Coins - Young Collectors Edition Coin Sets - 1995 Atlanta Olympic Games - Series 1 - Basketball

In 1995, the United States Mint offered three different Young Collectors Edition Coin Sets with two for the Olympics to be held in Atlanta in 1996. The first of the Olympic coin sets included a clad half dollar for basketball.

The coin set package - six inches by six inches by 1/4 inch -  is made with an outer sleeve constructed of card stock printed in color and an inner package, also of color card stock, folded to protect the coin and provide several surfaces on which to share information about the Olympic Games and the commemorative coins.

On the front of the package, Jeremiah and Christina play basketball in a packed arena of American fans. On the inside package Charlie can be seen on the sidelines.

The title of the package states, "U.S. Olympic Coins of the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games" with "Young Collector's Edition Series #1" on a banner held in the crowded arena. 

The back of the outer package shows the Certificate of Authenticity on a scroll in front of the basketball fans: 

Certificate of Authenticity
U.S. Olympic Coins of the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games
1995 Uncirculated Clad Half Dollar Basketball Coin

This certifies that this coin is a genuine U.S. Olympic Coin of the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games struck in accordance with legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President on October 6, 1992, as Public Law 102-390. Produced by the United States Mint, this coin is legal tender of the United States.

Specifications for the Clad Half Dollar

Date: 1995
Mint: San Francisco
Condition: Uncirculated
Weight: 11.340 grams 
Diameter: 30.61 millimeters 
Composition: 92% copper, 8% nickel
Obverse Design: Basketball Players in Action
Obverse Designer: Clint Hansen
Reverse Design: Globe
Reverse Designer: T. James Ferrell

Philip N. Diehl
Director of the Mint 

The inner coin package looks like the front of the outer sleeve except the coin replaces the basketball.  

The back of the inside package shows two players defending their goal. 

Opened, the artist's vignette shows the basketball game in progress with Christina and Jeremiah playing and Charlie, their dog, watching from the sidelines. 

Fully opened, another portion of the package holds the coin and provides space for information. 

The inside of the unfolded package gives more areas for details about the games and about coins. 

The left section includes:

A century of modern competition...

Olympic competition began more than 2,700 years ago in ancient Greece. Athens hosted the first "Modern" Games in 1896. Since then the Olympic Games have been held all over the world. The 100th Anniversary, called the Centennial Olympic Games, will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, where the state symbol is a peach! 

On the left, Christina runs with an Olympic Torch and in the lower right a peach includes the question, "Did you know the name 'basketball' comes from fruit baskets?"

The upper right section offers information about collecting coins:

Collect a piece of history...

This special series of Olympic coins from the U.S. Mint, which commemorates the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games, was mandated by Congress. Your Basketball coin is one of four Young Collector's Edition coins celebrating different Olympic sports. This Edition is available only in limited numbers - keep it safe - it's an official U.S. Government keepsake of these historic Olympic Games.

Jeremiah, in a Grecian robe and sandals, stands on a dais with a coin in his upraised hand. Above him is the question, "What is a 'numismatist'?"

The dais provides the answer, "The word 'numismatist', derived from ancient Greek, means coin collector." 

The section showing the obverse (heads) gives some history of the fruit baskets:

From peach baskets to gold medals...

Basketball was first played with peach baskets affixed to uprights! In 1936, it was accepted as an Olympic sport. Since 1936, the U.S. Men's Team has won the gold medal in all but three years, 1972, 1980 and 1988. In 1992, the Men's Team's average winning point margin was a whopping 44 points per game! Can they do it again in 1996? 

The artist depicts Jeremiah with a basketball containing the comment, "The most Olympic medals won by a U.S. basketball player were won by Teresa Edwards (golds in 1984 and 1988, bronze in 1992)."

Showing the coin's reverse, the package reads:

Hold the moment...

You don't have to be on the team to be a part of the Olympic Games! Part of what you paid for this coin goes to help train our future Olympic hopefuls. By collecting all four coins in the Young Collector's Olympic Series, you're helping to support the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team and the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games!

Enjoy the excitement, and hold the moment forever! 

Christina and Jeremiah sit in the stands watching a game and waving their flags. Around the upper rim, the print states, "The Olympic basketball venue can hold up to 36,000 spectators for each game."

On the obverse (heads), the #3 and #12 players attempt to block the jump shot of another player. 

The reverse (tails) shows the Atlanta Centennial Games logo over a globe. 

These coin sets of the Atlanta Centennial Games provide information and history. Enjoy collecting these coins either as one of these coin sets or as a commemorative coin.