Mint Review Results in Additional Semi-Finalists

http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=press_release&id=1479

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Baseball and the United States Mint—two American treasures—are teaming up to produce a new commemorative coin and make American history!

The designs Americans see every day on our coins inspire, instill pride and educate.  They translate our values as a Nation – and our heroes and heroines – into iconic imagery that is literally “art” in our pockets. 

Did you know that coin design and sculpture is referred to as Numismatic Art?  Numismatics is the study and collection of coins, medals and other related objects. This history of coins dates back to ancient times.  Today our coins in America are used for commerce, as an expression of artistic excellence and to honor historic moments.  They link our past and future. 

Imagine, if you could follow in the footsteps of famed designer, Felix Schlag, from Chicago! In a 1938 competition sponsored by the United States Department of the Treasury, he submitted a design for the now famous Jefferson 5-Cent Coin.  Schlag’s design continues to adorn the reverse on the nickel.  Now’s your chance to make history too!  The United States Mint is looking for the next great designer.  Is that you? 

We are looking for you to help us design the obverse (heads side) of the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coins.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act (Public Law 112-152) calls for a three-coin program of $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar clad coins, and requires a competition to select a common obverse design emblematic of the game of baseball.  This is the first time the United States Mint has held a public design competition since 1992.

In addition, the $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins will be the first convex/concave coins minted and issued by the United States Mint, with the reverses (tail sides) being convex to more closely resemble a baseball and the obverses concave to provide a more dramatic design. 

What you should know before you enter the design competition (please reveiw the Offical Rules before entering):

• The obverse design must be “emblematic of the game of baseball” and must include the inscriptions “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “2014.”
• Two-dimensional designs must be monochrome, not color.  Two dimensional must be approximately 8" in diameter. Three-dimensional models, if submitted, must be made using neutral plaster or a durable plastic material and should be approximately 8” in diameter.
• Designs must not include the name or depiction of a real player or any other person, living or not.
• Designs must not include depictions, names, emblems, logos, trademarks or any other intellectual property associated with any specific commercial, private, educational, civic, religious, sports, or other organizations whose membership or ownership is not universal, including any current or former baseball team, either professional or amateur. 
• Designs must not include any depiction of a real baseball stadium, field, arena, either in whole or in part, whether or not currently existing or in use. including the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball®, and any past or present sports organizations. By way of examples, your design must not include any reference to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, such as its name as an inscription, images of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum building and grounds, or any other text or symbol associated with the National Baseball Hall of Fame

For entrants who have already submitted designs, they may revise their submissions to comply with this rule until the Competition submission period ends no later than May 11, 2013, at noon Eastern Daylight Time.

The following persons and members of their immediate families are not eligible to enter into the Competition:

• Employees of the Department of the Treasury, including the United States Mint and other Treasury offices and bureaus.
• Contractor employees who are performing work under a contract with the Department of the Treasury, including the United States Mint and other Treasury offices and bureaus.
• Former contractors under the United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program.
• Individuals involved in the design evaluation process, including the staff of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, and members and staff of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, are not eligible to enter the Competition.

If you have any questions about the design competition, we encourage you to use the discussions tab to post them and then check back for your answer.

For more information on the United States Mint's National Baseball Hall of Fame Coin Design Competition please visit:

www.usmint.gov/

www.facebook.com/unitedstatesmint

www.twitter/usmint

www.pinterest.com/usmint

$5,000 in prizes

The Baseball Coin Design Competition is open from 12 noon EDT on April 11 to 12 noon EDT on May 11, 2013.  All U.S. citizens and permanent residents ages 14 and older are eligible to participate. The United States Mint reserves the right to close the competition early in the event that it receives 10,000 submissions. If it appears that the number of entries will reach 10,000, we will post a notice on Challenge.gov, informing the public that the contest submission period will close early, but not less than 48 hours after the notice is posted.  

You must enter the design competition through Challenge.gov. Please read the Official Rules carefully to determine eligibility and to understand the rights transfer agreement before entering the competition.

1. Please register with Challenge.gov.  You will need to do this before entering the competition.  Go to the Challenge.gov homepage and click on sign up and participate. Once you complete this process you will receive a confirmation from Challenge.gov.

2. Once you have received your Challenge.gov confirmation, you must sign up to enter the Batterup.challenge.gov

3. You will then begin the process of filling out the submission form for the batterup challenge.

4. Upload an image file of your design.  Please read the Official Rules carefully to ensure that your submission meets all of the mandatory requirements.  Please note that you will be asked to upload your design information twice.  The second prompt will be for the for File upload section (PDF, ZIP, Word Doc). This is also the section where those who choose to create a 3 D Sculpture can submit photographs of the sculpture. 

5. In the description summary area provide a brief statement describing your  design and how it relates to the game of baseball.

Please be sensitive that the rules have strict guidelines about what is appropriate and what is not.

Please feel free to email baseballcompetition.usmint.treas.gov with any questions that you may have regarding the submission process.

Remember, your design can be saved and edited before it is officially submitted.

Here are a few things that you should know before you enter the design competition:
•  Your submission must be your own original artwork.
•  The obverse design must be “emblematic of the game of baseball” and must include the inscriptions “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “2014.”
•  Two-dimensional designs must be monochrome, not color, and approximately 8" in diameter. Three-dimensional models, if submitting, must be made using neutral plaster or a durable plastic material and should be approximately 8” in diameter.
•  Designs must not include the name or depiction of a real player or any other person, living or dead.
•  Designs must not include depictions, names, emblems, logos, trademarks or any other indications associated with any specific commercial, private, educational, civic, religious, sports, or other organizations whose membership or ownership is not universal, including any current or former baseball team, either professional or amateur.
•  Designs must not include any depiction of a real baseball stadium, field, arena, either in whole or in part, whether or not currently existing or in use.

The following persons and members of their immediate families are not eligible to enter into the Competition:

a. Employees of the Department of the Treasury, including the United States Mint and other Treasury offices and bureaus.
b. Contractor employees who are performing work under a contract with the Department of the Treasury, including the United States Mint and other Treasury offices and bureaus.
c. Former contractors under the United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program.
d. Individuals involved in the design evaluation process, including the staff of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, and members and staff of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, are not eligible to enter the Competition.

 Remember to:
•  Read the Official Rules carefully to ensure that your submission meets all the required criteria.
•  Check your email on and around May 31 to see if your design is a semifinalist.  You will be contacted if your design is selected as a semifinalist and you will be asked to submit a signed Rights Transfer Agreement (and Parent /Legal Guardian Consent Form, if applicable).

• Emblematic of the Sport of Baseball
  Baseball Hall of Fame members will evaluate the semifinalists for how the designs represent the spirit of baseball.