
(A 2022-P Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Silver Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [right], Reverse [left].)
(A 2022-P Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Silver Dollar, Proof, Obverse [right], Reverse [left].)
In addition to the Uncirculated and Proof versions of the Silver Dollar, there were two additional offerings of the commemorative silver dollar. There was a limited-edition Proof Silver Dollar pair with a silver medal of Jackie Robinson. This set was limited to 15,000 sets.
(A 2022-P Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Silver Dolla & Silver Medal, Proof, Silver Dollar [right], Medal [left].)
The other limited-edition offering was a Proof Silver Dollar with a Privy Mark on the obverse. The Privy mark was shaped like a diamond with “100” inside, representing the centennial of the Nego Baseball Leagues.
(A 2022-P Negro Baseball League Silver Dollar, Proof with Privy Mark, Obverse.)
The final coins in this Negro Baseball League coinage were Uncirculated and Proof Five Dollar Gold coins. This coin, like the other two denominations, had different designs from the Clad Half Dollar and the Silver Dollar.
The Five Dollar Gold coin was designed by Laurie Musser and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. This gold coin depicts a portrait of Rube Foster, the founder of the Negro Baseball League, wearing a cap and facing left. His facsimile signature is beneath his portrait. On the upper left periphery are the words “NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL,” and to the left are “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and the date “2022.” The word “LIBERTY,” is on the lower periphery.
The reverse was designed by Donna Weaver, sculpted by Eric Custer, and it depicts a hand holding a baseball cap. Under the cap is “THERE LEGACY PLAYS ON,” and the denomination which is expressed as “$5.” The upper periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and the lower periphery has the motto, “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Congress had authorized a maximum of 50,000 coins among all types.
(A 2022-W Negro Baseball Leagues, Five Dollar Gold, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
(A 2022-W Negro Baseball Leagues, Five Dollar Gold, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
Both the Uncirculated and the Proof versions of this coin were struck at the West Point minting facility. Both coins bear a “W” mintmark.
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Type | Mintage | Value |
| 2022 | D | Clad Half Dollar | Uncirculated | 8,789 + * | $40 |
| 2022 | S | Clad Half Dollar | Proof | 18,558 + * | $45 |
| 2022 | P | Silver Dollar | Uncirculated | 7,519 + * | $85 |
| 2022 | P | Silver Dollar | Proof | 19,424+ * | $85 |
| 2022 | P | Silver Dollar w/Privy | Proof | 18,182 | $95 |
| 2022 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Uncirculated | 1,156 + * | $675 |
| 2022 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Proof | 1,357 + * | $685 |
| 2022 | P | Proof Silver Dollar & Silver Jackie Robinson Medal | Proof | 19,454 | $150 |
| 2022 | S-P-W | 3-Coin Proof set | Proof | 3,476 + * | $800 |
- Denotes that these coins are still on sale by the United States Mint.
